Asia · capital city
What Is the Capital of United Arab Emirates?
Abu Dhabi
The capital of United Arab Emirates is Abu Dhabi. About 1.6 million people live in the Abu Dhabi urban area — 13.6% of the country's population.
1.6 million
Urban area population
UTC+4
Time zone
24.47°N
Latitude · 54.37°E
No
Largest city: Dubai
Abu Dhabi at a glance
Name origin
In Arabic, abu means "father," and dhabi refers to a personal name, Dhabi or Zabi, that comes from the word zab, or "gazelle".
Time zone
UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
24 28 N, 54 22 E · IANA time zone Asia/Dubai
Location of United Arab Emirates
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Largest cities in United Arab Emirates
1
Dubai
3.0 million2
Sharjah
1.8 million3
Abu Dhabi Capital
1.6 millionUrban-area population · CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Capitals closest to Abu Dhabi
Doha, Qatar — 300 km
Manama, Bahrain — 429 km
Muscat, Oman — 438 km
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — 776 km
Kuwait City, Kuwait — 836 km
Tehran, Iran — 1,281 km
Baghdad, Iraq — 1,382 km
Sanaa, Yemen — 1,468 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Abu Dhabi
What is the capital of United Arab Emirates?
The capital of United Arab Emirates is Abu Dhabi. About 1.6 million people live in the Abu Dhabi urban area — 13.6% of the country's population.
Is Abu Dhabi the largest city in United Arab Emirates?
No. The largest urban area is Dubai (3.0 million), while Abu Dhabi has about 1.6 million.
What time zone is Abu Dhabi in?
Abu Dhabi is on UTC+4 — UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Abu Dhabi come from?
In Arabic, abu means "father," and dhabi refers to a personal name, Dhabi or Zabi, that comes from the word zab, or "gazelle".
Which capital is closest to Abu Dhabi?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Muscat (Oman) is the closest, 438 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).