Abu Dhabi

Emirate name: The Emirate of Abu Dhabi (emirate and city)
Full country name: United Arab Emirates
Area: 67,340 sq km (emirate) (26,000 sq mi)
Population: 896,751 (2009)
Capital city: Abu Dhabi City
People: Local Arab (estimated at 80%) / Asian & Western Expats
Language: Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu, Filipino, Bengali
Religion: Muslim (estimated at 85%), Christian, Hindu
Currency: UAE Dirham (Dh or AED) - check www.xe.com
Time zone: UCT + 4 hours (+3 during winter)
Climate: 40-50C / humid (summer), 15-25C (winter)
Alcohol availability: Bars in hotels and nightclubs / private buy

"It's modern on the surface and fascinating behind the scenes. Abu Dhabi is modern, sleek and shiny on the surface and while the UAE's capital is often accused of being a rather soulless place, the multicultural backstreets beg to differ. While it lacks the buzz of Dubai, its laidback vibe is more distinctly Arabian than its neighbor, and yet it offers every amenity and attraction that every thrill seeking western expatriate would expect from a cosmopolitan city, but without the dust of construction work and endless traffic jams."

Abu Dhabi is the capital and second most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), after Dubai. It is also the seat of government of the emirate of the same name. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Arabian Gulf from the central western coast. It borders with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (south) and the Sultanate of Oman (east). The emirate borders the emirate of Dubai to its northeast. In the north is the Arabian Gulf. Abu Dhabi city is on an island located less than 250 metres from the mainland and is joined to the mainland by the Maqta and Mussafah Bridges. Most of Abu Dhabi is located on the island itself, but it has many suburbs on the mainland.

Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates making up the UAE and constitutes nearly 80% of the nation's total land area including nearly 200 islands. The cities of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, are the two largest in the emirate. While Abu Dhabi is a vibrant and captivating city with an impressive skyline, luxury hotels, palatial villas and mansions, wide boulevards and beaches, Al Ain, the Garden City of the UAE, has an abundance of greenery with well-maintained parks and gardens and offers an even more relaxed pace of life. The oasis city, 148 kms from Abu Dhabi, also has a history dating back to 4 millennium BC.

As the capital of the UAE, this emirate is the centre of government and business life in the UAE. The parliamentary buildings in which the Federal cabinet meets, most of the Federal ministries and institutions, the foreign embassies, state broadcasting facilities, and most of the oil companies are also located in Abu Dhabi. The emirate is also the home of Zayed University and the Higher Colleges of Technology. Abu Dhabi's oil wealth has been wisely utilised to encourage a healthy trade and commerce atmosphere, including those apart from oil industries. State-of-the-art communication services and transport, the presence of all the international luxury hotel chains, rich shopping malls, cultural centers and events have made the emirate a favourite destination for visitors and home to many nationalities.

With a great location on the coast and on the edge of a huge desert, Abu Dhabi offers a range of exciting activities attracting the adrenaline junkies for dune and wadi bashing, sand-skiing and dune buggying, not to mention climbing, abseiling and hiking in the Hajar Mountains. And for those who are at home in the water there is diving, snorkelling, parasailing, jet skiing and fishing. To continue into the evening there is a great range of restaurants, cafés, spas, gyms, bars and nightclubs.

Abu Dhabi positives: Vibrant expatriate community / lots of activities / great cultural introduction to the Middle East