Abu Dhabi is the capital and the second most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (the most populous being Dubai), and also capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the largest of the UAE’s seven emirates. Abu Dhabi city is situated on an island off the Persian Gulf from the central western coast, while the majority of the city and Emirate reside on the mainland connected to the rest of the country. The city of Abu Dhabi has an estimated population of 2.9 million as of 2019, Abu Dhabi’s urban area has an estimated population of 1.45 million people.

Abu Dhabi houses local and federal government offices, is the seat of the United Arab Emirates Government, the Supreme Oil Council, home to the Abu Dhabi Emiri Family and the President of the UAE, who is from this family. Abu Dhabi’s rapid development and urbanisation, coupled with the massive oil and gas reserves and production, relatively high average income of its population, has transformed the city into a large and advanced metropolis. Today the city is the country’s centre of political and industrial activities, and a major cultural and commercial centre, due to its position as the capital. Abu Dhabi accounts for about two-thirds of the roughly $400-billion United Arab Emirates economy.