Abu Dhabi
Emirate
Abu Dhabi (Arabic: أبو ظبي, DMG Abū Zaby, Father of the Gazelle ') is the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
- 7.1 Highway
- 7.2 transport 7.2.1 Public Transport
Location
The core of the city with its 621,000 inhabitants is situated on a 70 square mile island in the Persian Gulf, in the mangrove belt. Connected to the mainland is by the Mussafa bridge that al - Maqtaa Bridge and Sheikh Zayed Bridge. The main island is surrounded by a wreath artificially extended or newly washed ashore islands, which are built at the time only in part and expand the settlement area.
Facing the open sea on the north-western edge of the island is the Corniche, at the since 2003 further land was won. At the north end of the Corniche is a 1 km wide and 5 km long strip that can be regarded as the city center due to its dense construction.
History
Until the 1960s, the then small island town still consisted of simple buildings, sometimes without electricity and sewerage. The beginning of the oil mining changed these circumstances abruptly, Abu Dhabi was expanded in the 1970s with a checkered master plan to a modern metropolis. The plan was a high for that time population of 600,000, which was reached after only twenty years; growth deviates from now on artificial islands and the foreshore.
Abu Dhabi has a new international airport since 1981. It is located 30 km outside the city on the mainland on the main highway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai; designed by architects who were responsible for the construction of the Paris Charles -de- Gaulle airport. The hitherto mixed operated Al- Batin Airport, which is located on the Abu Dhabi island, is now exclusively used by the military and the ruling family. The emirate has another international airport in the oasis city of Al Ain, which is, however, served in the long-distance traffic only from a British TUI subsidiary.
Government and ruling family
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is currently ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. He is a son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan, who died in 2004 Al Nahyan, the first president of the UAE. The half- brother of the currently ruling sheikhs is Crown Prince Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Cityscape
Abu Dhabi is one due to the rapid growth since 1980 to the most modern cities in the world. Therefore, the city presents a predominantly new face. Architecturally striking high-rise buildings, some with Arabic elements and generously expanded streets characterize the city. In between a few tracks from earlier centuries, such as Fort Qasr al - Husn, traditional buildings, residential palaces and countless, mostly newly built mosques are found, the most important of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is. Characteristic of the city are the many small shops on the ground floor of the building that have not been displaced by the large, ultra- modern shopping malls. These small businesses reached 2010 or 64 percent of retail sales; some larger shopping centers are under construction, especially in the emerging suburbs. Furthermore, the high amount of green along all roads in the emirate is very noticeable.
As the city is on an island and the checkerboard streets run straight from the sea is almost everywhere to be seen. A 7.7 km long coastal road ( Corniche ) with generous Flanierwegen as well as play areas and parks and gastronomy limited the settlement area northeast of the center. In the city there are numerous irrigated green areas. The wider streets are planted with irrigated trees and shrubs. To the city center lying around about 20 small and medium-sized farms. On the east ring is another, more modest 4.5 km long Corniche, in front of spreads a beautiful natural or near-natural partially reinvested mangrove swamp. The mangroves are a 5 km long elevated Aussichtsweg was created.
Projected Urban Development 2030
In May 2008, the Urban Planning Council ( Stadtplanungsrat ) Abu Dhabi has unveiled the master plan for urban development until 2030. Then to the desired " Greater Abu Dhabi City « grow to 3 million inhabitants. To meet the large demand for housing, emanating mainly non-Arab origin of migrant workers, now almost been fathomed downtown must be relieved. These offer in addition to the artificial islands on only the lying on the mainland coastline with its hinterland.
