Abu Dhabi

Why it's the capital

When the United Arab Emirates was formed in 1971, Abu Dhabi was named the temporary capital, and a new capital called Al Karama was planned on the border with Dubai. A change to the constitution in 1996 removed the word 'temporary'. Abu Dhabi is by far the largest of the seven emirates, and its ruler, Sheikh Zayed, was the country's first president.

Fun facts

1. Abu Dhabi means 'father of the gazelle' in Arabic, and a popular story links the name to hunters who were chasing a gazelle.
2. Qasr Al Hosn, built by the Bani Yas tribe in 1761, is the oldest building in the emirate and was once the palace of the ruling Al Nahyan family.
3. Before oil was found in 1958, pearl diving was a key industry, and divers went down as many as thirty times a day.