Of the total population which is around 4.3 million throughout the United Arab Emirates, 1.6 million live in Abu Dhabi which is divided in a variety of nationalities. This is what makes Abu Dhabi a very multicultural society.

Abu Dhabi can be viewed as the Federation's capital where you will find the well-developed financial sector and the present Government and its political branches. In Abu Dhabi, guidelines and future visions are developed in order to be applied to all seven emirates.

Historically, the United Arab Emirates has invested heavily in promoting within the international tourism industry, which has given positive results. The region offers everything from swimming to skiing, and in late October, the Formal 1 circus will come for a visit. In other words, they have a lot to offer.

Now, they move forward with the development and are aiming to attract businesses and entrepreneurs to the region, across all industries. There is no shortage of financial resources, Abu Dhabi oil reserves is estimated to last for 150 years and represents today 9.2 percent of the world´s oil reserves, and also 4 percent of the world's natural gas resources. However, the energy means less and less to the Federation's economic prosperity since other industries are growing stronger.

The United Arab Emirates largest trading partners are the United States, Japan, Europe, India, Iran, South Korea and Singapore. More than 60 percent of the UAE's oil production is exported to Japan, the rest is exported to South Korea, China, Singapore and the United States.

The United States is an important political ally that has military logistics in place, and is a historically important guarantor for the security in the Emirate.


Cecilia Helland