Abu Dhabi is an emirate (sovereign state) of the United Arab Emirates; it is also the name of the major city of this emirate, which is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (the UAE). Abu Dhabi is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf and is bordered by the emirate of Dubai and the countries of Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Several exciting property developments are currently under construction in Abu Dhabi one of which is the development of Saadiyat Island that is heralded to become the cultural centre of the region. Saadiyat Island is a natural island 500 meters off the coast of Abu Dhabi that will be connected to the mainland by two ten lane causeways. The island will be developed into six distinct precincts: Al Marina, the Cultural District, Saadiyat Park, Saadiyat Beach, South Beach and The Wetlands. The island is being developed as a major international tourist destination and residential area; it will house an estimated 150,000 residential inhabitants. Tourism will be extremely well catered for on Saadiyat with hotels, resorts, commercial shopping centres, and two golf courses (one of which will be a Gary Player Signature Course), to name just a few of the tourist facilities to be provided.

The Cultural Centre on Saadiyat Island will be world class with a performing arts centre and concert hall along with four museums including the Guggenheim Modern Art Museum designed by Frank Gehry, and a classical museum The Louvre Abu Dhabi designed by jean Nouvel.

Another island development in Abu Dhabi is Al Reem Island; this project is on another natural island off the coast of Abu Dhabi City that will again cater for residential, commercial and tourism uses. It is estimated that the island will house two hundred and eighty thousand residents, and the necessary amenities for these inhabitants i.e. schools, medical facilities, shopping centres, restaurants etc. The development will also include hotels, spas, resorts, a golf course, gardens and beaches to cater to the lucrative tourist trade.

Al Raha Beach is a development that is being built on reclaimed land on the coastal side of the main highway that links Abu Dhabi to Dubai. This development is again a mixed development aimed at tourism, commercial and residential occupancies. The development will be split into eleven distinct precincts that will all have different personalities or themes to appeal to people’s individual tastes and preferences. Al Raha Beach will accommodate One Hundred and twenty thousand residents in accommodation ranging from high-rise apartments to villas, townhouses and exclusive waterfront enclaves complete with private marinas, as well as private residential islands and a series of residential peninsulas stretching into the Persian Gulf. The development will include an extensive canal system along with bridges and water transportation including ferries, water taxis, abras and jet cats. The tourist precinct, which is housed on a separate island just off the coast, has direct beach access and will be the home to designer boutiques, spas, dining precincts and of course a luxury hotel among other features.