About
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was born on 15 July 1949 in Dubai, then part of the Trucial States. The third son of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, he received private tutoring in Arabic and Islamic studies, then attended Al Ahmedia and Al Shaab schools. He studied English in Cambridge and graduated from Mons Officer Cadet School with the Sword of Honour. Appointed head of Dubai Police in 1968, he became Minister of Defence of the UAE in 1971. Ruler of Dubai since 2006, he has transformed the emirate into a global hub through projects like Burj Khalifa and Palm Jumeirah. He is also a Nabati poet and an equestrian enthusiast.
* 1949-07-15
Major works
- My Vision (2006)memoir
- Poems from the Desert (2009)poetry
- Flashes of Thought (2013)essay
- My Story (2019)memoir
- Life Has Taught Me (2025)memoir
Key milestones
- 1971Appointed Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates at age 22.
- 2006Becomes Ruler of Dubai on 4 January, then Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE.
- 2012Wins the individual world championship at the FEI World Endurance Championship.
Themes
Economic developmentGovernment modernizationPoetry and literatureEquestrianism and endurancePhilanthropy
Sources: u.ae · britannica.com · eresources.nlb.gov.sg