What Is Abu Dhabi? A Comprehensive Guide with All You Need To Know

Do you know what is Abu Dhabi? It is one of the richest UAE cities and the capital of the UAE. At first glance Abu Dhabi looks like a modern city, but it has a rich and ancient culture, dating back to the Bronze Age. The city is strategically located on the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, helping it to become a major player in international trade and peace. Whether you’re a businessperson or a wanderer, if you’re trying to learn all you need to know about Abu Dhabi, read on this guide!

Understanding Islamic Culture

If you want to gain insight into Abu Dhabi’s culture, one of the best places to start is with Islam. Islam is the major religion of the UAE and is strongly integrated into the culture of the city. In Muslim communities, hospitality and respect for visitors is a big part of the culture. Business visitors should dress in professional attire with modest clothing such as shirts and slacks for men, and skirts that fall below the knee and long sleeved shirt or trousers for women.

During your visit to Abu Dhabi, you are likely to stumble across many mosques. The most prominent of these buildings is Sheikh Zayed Mosque which is an impressive site, featuring a white marble domes, golden cupolas, intricately carved walls and 82 domes. Not only is it a beautiful building but it’s also an important spiritual center for Muslims living in the city.

Living in Abu Dhabi

If you’re considering living in Abu Dhabi, then you should be aware of the very low crime rate – actually the second lowest in the world. With a full-time security force and more CCTV cameras per person than any other city worldwide, Abu Dhabi provides a safe and secure environment for its residents. The cost of food also stays relatively low; however, other factors such as rent, utilities and transportation can be more costly.

Expatriates account for almost 90% of Abu Dhabi’s population which has its pros and cons. Living in a diverse expat community can be a great way to discover new cultures and customs; however, it can make it hard to get to know the locals and understand their culture and traditions. Nonetheless, the locals are quite welcoming and patient, so if you take the time to get to know them, you should find their love for foreigners quite endearing.

Economy

Abu Dhabi is known for its oil reserves and has developed very quickly during the last few decades which has allowed it to become one of the wealthiest cities in the world. As well as petroleum exports, Abu Dhabi has diversified its economy to increase its non-oil revenue.

Abu Dhabi is the home of one of the world’s most important ports in Jebel Ali. Cruise ships make frequent stops at this port, bringing thousands of visitors each year. Additionally, there is an impressive industrial development program being implemented in the UAE which helps attract some of the biggest companies in the world.

Touring Abu Dhabi

Given that Abu Dhabi has such an illustrious history and culture, tourists are never short of things to do in this incredible city. Lucky visitors can explore the city’s beautiful skyline from atop numerous breathtaking location such as Corniche and Etihad Towers for breathtaking views of diverse attractions such as Yas Island and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

Visitors from all over the world are drawn towards international sports events that frequently take place in Abu Dhabi such as Formula One Grand Prix and NASCAR at Yas Marina Circuit or enjoying some water sports on Yas Beach or taking part of some adventure tourists activities at Yas Waterworld or Ferrari World.

Nightlife in Abu Dhabi

Although most activities wind down quite early on weekdays due to cultural restrictions, you’ll definitely enjoy Abu Dhabi’s nightlife on weekends. There’s no shortage of places to go to explore a new bar or nightclub with Friends; some of the hottest spots in town include glamorous nightclubs like Cavalli Club, Boutiq Ultra Lounge or Iz Mallamall’s Terminal Bar.

The last thing to keep in mind during your visit to Abu Dhabi is that although tourists can explore the nightlife scene, there are certain cultural restrictions that must be followed. Most restaurants close by midnight after which visitors must dress modestly when visiting public areas.

Concluding Remarks

Abu Dhabi is one city that has managed to combine modernity with ancient civilization; hence it remains as a top travel destination for visitors all over the world. As long as tourists respect cultural boundaries while touring Abu Dhabi, they’ll certainly have a memorable time exploring this incredible city that offers a mix of cultural attractions, natural beauty and modern amenities.

This article was written by Anna Fedoseeva from wikifornia.org. She enjoys exploring cultures through travel.