[130], In March 2019, Abu Dhabi hosted the first Special Olympics World Games in the Middle East. 7 and so on. The airport experienced a 30%+ growth in passenger usage in 2009. As Abu Dhabi is the largest oil producer of the UAE, it has reaped the most benefits from this trend. According to an article from an Abu Dhabi tourism page, sheikhs, teachers, sailors and princes make a large bulk of the poets within the UAE. [124], 9 to 13-year-old students are taught Brazilian jiu-jitsu as part of the curriculum. This is a multi-layer interchange bridge and it has 27 lanes which allow roughly 25,000 automobiles to move per hour. The purpose behind the development of the Dome@Rawdhat was to create a community football and sporting facility with indoor and outdoor pitches in the heart of the city of Abu Dhabi. Depending on the level of education; kindergartens (pre-schools), primary, secondary and high schools will all have varying tuition fees. Due to this planning, a modern city with tall offices, apartment buildings, broad boulevards, and busy shops is present. It was once the seat of the government and the palace of the ruling Al Nahyan family. 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. 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. [34][35][36][37], The city was planned under the guidance of Sheikh Zayed by Japanese architect Katsuhiko Takahashi in 1967 initially for a population of 40,000. The first phase includes over 50 initiatives that reflect the priorities of citizens, residents and investors. [88], Abu Dhabi also ranks as the 67th most expensive city in the world and the second-most in the region behind Dubai. Morton, Michael Quentin, "The Abu Dhabi Oil Discoveries", GEO Expro article, issue 3, 2011. Today, it is a museum open to all visitors portraying the history of Abu Dhabi and early lifestyles. [33], The Abu Dhabi Government Media Office (ADGMO) was formed in 2019 and is responsible for representing the government in the media, organizing press conferences for the emirate and monitoring local and international media. 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. Qasr Al Hosn is the oldest building in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, built by the Bani Yas tribe in 1761. [93] In October 2019 Abu Dhabi announced the world's first graduate-level AI research institution, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI). [61] Etihad Airways maintains its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. These poets made headway in the field of Classical Arabic poetry as opposed to the Nabati poetry of the 17th century. Explore Abu Dhabi's sunrise and sunset, moonrise and moonset. The months of June through September are generally extremely hot and humid with maximum temperatures averaging above 41 Â°C (106 Â°F). The sale and consumption of pork, though not illegal, is regulated and it is sold only to non-Muslims in designated areas. New York University opened a government-sponsored satellite campus in Abu Dhabi in September 2010.[122]. Taxation in Abu Dhabi, as in the rest of the UAE, is nil for a resident or a non-bank, non-oil company. 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. [117] Similarly, the sale of alcoholic beverages is regulated. The internal prayer halls were initially opened in December 2007. They are owned by Abu Dhabi Ports Company and managed by Abu Dhabi Terminals. [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. 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. [96] There are also Arabs who are from other parts of the Arab World. [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. [5][13], The Bani Yas bedouin was originally centered on the Liwa Oasis in the western region of the Emirate. [63] This idea of diversifying the economy is also seen in the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030[64] planned by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council. Additionally, each school has ratings based on parent reviews and are ranked below accordingly. In September 2019, the construction of UAE's first official synagogue was announced to begin in 2020, as a part of the multi-faith "Abrahamic Family House" complex in Abu Dhabi. However, owing to the desert terrain, inland exploration was fraught with difficulties. Abu Dhabi Island is also connected to Saadiyat Island by a five-lane motorway bridge. 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). The International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) will be based in Abu Dhabi. Neighboring Dubai gets a lot of attention, but in recent years Abu Dhabi has become a popular destination. This was followed by a seventy-five-year concession signed in January 1939. The historic modification was implemented due to the economic challenges that occurred amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Abu Dhabi is known in the region for its greenery; the former desert strip today includes numerous parks and gardens. It is the heart of the UAE and remains the most prosperous of all the seven Emirates. [126] Universities from every corner of the world exhibit their career programs and scholarship programs. 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. According to a source about pearling, the Persian Gulf was the best location for pearls. Gulf waters of Abu Dhabi holds the world's largest population of Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins. Abu Dhabi: More than 65 per cent of the workforce at the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company are women, and they are continuing to play a crucial frontline role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gulf News Classified Jobs Dubai and Gulf News Job in Abu Dhabi UAE are other newspapers section every job seeker can consider. Other settlements were also found farther outside the modern city of Abu Dhabi, including the eastern[11] and western regions of the Emirate. Non-oil and gas GDP now constitutes 64% of the UAE's total GDP. [15] Pearl divers dive for one to one-and-a-half minutes and would have dived up to thirty times per day. Below is a comprehensive list of all private and international schools in Abu Dhabi. Another Emirati poet, Ibn Daher is from the 17th century. Now it is being used by the military and small commercial planes. AbuDhabi2.com is one of the largest city portals of Abu Dhabi reaching 24 million people a year. On 30 June 2008, the Department of Transport began public bus service in Abu Dhabi with four routes. Some referred to this action as anti-Semitic. Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), currently estimated at $875 billion, is the world's wealthiest sovereign fund in terms of total asset value. Also, many other skyscrapers over 150 m (492.13 ft) (500 ft) are either proposed or approved and could transform the city's skyline. [105] The expansion is expected to see 130 km (81 mi) of metro and 340 km (210 mi) of tramways and/or bus rapid transit (BRT) routes. [103] Due to the new, zero-fare bus service success, many taxi drivers were losing business. [101] There are also public buses serving the airport. [47], As one of the most visited buildings in the UAE, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center was established to manage the day-to-day operations, as a place of worship and Friday gathering and as a center of learning and discovery through its education and visitor programs. The overall structure is 22,412 square metres (241,240 square feet). The Cultural Foundation, while closed for reconstruction as of spring 2011, is home to the UAE Public Library and Cultural Center. Construction began on 5 November 1996. Based on weather reports collected during 2005–2015. Abu Dhabi is one of the world’s richest city in terms of per capita GDP and the wealthiest emirate of UAE. Abu Dhabi Airports has announced the launch of rapid COVID-19 PCR testing. With some of the highest standards of living in the world, Abu Dhabi has one of the best medical care in the world. The crude birth rate, as of 2005[update], was 13.6%, while the crude death rate was about 2%. The building is large enough to safely contain a maximum of approximately 41,000 people. Abu Dhabi is home to a number of cultural institutions including the Cultural Foundation and the National Theater. [77][78][79] [48] More than 3,000 workers and 38 contracting companies took part in the construction of the mosque. Founded in 2005, the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) oversees all public and private schools in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The official World Games Flame of Hope was lit in Athens and flown to Abu Dhabi, where it then embarked on the torch run, visiting all seven emirates of the UAE.[131]. [16] The divers were not paid for a day's work but received a portion of the season's earnings. The native-born population are Arabic-speaking Arabs who are part of a clan-based society. [7] Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the world's 3rd largest sovereign wealth fund in 2020 is headquartered in the city,[8] while Abu Dhabi itself has over a trillion US dollars worth of assets under management in a combination of various sovereign wealth funds headquartered there. [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. 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. 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. Although there is an addressing system for the city, it is not widely used, causing problems in describing building locations. 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. One is Port Zayed. 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]. [27], Abu Dhabi has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh). Poetry in Abu Dhabi and the UAE is highly regarded and often is centric around the themes of satire, religion, family, chivalry, and love. The UAE Presidential Palace, Qaá¹£r Al-Waá¹­an ("Palace of the Nation"),[52] opened to the public in March 2019. The population density is at its apex on the most northerly part of the island. Entrance is usually free for children, however, there is often an entrance fee for adults. This was followed in 1959 by PDTC's onshore discovery well at Murban No.3. One of the busiest streets in Abu Dhabi is the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street, also known as Salam Street, which goes near Al Qurm Corniche. [81] Fast food and South Asian cuisine are also very popular and are widely available. [67], There are four main areas these initiatives must fall under business and investment, society, knowledge and innovation and lifestyle. The current network is supported by a bandwidth of 6 GB, with 50,000 dialup and 150,000 broadband ports. This goal is seen in the amount of attention Abu Dhabi is giving its International Airport. The event took place from 14 to 21 March 2019 and featured more than 7,500 athletes participating in 24 sporting disciplines. The Internet was introduced into Abu Dhabi in 1995. Many people play football in parking lots near the Corniche because of the pleasant weather and space. Conversely, Salam Street is St No. Following the urban planning ideals of the time period, the city has high-density tower blocks and wide grid-pattern roads. [61] As of July 2019, Abu Dhabi allocated $163 million to finance global entertainment partners as part of its plan to diversify the economy and wean it off oil. A unique form of poetry to the UAE was formed in the 8th century by Al Khalil bin Ahmed and it was written in 16 metres (52 feet). Al-Mafraq bridge connects the city to Reem Island and was completed in early 2011. 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. [46], The Sheikh Zayed Mosque represents a key fixture of the city's architectural patrimony. This period also sees dense fog on some days and a few days of rain. [72] With falling groundwater level and rising population density, Abu Dhabi faces a severely acute water shortage.