What is the capital of United Arab Emirates?
Abu Dhabi occupies a T-shaped island in the Persian Gulf off the central-western coast of the UAE, linked to the mainland by bridges.
Abu Dhabi is the capital and seat of government of United Arab Emirates, a role it has held since 1971. United Arab Emirates itself has an estimated population of 11,513,149 (2025).
Abu Dhabi is not the largest city in United Arab Emirates. That is Dubai, which makes United Arab Emirates one of the countries whose capital is not their biggest city.
Abu Dhabi at a glance
| City population | 2,189,860 (2024) |
|---|---|
| Country | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates |
| Capital since | 1971 |
| Largest city in United Arab Emirates | Dubai |
| Time zone | UTC+04:00 (GST) |
| Currency | United Arab Emirates dirham (AED) |
About Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi has been the capital of United Arab Emirates since 1971, Abu Dhabi has been the capital of the United Arab Emirates since the federation of seven emirates was formed in 1971.
Abu Dhabi is the UAE's second-largest city; the neighbouring emirate of Dubai has the larger city.
The emirate holds most of the UAE's oil reserves and much of the country's wealth.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Abu Dhabi.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of United Arab Emirates?
Is Abu Dhabi the largest city in United Arab Emirates?
What is the population of Abu Dhabi?
Where is Abu Dhabi located?
When did Abu Dhabi become the capital of United Arab Emirates?
What time zone is Abu Dhabi in?
What currency is used in Abu Dhabi?
Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of United Arab Emirates on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.