1972
December 2 The first celebration of National Day. Flags are raised on houses, the Federal Forces participate in a large military parade for the first time, and VIPs attend a concert in which the Egyptian diva Najat Al Saghira sings the new national anthem composed by Mohammad Abdel Wahab.
1973
February 8 Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak opens the Abu Dhabi Women's Association.
May 6 The Girl Scouts are established in the UAE.
May 23 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan attends the Hilton Hotel opening.
July 30 On behalf of the US president, Richard Nixon, Sheikh Zayed is presented with a piece of moon rock.
September 26 Traffic lights are introduced in Abu Dhabi.
1974
January 31 The first direct telephone line between Abu Dhabi and Dubai is launched, with a connection between Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum speaking from his office in Dubai to Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan at his office in Abu Dhabi.
December 2 The National Day military parade is broadcast in colour on television.
1975
March 5 Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum inaugurates the InterContinental Hotel in Dubai.
March 8 Sheikh Rashid opens the Dubai Museum.
1976
February 18 The Ministry of Information and Culture announces its plan to form an arts group.
1977
October 12 Sheikh Zayed inspects progress of the first children's park in Al Khalidiya.
1978
April 5 Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan approves the design for an equestrian centre in Abu Dhabi.
July 19 Sheikh Rashid opens Pepsi Cola's factory in Dubai.
1979
February 24 Britain's Queen Elizabeth II begins a state visit. In Dubai, she opens the World Trade Centre, then the tallest building in the Middle East at 149 metres, and inaugurates Jebel Ali Port.
July 22 Sheikh Rashid opens the Emirates Macaroni Factory.
October 10 Al Nasr Leisureland opens in Dubai.
November 16 Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan opens Zayed Sports City, where the qualifying games for the Asian Cup are held.
1980
The Hyatt Regency in Dubai is opened by Sheikh Rashid.
1981
December 4 The Al Nasr Sports Club hosts a Dubai Grand Prix.
1982
January 2 Abu Dhabi International Airport opens at its current location, taking over from Al Bateen airport as the main passenger hub.
1983
April 12 Sheikh Zayed attends the opening of Abu Dhabi Women's Association's headquarters in Al Bateen.
July 26 Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamad attends the first meeting of the Emirates Poets Groups.
1984
March 1 Sharjah's first arts festival, titled Expo, is opened by Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi.
1985
October 25 Emirates Airline begins operations out of Dubai. Its first destinations are in Pakistan and India.
1986
January 7 A major vegetable market opens in Madinat Zayed in Abu Dhabi.
February 10 The Abu Dhabi Executive council approves the creation of a national museum in Al Ain.
1987
November 19 Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi opens the Ras Al Khaimah National Museum in the Old Fort.
1988
February 27 A deal with signed to operate the first ice rink in Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City.
1989
January 29 Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum opens the first Dubai International Air show.
March 14 Sheikh Zayed receives Britain's Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, who visit Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Dubai on their tour of the Gulf.
1990
Jun 9-19 The UAE national team plays in the Fifa World Cup in Italy, losing to Colombia, West Germany and Yugoslavia.
July 26 Designs for a 72-hole golf course are completed by Abu Dhabi Municipality.
1992
May 7 Sheikh Zayed orders that schools include educational trips in their curriculum, familiarising students with important sites in the country.
October 1 The new course at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai is opened by Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid.
1993
January 5 The Sharjah Archaeological Museum is opened by Dr Sheikh Sultan.
1994
January 25 Sheikh Zayed announces the Dh10 million Zayed Grand Prize for camel racing.
1995
April 11 The South African president Nelson Mandela meets Sheikh Zayed on his first official visit for the UAE.
1996
February 11 Abu Dhabi holds its first Arab Heritage Festival, with seven countries participating.
1997
December 13-17 The UAE plays in the Confederations Cup, the first to be organised by Fifa, held in Riyadh's King Fahd Stadium. After a 2-0 loss to Uruguay, the UAE defeats South African 1-0 before losing to the Czech Republic 1-6.
June 12 Dreamland in Umm Al Quwain, the first water park in the region, is unveiled by Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla.
1998
February 4 The UAE marks its first National Environment Day.
1999
September 30 The Burj Al Arab is completed in Dubai, in time for a December opening and millennium celebrations.
2000
April 15 Construction is completed on Jumeirah Emirates Towers, at 56 storeys, the tallest building in the Middle East.
2001
March 28 Marina Mall opens in Abu Dhabi.
April 15 Abu Dhabi Mall opens.
2002
May The Palm Islands project is announced in Dubai.
2003
November 5 The first Etihad Airways flight takes off, a ceremonial trip between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Its inaugural commercial flight will be between Abu Dhabi and Beirut.
2004
December 6-11 The First Dubai International Film Festival includes an appearance by the actor Moran Freeman.
August 17 Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum wins gold in men's double trap shooting at the Athens Olympics, the UAE's first Olympic medal.
2005
February 25 Emirates Palace opens in Abu Dhabi.
September Mall of the Emirates opens in Dubai.
2006
June 15-17 Dubai hosts the International Indian Film Academy Awards.
July 8 The Guggenheim Foundation announces it has commissioned Frank Gehry to build a branch of the modern art museum in Abu Dhabi as a showpiece for Saadiyat Island's Cultural District.
2007
October 15-17 The first film festival opens in Abu Dhabi, originally called the Middle East International Film Festival.
March 6 France and the UAE sign an agreement to open a branch of the Louvre on Saadiyat.
2008
January 21 The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque opens to the public.
September 1 Manchester City Football Club are taken over by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment.
November 4 The Dubai Mall opens.
November 20 The grand opening of the Atlantis hotel on the Palm in Dubai.
2009
September 9 At 9.09.09pm, the first section of Dubai Metro's Red Line, serving 10 stations, is inaugurated by Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid.
November 1 Abu Dhabi's first Formula One race takes place on the new Yas Marina Circuit; many hotels, including the Fairmont, open for it.
2010
January 4 Dubai inaugurates the world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa.
November 24 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip make their second visit to the UAE.
November 26 Sheikh Zayed Bridge, designed by Zaha Hadid, is completed.
2011
January 17-18 Jeffery Deaver visits Dubai to launch his James Bond book, Carte Blanche, partly set in the city.
April 23 The launch of Yahsat's first commercial telecommunications satellite.
December 2 The UAE celebrates its 40th anniversary.
2012
June 3 and 4 Madonna plays Abu Dhabi, drawing fans from around the world.
2013
January Work restarts on the Louvre Abu Dhabi after TDIC awards a contract to the joint venture headed by Arabtec.
August 26 The Galleria luxury mall on Abu Dhabi's Al Maryah Island opens.
Sources: Chronicle of Progress: 25 Years of Development in the United Arab Emirates; newspaper archives
