ABU DHABI
Abu Dhabi is the capital city of United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi Emirate is the largest of all seven emirates with an area of 67,340 square kilometers, equivalent to 86.7 per cent of the United Arab Emirates’ total area, excluding the islands. Its coastline extends for more than 400 kilometers. The total population of Abu Dhabi is around 1 million (UAE official estimates).

For administrative purposes Abu Dhabi Emirate is divided into three major regions. The First region encompasses the city of Abu Dhabi which is both the capital of the emirate as well as of the UAE Federation. 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, which is also the home of Zayed University and the Higher Colleges of Technology. Major infrastructural facilities include Mina (Port) Zayed and Abu Dhabi International Airport. The city also has extensive cultural, sport and leisure facilities, together with the wonderfully engineered Abu Dhabi Corniche which offers many kilometers of risk-free walking, cycling, jogging and roller-skating along the seashore of Abu Dhabi Island. Architecturally speaking the city is also a fascinating place where older buildings such as small mosques have been preserved and sit comfortably in the shade of futuristic modern skyscrapers.

EASTERN REGION
Abu Dhabi’s second region, known as the Eastern Region, has as its capital Al Ain city. This fertile area is rich in greenery with plenty of farms, public parks and important archaeological sites. It is also blessed by substantial groundwater resources which feed into numerous artesian wells. Points of particular interest in this region are the Ain Al Faydah Park, Jebel Hafit, the leisure park at Al Hili, Al Ain Zoo and Al Ain Museum. This is also a cultural and educational center and site of the UAE’s first university, the UAE University, which includes among its many faculties a vibrant medical school. Internet transport is facilitated by a superb road network and Al Ain is connected to the outside world through Al Ain International Airport.

WESTERN REGION
The western Region, the emirate’s third administrative sector, comprises 52 villages and has as its capital Bida Zayed, or Zayed City. Extensive a forestation covers at least 100,000 hectares, including more than 20 million evergreens. The country’s main onshore oil fields are located here, as is the country’s largest oil refinery, at Al Ruwais.

ISLANDS
In addition to the three mainland regions of Abu Dhabi there are a number of important islands within the emirate including Das, Mubarraz, Zirku and Arzanah, near where the main offshore oil fields are located. Closer inshore are Dalma, Sir Bani Yas, Merawah, Abu al-Abyadh and Saadiyat, together with many other islands.

For further information about Abu Dhabi, please visit : http://www.exploreabudhabi.ae/