Abu Dhabi

Welcome To Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, city and capital of Abu Dhabi emirate, one of the United Arab Emirates (formerly Trucial States, or Trucial Oman), and the national capital of that federation. The city occupies most of a small triangular island of the same name, just off the Persian Gulf coast and connected to the mainland by a short bridge. Abu Dhabi was formerly an undeveloped town of only local importance, but the emirate’s oil revenues enabled it to evolve into a modern city with a fully developed infrastructure.

In addition to internal development, Abu Dhabi has lent some of its wealth to its less-prosperous sister states in the United Arab Emirates, to other countries in the Arab world, and to developing countries elsewhere. An Arid Lands Research Centre was founded at Al-Ain in the interior to seek improved methods of vegetable growing. Abu Dhabi also has a number of terrestrial and marine wildlife research centres.

Abu Dhabi is served by Abu Dhabi International Airport, which underwent significant expansion in the early 21st century. Port Zayed is a major shipping centre and the emirate’s main cargo port. There are a number of universities within the emirate, among them United Arab Emirates University (1976) and Abu Dhabi University (2003), as well as a branch of the Sorbonne (2006), which offers French-language courses designed to conform to the academic standards of the Sorbonne in Paris. Area 28,210 square miles (73,060 square km). Pop. (2015 est.) 2,784,490.