The Rising Star of Abu Dhabi

If Dubai is the most well known of the emirates for its cosmopolitan appeal and international lifestyle, expatriates and international travelers would readily recommend Abu Dhabi as a close second. Gone are the days of old when Abu Dhabi was a dusty sandy mass of desert land, with few and scanty residences scattered in the Bedouin wilderness. It all changed after oil was discovered there in 1958. Shortly afterwards the British helped Abu Dhabi’s first President ruler Sheikh Zahid Bin Sultan Al Nahyan depose his elder brother Sheikh Shahkbut in 1966 in a bloodless coup. While Sheikh Shakhbut was more conservative, Sheikh Zayed readily saw how the oil earnings could transform his nation into a modern paradise.

True to his vision, Sheikh Zayed during his reign worked tirelessly for the success of this dream. He invested a lot of money in turning the desert green, and it has paid off handsomely, for today Abu Dhabi has converted into a stellar example of a modern city. The landscape boasts many medium to high rise buildings, intermittently laced with imposing glass skyscrapers of every description. Permission has to be taken to construct buildings over 500 feet or 150 meters.
Abu Dhabi is a well planned city, with many parks and open spaces and a wide beachfront accessible to the public. All of these are well maintained by the civic authorities.
Abu Dhabi has the distinction of being among the world’s richest nations. It has the third highest GDP per capita in the world after Luxembourg and Norway. Though it is also the biggest oil producer in the emirates, it has successfully diversified its earnings and invested in retail, tourism, industry and real estate sectors, so that 64 percent of its GDP is derived from these sources today.

With all these things in its favor, it is no wonder that the attention of migrant workers to the UAE has been shifting from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. We will be seeing the effects shortly as there is more interest in Abu Dhabi properties and property for sale in Abu Dhabi will then be at a premium. This is good news for anyone connected with Abu Dhabi real estate or having any kind of Abu Dhabi property for sale. It will undoubtedly produce many opportunities in future.