The biggest project is the Capital City Suburban District, located 25 kilometers southeast of the mainland, which is scheduled as the federal district of the United Arab Emirates. Be based on a triangular area of 4,900 acres here in predominantly compacted construction by 2030 jobs and housing for 370,000 people arise. Because of the proximity of the airport, however, the heights are limited, few skyscrapers allowed only up to 199 meters. This relief city will absorb all government agencies and many authorities of the UAE in generous green plants as well as diplomatic missions, associations, etc. In the outer part, it will be according to the master plan in April 2009 extended areas for living. The potential through an approximately 4.5 kilometer long central axis splendor urbanization receives star-shaped, seven major boulevards, one for each emirate. The urban " in the Arabic tradition" held suburb is equipped with sports and leisure centers, a Kongreßbau, at least one university and the latest health infrastructure. In the many relatively independent living quarters each decentralized retail and service lanes, kindergartens, schools, etc. on site as well - even in Abu Dhabi become indispensable - planned a central Megamall.
The public connection between the two parts of the city will produce a line of the planned Abu Dhabi Metro, just as there will be a metro route to Abu Dhabi International Airport and beyond to the border of Dubai ( transition to the Dubai Metro ). The internal development relies on avoidance of traffic, that is, more trams buses. The entire design emphasizes the primacy of sustainable construction, economic activity and life, though obviously not as consistently as planned in the north adjacent eco-city of Masdar City. The total investment for this mega project was officially not numbered, but is expected by today's prices are estimated between 60 and 80 billion U.S. dollars.
In April 2009 it was announced as part of the planning exhibition " Cityscape Abu Dhabi " that so far relatively little verspüre Abu Dhabi on the global economic crisis. The planned development will be continued as planned, to 10 other major projects were announced with a total investment of U.S. $ 208 billion.
Tourism
Abu Dhabi as well as the neighboring emirate of Dubai in time discovered the Economic Impact of Tourism, before the revenue from oil production declined. The most renowned hotel in Abu Dhabi is the State Established in 2005, Emirates Palace. Currently, there are some great tourist complexes and hotel projects, such as the Bab al - Qasar, under construction. On the island of Saadiyat, a museum city and nearly 30 hotels are being built. In the district of Al - Gurm, spread over several small islands, creating a tourism resort with a total of 161 suites spread over a mangrove bay. Other major tourism projects are the coastal area of Al Raha and Al Lulu Island projects, Yas and Al Reem. For all projects, in addition to the tourism infrastructure also apartments and homes will be integrated. Abu Dhabi planners take care not to unilaterally purely tourist or inhabitant related to develop the new districts because it would avoid the observed separation in Dubai and related reduced urban quality, or the compulsion to isolated " gated community ".
Since October 2009, the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi for the Formula 1 World Championship will be held on the new 5.554 km long Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island.
Furthermore, opened the theme park Ferrari World on October 28, 2010. Of the 25 hectares of parklands, 20 ha are covered. One of the main attractions is the roller coaster Formula Rossa, which is with a top speed of 240 km / h, the fastest roller coaster in the world.
The culture Saadiyat Island
The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has set itself the task to emphasize more strongly the cultural component in addition to the rapid economic development. Abu Dhabi is trying to stand out a little from the lifestyle of Dubai tourism and to develop more into a cultural hub. The artificially enhanced Saadiyat Island (27 km ² ) located east of the main island, will carry a number of major projects. Centers for visual arts, music performance, theater and cultural education at a high level to be built. There will be several museums of historical and contemporary art, an architecturally spectacular Philharmonic Orchestra for guest, as well as a multipurpose hall for opera and theater performances and other cultural events. These training centers for visual and performing arts are coming on the university level.
For example, the French Government and the Emirate like to create a " mini- Louvre " on Sa'adiyyat. A cooperation agreement was signed on 7 March 2007. To come together under a mushroom-like circular building 6000 m² permanent exhibition area until about 2019; The architecture was designed by Jean Nouvel. The emirate, which is planning an annual purchasing budget of 40 million euros, is the Agence Internationale des musées de France once paid 165 million annually for 15 years and 13 million euros respectively for temporary exhibitions in a 2,000 - m ² gallery. In return, French museums will organize exhibitions and also hire more permanent exhibits. In addition, the new museum may not exceed 30 years " Louvre " name. Overall, the Louvre gets 400 million euros in Paris. The money from this newly built facilities in Paris get the name of the late Emir of Abu Dhabi, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
In the presence of French President Nicolas Sarkozy in late May 2009, the official foundation stone of the Louvre offshoot was completed. A second project of the so-called " museum business " is another branch of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on the pattern of successful Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. In economic terms it involves franchising company.
