Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates that make up the federation of the United Arab Emirates, and Abu Dhabi City is its capital city, the seat of the UAE government, and the second-largest city in the country.
The Emirate of Abu Dhabi accounts for about 86% of the land area in the United Arab Emirates, but the majority of the people in the emirate live and work in Abu Dhabi City, which is located on an island about the size of Manhattan, just off the coast in the northeastern part of the emirate.
Outside of the air-conditioned buildings in the city, the environment is harsh. Temperatures above 100-degrees F are common, and there is very little rain. Most of the emirate consists of desert and sand dunes, with some salt flats along the coast. Abu Dhabi City grew up around an oasis formed by water from the high mountains of Yemen flowing through underground natural aquifers beneath the desert, supplying scattered sources of water to the Emirates.
Prior to the wealth provided by the discovery of oil, life could only exist at the oases, or where water could be carried in manmade channels. Today, massive irrigation systems have transformed barren desert into a lush green landscape. Due to a shortage of land suitable for building, towering skyscrapers were built and land has been reclaimed from the sea, creating artificial islands and enlarging the land area of the peninsula, particularly in downtown Abu Dhabi.
Modernization in Abu Dhabi has been rapid and dramatic. Whereas family life for many of those living in Abu Dhabi City today had once been centered around the traditions of family, tribal villages, and livestock, today they are living and working in air-conditioned highrises. While transportation within the Emirates once depended upon camels, today the city and the country boasts an impressive transportation system. Some families maintain homes in both the city and the desert, maintaining links with both worlds.
More than three-fourths of the population of Abu Dhabi City is made up of expatriate workers, and that number is growing because migration to Abu Dhabi is one of the highest in the world. The majority of migrant workers in the city come from India and the surrounding countries, but skilled service-industry workers and construction personnel from across the Arab world are also coming to Abu Dhabi, and thousands of Westerners have been attracted to the city for corporate and engineering projects.
The area upon which Abu Dhabi was formed has been inhabited since the early Stone Age. Although its past is known largely through tribal traditions, stone tools have been found dating back about 150,000 years. It is believed that the climate was cooler and wetter then.
About 10,000 years ago, a group of nomads settled along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, beginning the Mesopotamian civilizations known as the Sumerians and Babylonians. As they lacked ores, a maritime trade developed, and trade settlements were made in areas where there was an adequate water supply, and these settlements eventually became Bahrain, Qatar, and the Emirates.
During the Bronze Age, copper ore was smelted at Hili and exported from Umm an-Nar Island, on the edge of what is now Abu Dhabi City. Tombs and artifacts from that time period have been found there.
In the 1st millennium BC, iron replaced copper, and the copper centers were abandoned. By then, camels had been domesticated and used in trade and communication. A semi-nomadic lifestyle was revived, but an irrigation system was also developed, increasing agricultural production in well-watered places at the base of mountains. Small fishing villages along the coast supplemented their incomes by diving for pearls and engaging in maritime trade.
Prior to the birth of Islam in the 600s AD, there were Nestorian Christian communities in the region. However, the ancestors of Abu Dhabi's ruling family were among the Arabs who fled Yemen and settled in the Abu Dhabi region. Islam spread quickly along the desert and maritime trade routes, and the coastal and desert settlements of Abu Dhabi were quick to adopt the new religion.
By the mid-1800s, pearl fishing along the coast developed into a major industry, with Abu Dhabi exporting some of the best pearls in the world. Abu Dhabi became the dominant force within the Emirates because Sheikh Zayed the First, the Emir of Abu Dhabi, was a driving force behind the formation of the United Arab Emirates.
Oil explorations in Abu Dhabi began in the 1930s, but it wasn't until 1959 that sufficient reserves of oil were discovered, with production beginning in 1962.
The Abu Dhabi Central Capital District has its own government, separate from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, although both are headquartered in Abu Dhabi City. Members are appointed by the Emir.
