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Abu Dhabi 11/3-2006
Daily life in Abu Dhabi
The skyline of Abu Dhabi.
United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi
In a corner of the Persian Gulf, a few tiny emirates offer an oasis of wealth, stability and peace in an otherwise turbulent region. They have become a mixture of Middle East and west. Seven star hotels, skyscrapers, glitzy super malls and a sea of construction cranes rise out of the desert. A Ferrari theme park is opening soon.
In the shadow of the palm trees, bhurka-clad women chat on cell phones, while waiting for their kids who are skiing in one of the worlds largest indoor skiing facilities.
Part of the seven United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi has so far avoided the political and religious repercussions of other Arab countries. The emirate is home to 250,000 citizens, roughly a million foreign workers and has one-tenth of the world’s oil supply.