Country Portraits
Abu Dhabi: From Country Cousin to Shining Star of the Gulf
A few years back, Abu Dhabi was a mere question mark. ABU WHERE? 100 km down the road was the shining star of the Gulf, Dubai – the city where bling never sleeps. Loud, bombastic and dominant, Dubai was the brash city cousin with the biggest, tallest and meanest of everything from malls to towers, islands to glitzy events. Despite being the capital city of the UAE, Abu Dhabi was the country cousin; never in the news but quietly waiting for its moment as it pumped for more black gold and built one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds. By Stefan Breg, Tribe. Abu Dhabi was already planning its future before the crash of 2008. Arguably, the crash hit Dubai hardest where property prices fell higher than in most countries. This was not however, the prompt for action in Abu Dhabi. The 2030 Plan for Abu Dhabi was inked in 2006 and described a new revitalized capital city which expanded past its island borders and began to dominate other islands and the surrounding coastline. The 2030 Plan built on Abu Dhabi's strengths: 200 unspoilt islands, miles of coastline and a robust tourist industry based mainly on families visiting expatriates rather than the glitzy shoppingfueled tourist frenzy in Dubai.
Abu Dhabi: the city The capital city has a population of 817,000. Countless nationalities make up the mix but the main groups are Arab, Western, Iranian, Indian and Pakistani expatriates. Locals that is Emiratis, make up less than 20% of the population. The Arab expats are made up of mainly Egyptians, Lebanese and Syrians. There are also large Iranian and Chinese communities. Men outnumber women by about 5 to 1. Western expats are dominated by Brits, Australians and North Americans working predominantly in the construction and hospitality sectors. The local population of Emiratis is strikingly young; 25% of the population is under the age of 14.
| 18 August 2010 |
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Showdates
Intergastra - Stuttgart/Germany,
11 Feb - 15 Feb 2012
International Technology Trade Fair for Hotels, Restaurants, Catering, Confectioners and Café
Ingredients Middle East - Dubai, UAE,
19 Feb - 22 Feb 2012
Ingredients Middle East is the only event in the region to address the growing food manufacturing and processing sector.
Ingredients Middle East runs alongside Gulfood 2011, offering access to both events.
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