Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), located on the central western coast of the country on an island just off the shore of the Arabian (Persian) Gulf in the Middle East.

Quick Scoop: Where Is Abu Dhabi Located?

Abu Dhabi sits in the southeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, facing the Arabian (Persian) Gulf and forming part of the UAE’s long coastline. It lies to the southwest of Dubai, and the wider Emirate of Abu Dhabi borders Saudi Arabia to the south and west and Oman to the east.

The city itself is built on a T‑shaped island connected to the mainland by bridges, with most of the emirate’s land stretching inland as desert and along the coast as an archipelago of more than 200 islands.

Fast facts

  • Region: Middle East, southeastern Arabian Peninsula.
  • Country: United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  • Status: Capital city of the UAE and capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
  • Coastline: On the Arabian (Persian) Gulf, central‑west UAE coast.
  • Nearby: Southwest of Dubai; the emirate borders Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Simple mental map example

If you picture the Arabian Peninsula as a boot‑shaped landmass pointing toward Iran across the water, Abu Dhabi sits on the north‑eastern edge of that boot, on the gulf coast, with Dubai a short distance up the shoreline to the northeast.

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