The island is accessed Saadiyyat infrastructure since 2006. A new 27 -kilometer expressway connecting the port area Port Zayed on the main island of Saadiyat and Yas Iceland to the mainland Shahama district. Also used as a new connection to the airport, it will reduce the travel time to 20 to 30 minutes. As part of the freeway a 1500 m long ten-lane road bridge from the port of the main island was opened on the west bank of Saadiyyat in October 2009.
The State Building Authority has awarded work for main roads, more bridges, parks and port facilities for Saadiyat. The purely culturally unused portion of the island is 2.7 km ² relatively small compared to the water sports facilities (4.4 km ²), parks and sports fields (6.0 km ²), the two residential, hotel and beach regions (7, 0 km ²) and the Wetlands biotopes, ie natural or newly created mangrove areas ( 5.23 km ²).
Traffic
Long-distance traffic
Abu Dhabi has a very good access to the road network of the United Arab Emirates and beyond to the Arabian Peninsula. The highway 11 with their Western sequels goes to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. Direct connection to the city are the branching coastal highways 10 and 33 forth, while the highway 22 via Al Ain to the Indian Ocean ( Muscat, Oman). The major roads within the Emirate are often lined with wide stripes with bushes and trees, which the erosion and wind protection is.
The Abu Dhabi International Airport is the main airport of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and at the same hub and home base of Etihad Airways. Abu Dhabi is served by around 20 airlines. The airport is gradually extended to 2013 for 20 million passengers, since 2006 there is a new terminal and another runway under construction.
Transport
Abu Dhabi is generally aligned to the needs of car use. By 2008, the mass of the vehicles at the roadside and at numerous undeveloped land could park for free. These open spaces are becoming increasingly rare, however, so that the first parking permit zones were opened in the summer of 2009. One hour costs 2-3 dirhams ( 0.42 to 0.63 euros ), the maximum parking time is usually limited to 4 hours. Provided a total of about 75,000 such plots, which are to be established in 43 sectors of the downtown and other neighborhoods. With the establishment of the paid parking zones you can, however, time: approximately 7,000 parking spaces were in March 2012 only reported.
Public transportation
Due to increasing problems with the dense individual transport in the metropolitan area some modification of the car-friendly city can be observed. Since June 2008 there is the first bus lines that are continuously being expanded. After a few months of free ride the cheap buses are now accepted, especially among the poor population.
The planning competent Department of Transport ( DoT ) has introduced in February 2009, a report for the expansion of the rail-based public transport in 2030 on the base of the rail master plan. It was announced that the city will build a Metro, which is to be supplemented by some shorter trams in urban core. Then to the Abu Dhabi Metro 2016 come into operation and the first tram already in 2014. The network of Metro Abu Dhabi is in the final stage have about 131 miles and all major suburbs such as Saadiyat, Yas Iceland, Masdar City, Al Raha Beach and the airport with the City connect. It is also the construction of a Light Rail Transit ( LRT) being considered, these orbits correspond approximately to the European S-Bahn and take less holding more distant parts of the city, which have been designed and probably built by 2030. One of the LRT lines could also be up to the border of the emirate of Dubai, where they lead connected to the Red Line of the Dubai Metro.
Sports
Exist with the al - Nahyan Stadium, and the al - Jazira Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium football stadiums with capacities of 12,000 and 42,000 spectators. The latter is one of the most advanced in the Arab world. In the first games were the Junior World Championship 2003, held in the second of the FIFA Club World Cup 2009.
With the Abu Dhabi Ice Rink (including Zayed Sports City Ice Rink ), there is an ice stadium with a capacity of 1,200 spectators. Several hockey teams, the Abu Dhabi Scorpions and Abu Dhabi since 2009 Storm take part in the Emirates Ice Hockey League.