06 January 2009 07:42 GMT
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About Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a rapidly-growing federation in the oil-rich Arabian Gulf. Whilst the city may not be as high-profile, glitzy or fast-paced as its neighbour, Dubai, it's the political and administrative capital of the country and is undergoing an economic boom.
It's also famed as being one of the richest cities in the world, with the emirate sitting on more than 90% of the UAE's oil reserves. In recent years, though, Abu Dhabi has been actively diversifying into other areas, particularly aviation, tourism and real estate. It's impossible to miss the armies of cranes and construction workers involved in building some of the city's brand-new districts and even developing some of Abu Dhabi's many islands which lie just off the coast.
Most visitors to Abu Dhabi tend to be of the business variety, although tourism is beginning to take off. In 2007 the authorities signed deals to bring offshoots of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums to the emirate, as well as host a Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2009.
Abu Dhabi also hosted its first film festival in 2007, and has inked a joint venture with Warner Bros to build film studios, a theme park and cinemas over the next few years.
About the airport
Abu Dhabi’s airport is fast becoming one of the region’s busiest, as well as one of the most convenient gateways into the UAE. And thanks to Etihad Airways, which uses AUH as a base, the airport is also beginning to position itself as an international hub for connecting flights around the world, with an estimated 60-70% of all passengers just using Abu Dhabi as a transit point.
As you'd expect, given its size, the airport is compact and easy to get around. The majority of flights go through Terminal 1, although certain other airlines use the much smaller Terminal 2, which is a short drive away. There’s a good range of airline lounges and an in-transit hotel for passengers wanting to catch up on sleep, whilst a sand golf course, just minutes away from the terminal, can provide the entertainment for those with more energy.
One quirky feature is the airport’s unusual design, with the main departures and duty-free area in Terminal 1 housed under a colourful tiled dome with a central pillar. Things are changing, though, with the authorities embarking on a gigantic expansion programme to build a new terminal for Etihad and another, even larger, complex which should open its doors to passengers by 2010.
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