Due to this planning, a modern city with tall offices, apartment buildings, broad boulevards, and busy shops is present. Every year in the season of admissions an exhibition is launched in Abu Dhabi Exhibition Center under government supervision. The main settlement of the eastern region, officially "Al Ain Region" since a decree by Sheikh Khalifa in March 2017, is Al Ain City, and that of the western region, officially "Al Dhafra Region" as per the same decree,[31][32] is Madinat Zayed. In 1958, using a marine drilling platform, the ADMA Enterprise, oil was struck in the Umm Shaif field at a depth of about 2,669 metres (8,755 ft). [45] Abu Dhabi already has a number of supertall skyscrapers under construction throughout the city. The Cultural Foundation, while closed for reconstruction as of spring 2011, is home to the UAE Public Library and Cultural Center. [114], The Red Bull Air Race World Series has been a spectacular sporting staple for the city for many years, bringing tens of thousands to the waterfront. Abu Dhabi in the 1970s was planned for a predicted topmost population of 600,000. Directions must often be given based on nearby landmarks. [110] Major holidays in Abu Dhabi include Eid al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, Eid ul-Adha which marks the end of Hajj, and National Day (2 December), which marks the formation of the United Arab Emirates.[111]. [119], Today in Abu Dhabi there is a group called the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation that works to preserve the art and culture of the city. Schools in Abu Dhabi ( مدارس في أبو ظبي ) work under the supervision of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and the UAE Ministry of Education. The Al Nahyan family, part of the al-Falah branch of the Bani Yas clan, rules the emirate and has a central place in society. Al Bateen, Al Khubeirah, Corniche, Tourist Club, Al Markaziyah, Al Karamah, Al Rowdah, Madinat Zayed, Al Mushrif, Khalidiyah, Raha Beach, Khalifa City, Al Reef Gardens, Reem Island, Sas Al Nakheel (Umm al Naar), Yas Island, Musaffah. [99] [62], Abu Dhabi's government is looking to expand revenue from oil and gas production to tourism and other things that would attract different types of people. In 2021 the postponed 2020 competition was held in January and February with the scheduled 2021 competition to be held later. All schools in the emirate are under the authority of the Abu Dhabi Education Council. There are many public, private and charter schools near you that cater to both expat and local students. ZSC also contains a tennis court, an ice rink, and a bowling alley. Since the Tropic of Cancer passes through the emirate, the southern part falls within the Tropics. These will be served by improved transport infrastructure, with a new port, an expanded airport and a proposed rail link between Abu Dhabi and Dubai all in the development stages. [55], On 22 September 2019, the Department of Community Development (DCD) in Abu Dhabi held a ceremony to grant licenses to 17 churches and the first-ever traditional Hindu temple. Oil production in the UAE was about 2.3 million barrels per day (BPD) in 2010,[59] and projects are in progress to boost production to 3m BPD. All the old taxis have been phased out. [45] The UPC is also working on similar plans for the regions of Al-Ain and Al-Gharbia. The historic modification was implemented due to the economic challenges that occurred amidst the coronavirus pandemic. More than $1 trillion is invested worldwide in the city. [24][25][26] To the east of the island is the Mangrove National Park, located on Al Qurm Corniche. Some of these expatriates have been in the country for many decades with only a few of them awarded nationality[94] Consequently, English, Hindi-Urdu (Hindustani), Malayalam, Tamil, Tulu, Somali, Tigrinya, Amharic and Bengali are widely spoken.[95]. Construction began on 5 November 1996. Al-Mafraq bridge connects the city to Reem Island and was completed in early 2011. They are either silver with a yellow roof sign (newer taxis) or white and gold with a green roof sign (older taxis). Served by high oil prices, the country's non-oil and gas GDP outstripped that attributable to the energy sector. The internal prayer halls were initially opened in December 2007. A majority of mosques are Maliki or Muwahhid oriented. The memorial consists of an open Heritage Garden and Sanctuary Garden at the center of which is a cubic pavilion housing The Constellation, an artwork dedicated to Zayed's memory.[51]. However, despite the coolest month having an 18.8 Â°C (65.8 Â°F) average, its climate is far too dry to be classed as tropical. The listed churches were Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches, including St Joseph's Cathedral. State-owned Etisalat and private du communication companies provide telephone and cell phone service to the city. Approximately 80% of the population were expatriates. Get Abu Dhabi's weather and area codes, time zone and DST. [91], Article 7 of the UAE's Provisional Constitution declares Islam the official state religion of the UAE. Travelling to the capital anytime soon? Passenger numbers at Abu Dhabi International Airport rose by 17.2 percent in 2015, with more than 23 million travelers passing through its terminals during that year. The city also stages hundreds of conferences and exhibitions each year in its state-of-the-art venues, including the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) which is the Persian Gulf's largest exhibition center and welcomes around 1.8 million visitors every year. Abu Dhabi means "Father of