What can change in just over three decades? Well, when it comes to Dubai, a whole lot.

Just 34 years ago, the population of Dubai hovered around 350,000 people. Today it has jumped to just over three million, Forbes reported.

All the iconic buildings, the picturesque skyline and the top tourist attractions were little more than piles of sand three decades ago. But with visionary leadership and the combined effort of hardworking residents, the emirate has completely transformed into a global hub for business, entrepreneurship, creativity and tourism.

Showing how truly drastic the transformation is, NASA released satellite imagery of Dubai. Combined together, the images reveal how the city changed from 1984 until 2017. 

The emirate's ambitious and rapid growth can be largely credited to the visionary leadership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the ruler of Dubai and the prime minister and vice president of the UAE.

"The job of governments is to create the environment in which can achieve their happiness. Yes, the government's job is to achieve happiness," Sheikh Mohammed once wisely said, revealing one of the major motivators behind his efforts to constantly improve Dubai.

Speaking of his vision for the city, Sheikh Mohammed also once said: "This is Dubai and this is our beloved UAE; it will remain the focus of the world's attention; it will continue, under its wise leadership and innovative citizens, to be a hub for business and finance; a center for culture and humanitarian work."

Here are some other photos that show just how far Dubai has come.

In a truly heartwarming Eid story, police in the UAE made the dream of a young girl come true.

Sumaya Ahmad Al Naqbi hails from the eastern town of Khor Fakkan in Sharjah. An adorable video of the girl requesting an ediya for Eid Al Fitr has gone viral on social media.

According to Gulf News, Sumaya contacted the police operations department of Khor Fakkan, requesting the special holiday gift. Instead of brushing her aside, the officers warmly welcomed the young girl's cute request and promised to fulfill her wish.

On the first day of Eid Al Fitr, the police showed up at the young girl's home to present her with the ediya. Needless to say, little Sumaya was incredibly excited by the gesture and thankful that her wish had been granted. The girl's father also expressed his gratitude to the officers.

Pointing to the Year of Zayed initiatives promoted by the UAE this year, Lt. Colonel Waleed Khamis Al Yamahi, director of the Khor Fakkan Comprehensive Police Station, said that his team just wanted to "spread joy and happiness."

This isn't the first time police officers have made headlines surrounding Ramadan in 2018. 

Dubai Police decided to do something extra special for workers in the UAE this year, while also breaking a world record. In early June, the force arranged an Iftar dinner benefiting more than 12,800 workers. At the same time, the event broke the world record for the "longest iftar table", which stretched 6 km.

The police also made sure to recognize the most important volunteers who helped make the iftar and the record possible. Ten-year-old Sultan and his siblings Nahyan, 9, and Anoud Mohsen Al Amri, 7, all received special honors from Major-General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police for helping with the set-up.

What can change in just over three decades? Well, when it comes to Dubai, a whole lot.

Just 34 years ago, the population of Dubai hovered around 350,000 people. Today it has jumped to just over three million, Forbes reported.

All the iconic buildings, the picturesque skyline and the top tourist attractions were little more than piles of sand three decades ago. But with visionary leadership and the combined effort of hardworking residents, the emirate has completely transformed into a global hub for business, entrepreneurship, creativity and tourism.

Showing how truly drastic the transformation is, NASA released satellite imagery of Dubai. Combined together, the images reveal how the city changed from 1984 until 2017. 

The emirate's ambitious and rapid growth can be largely credited to the visionary leadership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the ruler of Dubai and the prime minister and vice president of the UAE.

"The job of governments is to create the environment in which can achieve their happiness. Yes, the government's job is to achieve happiness," Sheikh Mohammed once wisely said, revealing one of the major motivators behind his efforts to constantly improve Dubai.

Speaking of his vision for the city, Sheikh Mohammed also once said: "This is Dubai and this is our beloved UAE; it will remain the focus of the world's attention; it will continue, under its wise leadership and innovative citizens, to be a hub for business and finance; a center for culture and humanitarian work."

Here are some other photos that show just how far Dubai has come.