Abu Dhabi is both the federal capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and one of the seven emirates that make up the country.
Capital: Abu Dhabi City
Geography: The UAE is situated along the south-eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, Qatar to the north-west, Saudi Arabia to the west, south and south-east, and Oman to the south-east and north-east.
Abu Dhabi’s geographical coordinates are 24° 28' 0" North, 54° 22' 0" East. It is the largest of the seven emirates, occupying more than 80% of the country’s total land mass and featuring a coastline that stretches over 700 kilometres with nearly 200 islands.
Area: 67,340 sq km
Population: 1,643,344 (mid 2009 estimates)
Climate: Tropical, semi-dry climate. Sunshine can be expected year round. All though summer, from June to September, the weather is hot and humid, with temperatures typically averaging above 40؛C. From October to May temperatures average a pleasant 28؛C – 20C.
Air-conditioning is present in all vehicles and buildings including hotels, conference and exhibition halls and shopping malls.
Time Zone: GMT + 4
Official languages: Arabic is the official language although English is widely used. Guides and facilitators who speak other languages are also available.
Religion: Islam is the official religion of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the majority being Sunni Muslims. The holy day is Friday with most government offices, companies and schools remaining closed.
Currency: UAE dirham (AED or Dhs). Dirham notes come in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 denominations, while coins come in AED 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.10 and 0.05.
Money Exchange: The dirham is pegged to the US Dollar at the official exchange rate of AED 3.6725 to every US Dollar. Exchange offices are all over Abu Dhabi and offer rates that are often better than the banks.
Credit cards and cash: Most retail outlets, hotels and restaurants accept major credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, Diners Club and American Express). Smaller retail stores are less likely to accept and some even charge processing fees on transactions. It is advisable to check before hand. In the third quarter of 2007, all petrol stations across the emirate ceased accepting credit or debit cards for payment.
Business Hours & week-ends:
The official weekend is Friday and Saturday. Most shops and malls are open from 10am to 10pm, and later during Ramadan month. Banks, embassies and consulates are open from 08:30am to 12:30pm, Saturday to Thursday. Many private companies operate a six-day week.
Country Dialing Code: +971 (02)
Electricity: 220/240 volts at 50 Hz. Square three-pin sockets are standard. Most hotels can supply you with adapters or you can purchase them locally.
Drinking Water: Tap water is safe to drink in Abu Dhabi, but if you prefer the taste of bottled water, bottled mineral water is available in supermarkets and grocery stores.