Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi (US /ˈɑːbuː ˈdɑːbi/, UK /ˈæbuː ˈdɑːbi/; Arabic: أبو ظبي‎ Abū Ẓabī Emirati pronunciation [ɐˈbuˈðˤɑbi]) is the capital and the second most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (the most populous being Dubai), and also capital of Abu Dhabi emirate, the largest of the UAE's seven member emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western coast. The city proper had a population of 1.5 million in 2014.

Abu Dhabi houses federal government offices, is the seat of the United Arab Emirates Government, 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 relatively high average income of its population, has transformed the city into a large and advanced metropolis. Today the city is the country's center 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.

Emirate of Abu Dhabi

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi (/ˌæbuː ˈdɑːbi/, /ˌɑː-/, or /-ˈdæ-/;Arabic: إمارة أبو ظبي‎ Imārat Abū Ẓaby, pronounced [ʔabuː ˈðˤɑbi]), is one of seven Emirates that constitute the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is the largest emirate by area (67,340 km^²), accounting for approximately 87 per cent of the total land area of the federation. Abu Dhabi also has the largest population of the seven emirates. In June 2011, it was estimated to be 2,120,700 people, of which, 439,100 people (less than 21%) were Emirati citizens, which has risen to 2.3 million in 2012.

Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the emirate, after which it is named, as well as the capital of the federation.

Abu Dhabi’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimates, in 2011, amounted to AED 806,031 million at current prices. Mining and quarrying (includes crude oil and natural gas) accounts for the largest contribution to GDP (58.5 per cent in 2011). Construction related industries are the next largest contributor (10.1 per cent in 2011). GDP grew to AED 911.6 billion in 2012, or over 100,000 USD per capita.