About Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, is a modern city flanked by architecturally striking skyscrapers. It is the center of government and business life in the UAE, headquarters of the emirates oil operating companies. Abu Dhabi is mainly an oil-driven economy. Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven Emirates and the Federal capital of the UAE. It constitutes nearly 86.7% of the nation’s total land area including nearly 200 islands.

Abu Dhabi is a modern city with state of the art infrastructure, exquisite shopping complexes, and recently developed tourist attractions. Abu Dhabi like the rest of the Emirates is one of the safest tourist destinations in the world with some of the best tourist facilities. It is a vibrant and fascinating city with an impressive skyline, parks and gardens, luxury hotels, lavish villas and mansions, boulevards and beaches. Today over 120 million trees have been planted in the emirate of Abu Dhabi alone.

Although Abu Dhabi has been slow to join the regional real estate boom, but with new property ownership laws in place since last summer, the emirate has already launched several huge projects, including the $14.7 billion Al Raha Beach and $6.8 billion Shams Abu Dhabi project by Sorouh Real Estate.
Future development

New developments on islands surrounding the city plan to increase the population of the city by up to 2,600,000.

Most recently, the government of Abu Dhabi has announced plans to fund a campus abroad for New York University, the first of its kind to be established abroad by a major US research university, which is set to receive students by 2010.

Major projects

* Qasr al-Hosn and Cultural Foundation
* Saadiyat Island (“Island of Happiness”)
* Al Lulu Island
* Reem Island
* Al Raha
* Formula One motor racing circuit on Yas Island
* Masdar City

Culture and the arts

Abu Dhabi is trying to position itself as the “Cultural hub” of the Middle East, taking this mantle from such neighboring cities as Beirut and Cairo. It is home to a number of cultural institutions including the Cultural Foundation and the National Theater. The Cultural Foundation is home to the UAE Public Library and Cultural Center. Various cultural societies such as the Abu Dhabi Classical Music Society have a strong and visible following in the city. The recently launched Emirates Foundation makes grants in support of the arts, as well as to advance science and technology, education, environmental protection and social development. IPAF, the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, will be based in Abu Dhabi.

* The creation of a major “up-scale cultural district” on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island has begun with the groundwork for a US$200 million Guggenheim Museum. The Frank Gehry-designed museum will display a “prestige collection” of modernist and contemporary art and is scheduled for completion in 2011. Upon completion, it is expected to be the largest exponent of the prestigious Guggenheim Museums.
Education

Abu Dhabi is home to several international and local private schools and universities.

Primary and secondary schools

* GEMS American Academy – Abu Dhabi
* Abu Dhabi Grammar School (Canada)
* Abu Dhabi Indian School
* Abu Dhabi International School
* Al Manara School
* Al Nahda National Schools
* Al Noor Indian Islamic School
* Al Worood School
* Al Raha International School
* Asian International Private School
* Canadian International School (CIS)
* Emirates Private School
* Landus Public School
* Lycée Louis Massignon (École Française)
* The American Community School of Abu Dhabi
* The American International School in Abu Dhabi
* The British School – Al Khubairat
* The Cambridge High School
* First Steps School Nursery
* The German School Abu Dhabi
* The Indian Islahi School
* International Academic School, Abu Dhabi
* International Community School
* International School of Choueifat, Abu Dhabi
* Islamia English School
* Our Own English High School
* Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Arab Pakistani School
* The Sherwood Academy
* St. Joseph’s School
* Noah’s Ark Nursery
* Little Flower (P) School
* Wisdom High School

Skill Development Institutes

* UCMAS – Universal Concept of Mental Arithmetic System
* Noah’s Ark Art & Music Institute

Colleges and universities

* Abu Dhabi University
* Al Khawarizmi International College
* Higher Colleges of Technology
* Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Bangladesh Islamia School and College , Abu Dhabi
* Zayed University
* Masdar Institute of Science and Technology
* Petroleum Institute
* New York Institute of Technology
* New York University