Other key dates in the 1990s

1990
June 9-19 The UAE national team plays in the Fifa World Cup in Italy, losing to Colombia, West Germany and Yugoslavia.
October 7 Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, dies and is succeeded by his son, Sheikh Maktoum.
1991
February 24 The UAE joins a 34-nation armed coalition and sends troops to liberate Kuwait following the Iraqi invasion.
July 5 Collapse of the Luxembourg-based Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), in which Abu Dhabi's ruling family owns a majority share.
1992
April The UAE responds to a UN request to send military units to support peacekeeping operations in Somalia.
August 24 Iran escalates the tension over the islands Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb, seized from the UAE in 1971, by requiring Emirati visitors to have visas.
December The UAE's annual GDP reaches Dh128m, compared with Dh16.7m in 1972. In that interval, the proportion of GDP accounted for by oil has dropped from 63 per cent to 41. However, oil is still responsible for 80 per cent of revenue: oil exports from Abu Dhabi have increased to 694 million barrels, up from 384m in 1971. Dubai's exports hit 146m barrels, up from 55m in 1972.
1993
March 6 The number of federal ministries is now almost double the 12 created in 1972. New ministries include Transportation; Islamic Affairs; Trade and the Economy; Petroleum and Mineral Resources; Youth and Sports; Housing and Public Works; and Higher Education.
December Abu Dhabi sues BCCI's executives for damages.
1994
September When Iraqi forces again move towards the Kuwait border, the UAE sends ground troops to the country.
1995
June 6 The UAE pledges military and humanitarian aid to Bosnia's Muslims.
1996
March Iran further fuels the dispute over the seized Gulf islands by opening an airport on Abu Musa and a power station on Greater Tunb.
May 20 At a meeting of the Federal Supreme Council, the provisional constitution is made permanent, and Abu Dhabi is officially named capital of the UAE.
1997
November The dirham is pegged to the US dollar.
1998
FebruaryThe UAE's first Environment Day. "We cherish our environment because it is an integral part of our country, our history and our heritage," says Sheikh Zayed.
March 12 The Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey begins a dig on the Marawah island and finds fireplaces used by late Stone Age hunters, which carbon-dating indicates is the earliest inhabited site yet found in the country.
1999
March 24 The UAE is among the first non-Nato countries to support bombing to protect the Muslim population of Kosovo, and later deploys armed forces.
November The Gulf Cooperation Council backs the UAE in its dispute with Iran over the annexed Gulf islands.
In other news ...
1990 The Federal Council of Ministers grows from 23 members to 27. 1991 The number of hotels in the UAE reaches 189, compared with 33 in 1975. • The UAE's paved road system reaches a total length of 2,700km. • The number of mosques in the UAE reaches 2,692, almost triple the number in 1975. 1992 The UAE opens its 42nd hospital as life expectancy for men and women reaches 70 and 73 years respectively, compared with 47 in 1979. Infant mortality falls to 11.7 per thousand, from 138 per thousand. • The Government builds its 100,000th free housing unit for nationals, mainly Bedouin who settle in newly built villages in Abu Dhabi. 1993 The population of the UAE reaches 2.08 million, almost double that in 1980. Labour force numbers are 794,000, compared with 559,000 in 1980. 1994 The federal Government takes over from individual emirates the function of imposing tariff rates on products, decreeing a flat rate of 4 per cent across the country. 1995 Sheikh Zayed receives a gold medal from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN for his work in developing countries. 1996 Sheikh Zayed celebrates his 30th anniversary as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. 1997 Work begins on a three-year study to determine whether a "metro" railway is a feasible proposition for Dubai. 1998 Opening of Zayed University, the first university for women. 1999 The population of the UAE reaches three million, with annual growth of 6.5 per cent. • The UAE Red Crescent Society builds 50 mosques, drills 54 water wells and sets up two clinics in Albania and Sudan and two orphanages in Ghana and Thailand.