Profile

Located off the mainland on a number of islands, the city of Abu Dhabi is both the capital of the emirate and of the UAE. Under the constitution of 1971 the UAE operates as a federation of seven emirates and each of its constituent emirates has a high level of political and economic autonomy. Abu Dhabi’s ruler customarily serves as president of the UAE, while the ruler of Dubai serves as the country’s prime minister and vice-president. Of the emirate’s total population of 2.66m, Abu Dhabi City was home to the majority, with around 1.63m, or 62%, in 2014. Al Gharbia, Abu Dhabi’s Western Region, covers 71% of the emirate’s total land area and possesses 90% of its hydrocarbons reserves, which in turn account for around 90% of the UAE’s total reserves. Meanwhile, the emirate’s eastern region, Al Ain, was home to 704,100 people as of 2014, of which around 473,000 live in Al Ain City, the emirate’s second-largest city. This chapter contains an interview with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; and viewpoints from UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese President Xi Jinping.