Recommended Resources
Created and presented by the Abu Dhabi Culture & Tourism department, the site offers a guide to the city and emirate of Abu Dhabi, a map showing its international office, office hours and contacts, and a guide to attractions and events, hotels, resorts and other guest accommodations, dining facilities, health and medical facilities, and a calendar of events, as well as a trip planner, newsletter, and other resources.
https://visitabudhabi.ae/us-en/
Abu Dhabi City Guide & Bookings
Affiliated with the TravelAgents Network, the online travel guide and hotel booking site offers general information about the UAE city, attractions and events within the city, entertainment venues, nightlife, dining facilities, and other businesses and services, as well as featured hotels within the city, with descriptions, photographs, amenities, and online bookings. A visa guide, a blog, and car rental and flight bookings may also be done online.
https://www.abudhabi.com/
Administered under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the club operates the Zayed Cricket Stadium, which has hosted hundreds of domestic and international cricket matches. The facilities are highlighted, with photographs and a floor plan, and a schedule of games and events, an overview of its cricket academy, and an online shopping site offering commemorative and promotional items.
https://www.abudhabicricket.ae/
Sponsored by HSBC Holdings, a British multinational banking and holding company, the annual golf tournament is held in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. Golf and travel packages and online ticket sales are featured, and partners and past champions are acknowledged, along with sponsorship and volunteer opportunities. A course overview includes a hole-by-hole description, layout, and photographs. Golf prize competition terms and conditions are specified.
https://abudhabichampionship.com/
Abu Dhabi Sailing & Yacht Club
Established in 2011, the club caters to those who are interested in both modern and traditional sailing and includes the infrastructure and facilities to host sailing events and to further the development of sailing in Abu Dhabi, which may include dhow sailing, yachting, dinghy sailing, surfing, rowing, and kayaking. A schedule of races and other events is put forward, along with results, photographs, video, and information about its sailing school.
http://www.adsyc.ae/en/
The 5-star hotel is situated in the Central Business District of Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, where it features more than three hundred guest accommodations, which are highlighted here, with photographs, a list of amenities, and an overview of its features and services, dining facilities, meeting and conference spaces, and promotional offers. Rooms and suites may be booked online.
http://cornichehotelabudhabi.com/
Located on Yas Island, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Ferrari World is an amusement park themed for the Ferrari automobile. Opened in 2010, the park hosts Formula Rossa, billed as the world's fastest roller coaster, as well as the largest space frame structure. The park's rides and shows are featured, along with other experiences, shopping venues, and dining facilities. Tickets may be booked online, and career opportunities are posted.
https://ferrariworldabudhabi.com/
Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, Saint Andrew's is part of the Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf. A profile of the church is given, including its location, service schedules, and a calendar of events. Its community and life events programs, spiritual guidance, and projects are set forth, and a photo gallery, leadership contacts, announcements, and guest congregations are acknowledged.
http://standrewauh.org/
Focusing on businesses and events in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the site highlights restaurants and cafes, bars, clubs, shopping venues, and attractions in Abu Dhabi, as well as film and television information, previews, and trailers, a schedule of events, travel tips, and property. Competitions to win show tickets, spa treatments, clothing, dinners, and other prizes are featured, as well.
http://www.shortlistabudhabi.com/
Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the Stratix Management Consultancy caters to professionals, business expansions, and those seeking citizenship through investment, options to study abroad, and other settlements, the company's chief service is in providing immigration consultancies, not only to the UAE, but to other countries as well. Its services are described in detail, and its specific services to investors, businesses, skilled workers, and students are set forth.
http://www.stratixconsultants.ae/
Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa
Situated in Sas Al Nakhi Village, a gated community in Abu Dhabi, the golf resort features a 27-hole championship golf course that sponsors the PGA European Tour Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, as well as a variety of rooms and suites. Photographs and video are featured, along with hotel information and features, an overview of on-site restaurants and bars, meeting and event spaces, and a map showing its location. Accommodations may be booked online.
http://www.westinabudhabigolfresort.com/
Situated on Yas Island, about thirty minutes from Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, the Yas Marina Circuit is the venue for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and the second Formula One race track in the Middle East. A season schedule, a calendar of public and other motorsports events, corporate packages, and educational programs are featured, along with press releases, photographs, and video.
https://www.yasmarinacircuit.com/en
