Al Jazirah Al Hamra Heritage Village in Al Jazeera Al Hamra, United Arab Emirates
Al Jazira Al Hamra was initially established as a fishing and pearl diving town in the 1830s. At the time, it housed approximately 200 people who mainly worked in pearl diving. The town was ruled by the Al Zaab tribe and kept about 25 fishing boats on the tidal island.
By the turn of the 20th century, business was booming and Al Jazira Al Hamra was home to more than 2000 inhabitants. After oil was discovered in the United Arab Emirates, many villagers moved to larger cities such as Abu Dhabi, and the villages were abandoned. Al Jazira Al Hamra was abandoned in 1968. Some believe that it was the big-city appeal that pushed people out of Al Jazirat Al Hamra, while other sources cite that conflicts between the villagers and ruler of Ras Al Khaimah led to the abandonment. It is also rumored that ghost sightings led the villagers to leave.
Today, the coral-stone buildings, mosques, and roads are still standing. According to locals, the town is still haunted by the ghosts of its past.
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