Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Satellite image of Abu Dhabi March.
A View of Hilton Baynunah the tallest hotel in Abu Dhabi and the Second tallest building in Abu Dhabi. Shaikh Zaid 
Abu Dhabi Arabic Ab aby is the largest of the seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates and was also the largest of the former Trucial States Abu Dhabi is also a city of the same name within the Emirate that is the capital of the country in north central UAE The city lies on a T shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western coast An estimated lived there in with about an expatriate population Abu Dhabi city is located at N E
 Al Ain is Abu Dhabi's second largest urban area with a population of more than and located kilometres inland.
 History.
Parts of Abu Dhabi were settled as far back as the millennium B C and its early history fits the nomadic herding and fishing pattern typical of the broader region Modern Abu Dhabi traces its origins to the rise of an important tribal confederation the Bani Yas in the late century who also assumed control of Dubai In the century the Dubai and Abu Dhabi branches parted ways.
Into the mid century the economy of Abu Dhabi continued to be sustained mainly by camel herding production of dates and vegetables at the inland oases of Al Ain and Liwa and fishing and pearl diving off the coast of Abu Dhabi city which was occupied mainly during the summer months Most dwellings in Abu Dhabi city were at this time constructed of palm fronds barasti with the better off families occupying mud huts The growth of the cultured pearl industry in the first half of the century created hardship for residents of Abu Dhabi as pearls represented the largest export and main source of cash earnings.
In Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab granted Petroleum concessions and oil was first found in At first oil money had a marginal impact A few lowrise concete buildings were erected and the first paved road was completed in but Sheikh Shakbut uncertain whether the new oil royalties would last took a cautious approach prefering to save the revenue rather than investing it in development His brother Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan saw that oil wealth had the potential to transform Abu Dhabi The ruling Al Nahayan family decided that Sheikh Zayed should replace his brother as Ruler and carry out his vision of developing the country On August with the assistance of the British Sheikh Zayed became the new ruler See generally Al Fahim M From Rags to Riches A Story of Abu Dhabi Chapter Six London Centre of Arab Studies ISBN.
With the announcement by Britain in that it would withdraw from the Gulf area by Sheikh Zayed became the main driving force behind the formation of the United Arab Emirates.
After the Emirates gained independence in oil wealth continued to flow to the area and traditional mud brick huts were rapidly replaced with banks boutiques and modern highrises.
 Current Ruler.His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahayan is the hereditary emir and ruler of Abu Dhabi as well as the current president of the United Arab Emirates UAE.
 Postal History.
Now part of the United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi was formerly the largest of the seven sheikdoms which made up the Trucial States on the so called Pirate Coast of eastern Arabia between Oman and Qatar The Trucial States as a whole had an area of some square miles of which Abu Dhabi alone had The capital was the town of Abu Dhabi which is on an offshore island and was first settled in.
The name Trucial States arose from treaties made with Great Britain in which ensured a condition of truce in the area and the suppression of piracy and slavery The treaty expired on December The decision to form the UAE was made on July and the federation was founded on August although the inaugural UAE stamps were not issued until January.
Oil production began on Das Island after prospecting during Das Island is part of Abu Dhabi but lies well offshore about miles north of the mainland.