Many people across the world dream of visiting the Emirates, but they often get confused when they hear the names UAE, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.
Some think Dubai is a country, others believe Abu Dhabi and Dubai are same. This confusion is very common, especially when they learn about the region through social media, or movies.
The UAE, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi are closely connected, but let us clear that they are not the same. Each one has a different meaning, role, and importance.
The United Arab Emirates, commonly called the UAE, is a country in the Middle East on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula. Covering an area of around 83,000 square kilometers, this country formed in 1971 is similar in size to countries like Portugal or Austria.
The UAE is not one city or one state. It is a federation, made up of seven smaller regions called emirates, each with its own ruler and identity.
The emirates are Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Among them, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are two of the biggest cities/emirates.
Abu Dhabi is the capital city and political heart of the UAE. It covers nearly 85 percent of the UAE’s land and is rich in oil and natural gas resources.
Why Abu Dhabi Is So Important? Known for calm living, wide and clean roads, cultural landmarks, and future planning, Abu Dhabi plays the most powerful role in running the UAE.
Dubai, on the other hand, is famous for business, tourism, luxury, and rapid modern growth. Even though it is much smaller than Abu Dhabi, Dubai is the entertainment hub of the UAE, thanks to its modern skyscrapers, luxury lifestyle, shopping and tourism, international business opportunities.
Some famous attractions in Dubai include Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, Dubai Mall, one of the largest shopping malls, Palm-shaped artificial islands, Beaches, hotels, and luxury resorts.
Unlike Abu Dhabi, Dubai depends on tourism, trade, aviation, real estate and not oil.
The UAE, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai together form a well-organized nation that successfully balances tradition with modern development.