Gazelle." The first phase includes over 50 initiatives that reflect the priorities of citizens, residents and investors. Several airlines offered flights to Dubai, the largest city in the UAE, which is about a 90-minute drive from Abu Dhabi, before airport closures began earlier this year. Neighboring Dubai gets a lot of attention, but in recent years Abu Dhabi has become a popular destination. Abu Dhabi (UK: /ˈæbuːˈdɑːbi/, US: /ˈɑːbuː/ ; Arabic: أَبُو ظَبْيٍ‎ AbÅ« Ẓaby Arabic pronunciation: [ɐˈbuˈðˤɑbi])[5] is the capital and the second-most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (after Dubai). At 40.6 MiGD, the Umm Al Nar storage is the largest water source for Abu Dhabi, followed by the rivers Shuweihat and Taweelah. They are owned by Abu Dhabi Ports Company and managed by Abu Dhabi Terminals. [19], In the mid to late 1930s, as the pearl trade declined, interest grew in the oil possibilities of the region. Football and cricket are very popular in the city. Motorsport is popular throughout the country and the circuit has also hosted other events such as the V8 Supercars series of Dubai. Following their withdrawal from India in 1947, the British maintained their influence in Abu Dhabi as interest in the oil potential of the Persian Gulf grew. 3, Hamdan Street is Street No. [76] The distribution of electricity is carried out by companies run by SCIPCO Power and APC Energy. New York University opened a government-sponsored satellite campus in Abu Dhabi in September 2010.[122]. [21], The city of Abu Dhabi is on the southeastern side of the Arabian Peninsula, adjoining the Persian Gulf. The initiative was taken under the slogan "A Call for Harmony", to allow people from all religions and cultures to practice their faith in the country.[56]. Some of the tallest buildings on the skyline include the 382 m (1,253.28 ft) Central Market Residential Tower, the 324 m (1,062.99 ft) The Landmark and the 74-story, 310 m (1,017.06 ft) Sky Tower, all of them completed. [120], On September 21, 2020, Abu Dhabi removed the requirement for an alcohol license for drinkers in the emirate, despite being the conservative capital of the UAE. The crude birth rate, as of 2005[update], was 13.6%, while the crude death rate was about 2%. Abu Dhabi regularly hosts the International Judo Federation Abu Dhabi grand slam. Its construction was initiated under the administration of the late President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a key figure in the foundation of the modern UAE. [10], The area surrounding Abu Dhabi is full of archaeological evidence from historical civilizations, such as the Umm an-Nar Culture, which dates back from the third millennium BCE. [57], Mangroves at Mangrove National Park, near Al Qurm Corniche on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street in the eastern part of the city[27], The UAE's large hydrocarbon wealth gives it one of the highest GDP per capita in the world and Abu Dhabi owns the majority of these resources—95% of the oil and 92% of gas. [16] The divers were not paid for a day's work but received a portion of the season's earnings. CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (, world's 3rd largest sovereign wealth fund, eastern region, officially "Al Ain Region", western region, officially "Al Dhafra Region", Abu Dhabi Government Media Office (ADGMO), Burj Mohammed bin Rashid (World Trade Center Abu Dhabi), removing excessive or indiscriminate images, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), List of twin towns and cities in United Arab Emirates, Department of Municipal Affairs (Abu Dhabi), National Center for Documentation and Research, Postage stamps and postal history of Abu Dhabi, "Middle East :: United Arab Emirates – The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency", https://www.brookings.edu/research/global-metro-monitor/, "How did Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other cities get their names? The others are Musaffah Port and Khalifa Port, which opened in 2012. After piracy was suppressed, other considerations came into play, such as a strategic need of the British to exclude other powers from the region. As part of UAE's Energy Strategy 2050 to reduce the carbon emission of power generation by 70%, Noor Abu Dhabi solar park project which is the largest solar project in the world was completed on 2 July 2019. As with other parts of the UAE, foreign workers are not given proper treatment[citation needed] and many companies (both government and private) have yet to improve things. In 2007 the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) was established, which is the agency responsible for the future of Abu Dhabi's urban environments and the expert authority behind the visionary Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 Urban Structure Framework Plan that was published in September 2007. Because Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE, the president's office is located here. On 5 January 1936, Petroleum Development Trucial Coast Ltd (PDTC), an associate company of the Iraq Petroleum Company, entered into a concession agreement with the ruler, Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, to explore for oil. [118] Shisha and qahwa boutiques are also popular in Abu Dhabi. © Edarabia.com - All Rights Reserved 2021    | There have been many small competitions conducted between small-time football and cricket teams. This is evident in the emphasis on industrial diversification with the completion of free zones, Industrial City of Abu Dhabi, twofour54 Abu Dhabi media free zone and the construction