Abu Dhabi is the capital and the second most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (the most populous being Dubai).
The city is situated on an island in the Persian Gulf off the central western coast. It is on an island less than 250 meters (820 feet) from the mainland and is joined to the mainland by three bridges.
As of October 2019, the population of Abu Dhabi is about 1.5 million people.
Abu Dhabi covers a total area of 972 square kilometers (375 square miles).
The city has average elevation of 27 meters (89 feet) above sea level.
“Dhabi” is the Arabic word for gazelle, so Abu Dhabi means “Father of Gazelle.” It is thought that this name came about because of the abundance of gazelles in the area and a folk tale involving Shakhbut bin Dhiyab al Nahyan.
In the year 1761, the Bedouin of the Bani Yas tribe established a settlement in Abu Dhabi.
The pearl diving and trade business was a key industry prior to the discovery of oil reserves. According to a source about pearling, the Persian Gulf was the best location for pearls.
Abu Dhabi was 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.
People found oil in 1958 in Abu Dhabi.
They started to sell the oil in the 1960s.
In 1971, Abu Dhabi joined the United Arab Emirates and became the capital city.
Today, the city is the country’s center of political and industrial activities, and a major cultural and commercial center.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the major tourist attraction and the largest mosque in the country. It may be visited by more than 41,000 people. The Grand Mosque was constructed between 1996 and 2007. The building complex measures approximately 290 by 420 m (950 by 1,380 ft), covering an area of more than 12 hectares (30 acres), excluding exterior landscaping and vehicle parking.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is an art and civilization museum, located in Abu Dhabi. The museum was inaugurated on 8 November 2017 by French President Emmanuel Macron and United Arab Emirates Vice President Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It is approximately 24,000 square meters (260,000 sq ft) in size, with 8,000 square meters (86,000 sq ft) of galleries, making it the largest art museum in the Arabian peninsula.
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is an amusement park located on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It is the first Ferrari-branded theme park and has the record for the largest space frame structure ever built. Formula Rossa, the world’s fastest roller coaster, is also located here.
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi is an indoor amusement park owned and developed by Miral Asset Management at an expected cost of $1 billion. The park features characters from Warner Bros’s franchises, such as Looney Tunes, DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, and others. The park is located on Yas Island near Ferrari World , and is the third Warner Bros.’s theme park.
Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi is an Emirati-themed waterpark located on Yas Island near Ferrari World and Warner Bros. World. The park is home to more than 40 rides, slides and attractions, including Bubble’s Barrel, Rush Rider, and Bandit Bomber which is the longest suspended roller coaster in the Middle East over 550 meters long.
The Emirates Palace is a luxury five star hotel in Abu Dhabi opened in November 2005. The design of the hotel is a playful mix of cherished Islamic architectural elements such as balance, geometry, proportions, rhythm and hierarchical emphasis to create a unified whole. The inspired grand dome with elaborate geometrical patterns dominates over 114 smaller domes spread over the building. The color of the building aims to reflect different shades of sands found in the Arabian Desert.
Marina Mall is an Abu Dhabi shopping mall and entertainment venue which opened in March 2001. One of the biggest in Abu Dhabi, the Mall is located along the breakwater on Corniche road, close to the Emirates Palace hotel. In January 2017, Forbes recognized Marina Mall as one of the top shopping malls in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi has several parks and gardens and more than 400 kilometers (249 miles) of coastline, of which 10 kilometers (6 miles) are public beaches.
Abu Dhabi is in a desert and has a desert climate. There is not a lot of rain but it does rain a little in the winter months.
In the daytime, the average summer temperature is 42 °C (108 °F). The average daytime temperature in the winter is more comfortable at 23 °C (73 °F).