Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Between 1973 and 2006 dramatic changes along the coast of the United Arab Emirates follow the development of Dubai, one of the country's seven emirates. The country is located along the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula where the land tapers to a sharp tip that nearly separates the Persian Gulf to the north from the Gulf of Oman to the south. This image is from NASA's series of Landsat satellites shows the remarkable transformation.

The city of Dubai is home to more than 1.2 million people, and it is still growing rapidly. The city's emergence as a major metropolis and tourist destination is evident in these images.