of another, ICAD II, in the pipeline. The Abu Dhabi Fire Service runs 13 fire stations that attend about 2,000 fire and rescue calls per year. However, owing to the desert terrain, inland exploration was fraught with difficulties. This goal is seen in the amount of attention Abu Dhabi is giving its International Airport. [96] There are also Arabs who are from other parts of the Arab World. [27] Corniche is also the other main street in Abu Dhabi, it overlooks the Persian Gulf. [61] Etihad Airways maintains its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. This tribe was the most significant in the area, having over 20 subsections. Finances are mainly through the state government. In this plan, Abu Dhabi's economy will be sustainable and not dependent on any single source of revenue. Abu Dhabi daily produces 1,532 tonnes of solid wastes which are dumped at three landfill sites by the Abu Dhabi Municipality. The stadium hosts at least two series per year in the last 4 years. Most of the city and the Emirate reside on the mainland connected to the rest of the country. The program launched in 14 schools for pupils in grades 6 and 7 and has since expanded to 42 government schools, with 81 Brazilian coaches brought in as instructors. Abu Dhabi Airports has announced the launch of rapid COVID-19 PCR testing. According to a source about pearling, the Persian Gulf was the best location for pearls. These materials include marble, stone, gold, semi-precious stones, crystals, and ceramics. Click/tap here to subscribe to Khaleej Times news alerts on Telegram. Entrance is usually free for children, however, there is often an entrance fee for adults. The Internet was introduced into Abu Dhabi in 1995. [71] The Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi (EAD) states that groundwater is the most significant source of water, as well as desalinated potable water, and treated sewage effluent. It is the country's center of politics and industry, and a major culture and commerce center. Gas extraction is not without its difficulties, however, as demonstrated by the sour gas project at Shah where the gas is rich in hydrogen sulfide content and expensive to develop and process. The Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium is located on the outskirts of the city and is currently home to the Pakistan Cricket Team. Today, in addition to the oil fields mentioned, the main producing fields onshore are Asab, Sahil and Shah, and offshore are al-Bunduq, and Abu al-Bukhoosh. Edarabia strives to offer parents the latest updates, helping you find the best school in Abu Dhabi, with details on ADEC school ratings, tuition fees, videos, photos, location map and community reviews. [124], 9 to 13-year-old students are taught Brazilian jiu-jitsu as part of the curriculum. More specifically the non-oil portion of income is planned to be increased from about 40% to about 70%. The Etihad Towers and Emirates Palace Hotel were some of the city's landmarks used as filming locations for the movie Furious 7, in which cars rush through the building and smashed through the windows of the towers. [92] The government subsidises almost 95% of mosques and employs all imams. Etisalat, the government-owned telecommunications provider, held a virtual monopoly over telecommunication services in Abu Dhabi prior to the establishment of other, smaller telecommunications companies such as Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC – better known as Du) in 2006. For example, the international business school established a campus in February 2010, offering an Executive MBA and executive education courses. What’s in store for students after graduation? As of July 2008[update], there were 62 high-rise buildings 23 to 150 m (75.46 to 492.13 ft) under construction, approved for construction, or proposed for construction. Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Al Dhafra and Al Ruwais are the locations for these vacancies, according to the Abu Dhabi Police's website. [109] The city's cultural imprint as a small, ethnically homogeneous pearling community was changed with the arrival of other ethnic groups and nationals—first by the Iranians in the early 1900s, and later by various Asian and European ethnicities in the 1950s and 60s. In October 2019 Abu Dhabi announced the world's first graduate-level AI research institution, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI). Morton, Michael Quentin, "The Abu Dhabi Oil Discoveries", GEO Expro article, issue 3, 2011. In 2009, the Department of Transport plans to have 21 bus routes in the city, operated by 820 buses. Abu Dhabi has four football stadiums: Al Jazeera Stadium, Al Wahda Stadium and Sheikh Zayed Football Stadium (Zayed Sports City) and Hazza Stadium. [20], In 1904, German explorer, Hermann Burchardt, took many photographs of historical sites in Abu Dhabi, photos that are now held at the Ethnological Museum of Berlin. Here is the list of Hamad International Airport Jobs Mechanical Technician. In the dense areas, most of the concentration is achieved with medium- and high-rise buildings. Conversely, Salam Street is St No. The service steadily expanded and by the end of 2008, 230 buses were in service. This is a multi-layer interchange bridge and it has 27 lanes which allow roughly 25,000 automobiles to move per hour. In 1953, D'Arcy Exploration Company, the exploration arm of BP, obtained an offshore concession which was then transferred to a company created to operate the concession: Abu Dhabi Marine Areas (ADMA) was a joint venture between BP and Compagnie Française des Pétroles (later Total).