Emirate of Abu Dhabi

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. It is the largest, covering about 87% of the country's land, which is around 67,340 km².

In 2024, the emirate was home to over four million people, making it the second most populated emirate. The city of Abu Dhabi serves as the capital for both the emirate and the entire United Arab Emirates.

Important changes happened in the early 1970s. First, the United Arab Emirates was formed in December 1971, with Abu Dhabi becoming its capital. Then, oil prices rose sharply after the Yom Kippur War, bringing much wealth to the region.

Today, Abu Dhabi’s economy is strong. In 2024, its total wealth was about US $308 billion, with each person sharing around US$84,900 of that wealth. Oil and mining play a big role, making up almost half of the emirate's economy.

Etymology

Before it was called Abu Dhabi, the area was known as Milh, which means salt in Arabic, likely because of the salt water there. Today, Milh is still the name of one of the islands in Abu Dhabi.

The name Abu Dhabi means "father of the gazelle". People have used this name for over 300 years. The story behind the name has been shared through poems and legends, making it hard to know exactly why it was chosen. Many believe it came from the many gazelles in the area and an old tale about the city's founding by Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan.

History

Parts of Abu Dhabi were settled thousands of years ago, following a way of life based on herding animals and fishing, like many places in the area. The area has been home to people for over 7,000 years.

Modern Abu Dhabi began with the rise of a powerful group called the Bani Yas in the late 1300s. Abu Dhabi officially became an emirate in 1540. In 1761, the discovery of fresh water on Abu Dhabi Island helped the emirate grow.

In the late 1800s, Abu Dhabi was involved in a long conflict with Qatar. The fighting ended in 1893 with help from British and Ottoman leaders.

For many years, Abu Dhabi's economy relied on herding camels, growing dates and vegetables, and fishing and diving for pearls along the coast. Life was simple, with most homes made from palm fronds or mud.

Oil was first found in 1958. At first, the oil money didn't change much, but in 1966, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan became ruler. He believed oil could help build a better future. When the UK said it would leave the area in 1971, Zayed helped form the United Arab Emirates. With the oil wealth, Abu Dhabi grew quickly, building modern buildings and services.

Geography

The United Arab Emirates is located in the Arabian or Persian Gulf region. It is next to Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman.

Abu Dhabi is in the western part of the United Arab Emirates along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf. It borders the emirate of Dubai and emirate of Sharjah to its north.

Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates, covering 67,340 square kilometres (26,000 square miles), which is about 87% of the UAE. It has many islands along its long coastline. The land is mostly sandy with tall sand dunes, and there are some mountains in the east. The highest point is Hafeet Mountain, which rises between 1,100 and 1,400 metres (3,600 to 4,600 feet).

Climate

Abu Dhabi has a very hot and dry climate. Summers are especially hot, and winters are warm. The area gets very little rain, and the weather can change with different winds. The city of Al Ain, close to the border with Oman, often has the highest summer temperatures but is cooler at night because of its dry air.

Government

Main article: Government of Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is ruled by a hereditary monarchy, where the leader is passed down within the same family. The current ruler is Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who became leader on May 14, 2022, after his brother Sheikh Khalifa passed away. The ruler of Abu Dhabi is also usually chosen to be the president of the United Arab Emirates.

The crown prince, Sheikh Khalid, who is a son of the current ruler, helps with leadership duties. He leads the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, which makes important decisions for the emirate. Local areas have their own governments under the Department of Municipal Affairs, split into three districts: the Abu Dhabi Capital District Municipality, the Western Region Municipality, and the Eastern Region Municipality. While the emirate is working to grow its economy in new ways, oil remains a key source of money for the government.

Demographics

The population of Abu Dhabi has grown very quickly over the past 50 years. In 2024, the emirate had about 4 million people. Most of this growth comes from people moving to the area, while the number of citizens has also increased.

By 2011, more than 2 million people lived in Abu Dhabi. The main cities were Abu Dhabi Region with about 1.3 million people, Al Ain Region with around 580,000 people, and Al Gharbia with roughly 230,000 people. Birth rates in Abu Dhabi are higher than in many other places, and death rates are very low.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1980	451,848	—
1985	566,036	+4.61%
1995	942,463	+5.23%
2005	1,399,484	+4.03%
2010	1,967,659	+7.05%
2015	2,784,490	+7.19%
2024	4,135,985	+4.49%
Source: Citypopulation Abu Dhabi Census

