Abu Dhabi is the federal capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Abu Dhabi emirate, the largest of the seven emirates making up the UAE. Its history goes back to the third century BC, but its status as one of the richest cities in the world is of more recent origin.

Oil was discovered around 50 years ago, in the late 1950s, and it turned out that the emirate's oil and gas reserves were among the largest in the world.
 
Since then the old fishing, pearling, camel-herding and date-producing village of Abu Dhabi has been transformed into a modern city with plenty of high-rise buildings, broad boulevards and luxury hotels. There are still traces and remnants of the old days in the city, including several souks, markets and craft centres, but they are surrounded by a very modern and extremely affluent urban landscape that is more orientated towards the future than the past.

Having long lived in the shadow of neighbouring Dubai, Abu Dhabi is increasingly asserting itself as a luxury travel and business destination as well as a cultural centre in the region. It has several attractions worth checking out, such as the Petroleum Exhibition and the Heritage Village, the beautiful Corniche (beach), the Al Hisn Fort, the old souk (market), the Breakwater Island and Sheikh Zayed's palace.

Year-round sunshine, pristine beaches, spectacular sand dunes and pulsating cosmopolitan lifestyle await every guest in Abu Dhabi.

Many of the city's top-class hotels and restaurants, including the prestigious Emirates Palace Hotel, allegedly the most expensive in the world, are located along the downtown section of the Corniche, overlooking the many sandy islets that are rapidly undergoing development.

One of these, Saadiyat Island, is spearheading the transformation of Abu Dhabi into a world-class tourism destination with a cultural emphasis. It is here that a new US$27 billion cultural district will be located, and it will contain museums, art galleries and performing arts centres.
 
These will include the Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and expected to open in 2012, as well as the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi contemporary art museum, designed by Frank Gehry, which is scheduled for completion in 2011 and is set to become the largest Guggenheim museum in the world.

Furthermore the garden city of Al Ain - lying near the Oman border - is home to one of the famous peaks of the majestic Hajar Mountain and the highest point in the Emirat of Abu Dhabi (Jebel Hafeet), which rises about 1,340 metres. A world-class hotel (Grand Mercure) is nestled close to the mountain's peak offering travellers a great relaxing stay and a panoramic view of the emirate.

Climate

Abu Dhabi has a sub-tropical and arid climate, with sunny blue skies most of the year. It rains infrequently, falling mainly in winter. Temperatures range from a low of about 10.5ºC (50ºF) to a high of 48ºC (118ºF). The mean daily maximum in January is 24ºC/75.2ºF rising to 41ºC/105.8ºF in July with high humidity levels.

Cultural Heritage

Cultural sites abound in Abu Dhabi, whose name implies "Father of the Gazelle" most likely due to the large number of gazelles and oryx that once flocked the emirate's arid deserts. These heritage sites provide holiday makers with a glimpse of this emirate's storied past - reaching as far back as 5000 BC - and an understanding of its people's culture, values and aspirations. Being the capital, Abu Dhabi also houses embassies and hosts ambassadors from all over the world.

Geography

Abu Dhabi's geographical coordinates are 24º 28' 0" North, 54º 22' 0" East. It is the largest of seven emirates comprising the UAE, occupying more than 80% of the country's total land mass and featuring a coastline that stretches over 700 kilometres.

Nearly 200 islands fall under the Abu Dhabi territory including Das, located 170 kilometres northwest of Abu Dhabi city, and Mumbraz and Bani Yas, which are located approximately 180 kilometres west of the capital.

Desert dominates Abu Dhabi's terrain, covering as much as 70 percent of its land area.

The city of Abu Dhabi, which is located on a low-lying island, features a Manhattan like skyline with tree-lined roads and landscaped parks and gardens. Sparkling waters of the Arabian Gulf, which surround the city, complete the scenic vista.

The imposing Hajar Mountain from the east and the vast tracts of arid desert enclose Abu Dhabi emirate's second city - Al Ain.  Ironically, Al Ain boasts a highly fertile soil relative to other emirates in UAE, which has encouraged the growth of vast vegetation in the area. The Hajar Mountain, on the other hand, produced copper that was traded by the first tribes that occupied this desert community over four thousand years ago.

Another well-known feature of the emirate is the Liwa oasis located in the south is home to some of the largest and most beautiful sand dunes in the world. It is also the frontier that leads to the legendary Rub Al-Khali (Empty Quarter), a vast expanse of desert that extends through Saudi Arabia and Oman, which has been the object of many explorers' conquest in the past.

Abu Dhabi's land surface measures 67,340 square kilometres, which is equivalent to about 80% of the UAE's total land area. Only 30 percent of the emirate is inhabited, with the remaining vast expanses covered mainly by desert and arid land - constituting about 93% of the total land area.

Land cultivation and irrigation for agriculture and forestation over the past decade has increased the size of "green" areas in the emirate to about five percent of the total land area, including parks and roadside plantations. About 1.2 percent of total land area is now used for agriculture. A small part of the land area is covered by mountains, containing several caves. The coastal area contains pockets of wetland and mangrove colonies. Abu Dhabi also has dozens of islands, mostly small and uninhabited, some of which have been designated as sanctuaries for wildlife.Abu Dhabi History.

Government

The Supreme Council of the UAE is comprised of the hereditary rulers of the seven emirates and is the highest federal authority. It is responsible for general policy matters involving education, defence, foreign affairs, communications, development and the establishment federal laws.

The President of the UAE is HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan who is also the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. The Vice President is HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai. Both are elected by the Supreme Council from among its members.

The Federal Council of Ministers is responsible to the Supreme Council. It has the executive authority to initiate and implement laws and is a consultative assembly of 40 representatives who are appointed for two years by the individual emirates. The council monitors and debates government policies, but has no power of veto.

History

 

Pre-20th-Century History

In the 3rd millennium BC a culture known as Umm an-Nar (after the island where it was discovered) arose near modern Abu Dhabi. Umm an-Nar's influence extended well into the interior and down the coast of what is now Oman. Later regional influences included the Hellenic civilisations, the Kingdom of Hormuz and the Portuguese.

 

The rise of British naval power in the Gulf in the mid-18th century coincided with the rise of two important tribal confederations along the coast of the lower Gulf. These were the Qawasim, whose descendants now rule Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah, and the Bani Yas, whose descendants are now the ruling families of modern Abu Dhabi and Dubai.The Bani Yas were originally based in Liwa, an oasis on the edge of the Empty Quarter desert, but moved to Abu Dhabi in 1793. They engaged in the traditional Bedouin activities of camel herding and small-scale agriculture. The Bani Yas divided into two main branches in the early 19th century when Dubai split from Abu Dhabi.

Modern History

After the collapse of the world pearl market in the early 20th century, the entire coast was plunged into abject poverty. In 1939, Sheikh Shakhbut, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, granted the first of several oil concessions on his territory. It was not until 1958, however, that oil was found in the emirate. With a population at the time of only 15,000, Abu Dhabi was on its way to becoming very rich.

Britain's 1968 announcement that it would leave the Gulf in 1971 came as a shock to most of the ruling sheikhs. Negotiations eventually resulted in independence for Bahrain and Qatar and the creation of a new federal nation: the United Arab Emirates. The UAE, with Abu Dhabi as its capital, came into existence on 2 December 1971.

When oil revenue started pouring in, banks and boutiques rapidly replaced the reed and mud-brick huts.

 

Recent History

In recent years, the settlement has spread to occupy virtually all of Abu Dhabi island. It's been remodelled in less than 40 years to become the classic Arabian petrodollar city, a wealthy metropolis filled with gardens and tall mirror-glassed buildings.

 

Population

The population of Abu Dhabi is around 1,000,000 people as of 2008, of whom 80% were expatriates.

Language

Arabic is the national language, however, English, Urdu, Hindi and Farsi are spoken widely. Arabic and English are the main business languages. These are some common Arabic words useful to visitors to Dubai:

Arabic word	Translation
Marahaba	Hi
Keef halak	How are you
Law semaht	Excuse me
Ma salamah	Goodbye
shokran	Thank you
Afwan	Glad to help you