Selected demographic indicators
Indicator	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	Units
Total population (mid-year estimate)	1,967,700	2,120,700	2,334,600	2,453,100	2,656,450	2,784,490	2,908,200	persons
Males	1,379,600	1,499,800	1,662,100	1,747,800	1,766,140	1,831,740	1,858,200	persons
Females	558,100	620,900	672,500	705,300	890,310	952,750	1,050,600	persons
Age dependency ratio	28	22.4	21.8	21.6	21.6	21.4	21.3
Age dependency ratio, old	1.0	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.2	1.1
Age dependency ratio, young	27	21.3	20.7	20.4	20.5	20.2	20.1
Urban population	1,289,247	1,292,800	1,296,500	1,342,600	1,618,440	1,698,960	1,785,460	persons
Rural population	678,412	827,900	1,038,100	1,110,500	1,039,010	1,085,530	1,112,740	persons
Percentage of the population residing in rural areas	34.5	39	44.5	45.4	39.1	39	38.3
Average annual population growth rate	7.7	7.7	10	5.1	8.3	4.8	4.4
General fertility rate	80.2	80.3	78.8	78.7	62.7	58.9	53.8	births per 1000 women (aged 15 – 49 years)
Crude birth rate	14.9	15.1	14.6	14.7	14.3	13.9	13.7	per 1000 population
Crude death rate	1.5	1.4	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.1	1.1	per 1000 population
Infant mortality rate	8	6.3	6.4	6.3	7.7	7.2	7	per 1000 live births
Under 5 mortality rate	10	8.5	8.2	8.2	9.7	9.1	8.8	per 1000 live births
Life expectancy at birth for males	74.9	69	75.2	75.2	75.2	76	75.9	years
Life expectancy at birth for females	77	70	78.7	78.7	78.7	79.8	79.5	years
Singulate median age at first marriage for males	26.6	26.7	27.9	26.3	28.1	28.4	28.7	years
Singulate median age at first marriage for females	25.5	25.7	26.8	23.2	25.1	25.2	25.6	years

Largest cities or towns in Abu Dhabi 2023 Calculation
Rank		Regions	Pop.
1	Abu Dhabi	Central	1,807,000
2	Al Ain	East	846,747
3	Madinat Zayed	West	46,862
4	Ruwais	West	38,740
5	Ghayathi	West	34,333
6	Liwa	West	20,192
7	Al Mirfa	West	9,111
8	Sila	West	7,900
9	Sweihan	East	5,403
10	Dalma	West	5,000

Economy

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi had a big economy in 2024, with its total money (GDP) reaching AED 1.2 trillion. This shows steady growth from the year before. Most of this money came from areas that are not just oil, like finance and making things.

In 2011, important parts of the economy grew well, especially mining (which includes oil and gas), finance, and manufacturing. The emirate imported many goods, mostly from the United States of America, and sent out goods, especially to Canada. Mina' Zayid is the main port where these goods move in and out.

Abu Dhabi is also known for its oil exports. In 2010, it sent out a lot of crude oil, mostly to Japan. The emirate also exports refined petroleum products and natural gas. The First Abu Dhabi Bank is the biggest bank there.

The government works hard to make the economy stronger by investing in services and tourism. New buildings, shopping places, and big events like the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a Formula One race, help bring visitors. The emirate also welcomes big movies, offering money back to film teams, which helps create jobs. Films like Mission: Impossible – Fallout, War Machine, and 6 Underground have been made there.

Foreign Trade Statistics through the ports of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (Million AED)
Item	2005	2009	2010	2011
Total trade	226,339.5	308,699.4	387,275.7*	532,858.0*
Total exports	191,125.2	214,827.2	300,702.1*	416,484.0*
Oil, gas and oil products	184,711.7	196,632.2	278,105.4*	393,439.0*
Non-oil exports	3,186.4	9,500.8	11,610.8	11,478.0
Re-exports	3,227.1	8,694.2	10,985.9	11,567.0
Imports	35,214.3	93,872.2	86,573.7	116,374.0
Net trade in goods	155,910.9	120,955.0	214,128.4*	300,110.0*
* _{Preliminary estimates}

Sub-divisions and settlements

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is split into three main areas. The capital city, Abu Dhabi, has many tall buildings, offices, apartments, and busy shops. Other important cities in the emirate include Al-Ain, Baniyas, Ruwais, and Madinat Zayed. Al-Ain is made up of several villages around a desert oasis and is home to the country's national university, UAEU. It is also known as the "Garden City" of the UAE.

Region	Map	Settlements
Abu Dhabi Central Capital District Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area Abu Dhabi Region		Abu Dhabi City (main settlement) Abu al Abyad Al-Aryam Island Al-Bahiyah Al-Shahamah Al-Wathbah Bani Yas City Ghantoot Halat al Bahrani Jubail Island Khalifa Port Masdar City Mina' Zayed Mussafah Saadiyat Island Yas Island Al Tawelah Al Shalelah Al Shamkha Al Mu'azaz
Al Dhafra Region Western (Gharbiyyah) Region		Madinat Zayed (main settlement) Ghayathi Ghuwaifat Habshan Liwa Oasis Marawah Island Ruwais Sila Sir Bani Yas Tarif
Al-Ain Region Eastern (Sharqiyyah) Region		Al Ain City (main settlement) Al-Faqa' (partly in the Emirate of Dubai) Al-Hayer Al-Qu'a Al-Shwaib Al-Wagan Al-Yahar Mezyad Nahil Al Ajban Remah Sa'ah Sweihan

Transport

Zayed International Airport (AUH) and Al Ain International Airport (AAN) serve the emirate. Private vehicles, rideshares, and taxis are the main ways people get around, but public buses are also available. These buses go to nearby towns like Baniyas, Habashan, and Al-Ain. A bus service started in 2005 between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which is about 150 km (93 miles) away. The government plans to build a railway in Abu Dhabi.

Education

All schools in Abu Dhabi, both private and public, are managed by the Abu Dhabi Education Council. This is different from other emirates, which follow the Federal Ministry of Education.

The emirate has many schools and universities, including: