Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi

"Al Gharbia, Abu Dhabi" redirects here. For other uses, see Al Gharbiyah. For other uses of "Western Region", see Western Region.
Al Dhafra
Minṭaqah Aẓ-Ẓafrah (Arabic: مِنْطَقَة ٱلظَّفْرَة)
Al Gharbia
Western Region
Al-Minṭaqah Al-Ġarbiyyah (Arabic: ٱلْمِنْطَقَة ٱلْغَرْبِيَّة)
Dunes near Liwa Oasis in the region of Ar-Rub' Al-Khali (The Empty Quarter)
Dunes near Liwa Oasis in the region of Ar-Rub' Al-Khali (The Empty Quarter)
Flag of Al Dhafra
Flag
Coat of arms of Al Dhafra
Coat of arms
Location of the Western Region in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi[1]
Location of the Western Region in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi[1]
Coordinates: 23°39′N 53°42′E / 23.650°N 53.700°E / 23.650; 53.700
Country United Arab Emirates
Emirate Abu Dhabi
SeatMadinat Zayed
Government
 • TypeAbsolute monarchy
 • EmirMohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
 • Ruler's Representative of the Western Region of the Emirate of Abu DhabiHamdan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
 • MunicipalityAl Dhafrah Region Municipality
Time zoneUTC+4 (UAE standard time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+4

Al Dhafra Region (Arabic: مِنْطَقَة ٱلظَّفْرَة, romanized: Minṭaqah aẓ-Ẓafrah), known until 2017 as Al Gharbia or the Western Region (Arabic: ٱلْمِنْطَقَة ٱلْغَرْبِيَّة, romanized: Al-Minṭaqah al-Ġarbiyyah),[2][1] is one of three Municipal Regions in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Forming the western part of the United Arab Emirates, it is by far the largest region by area, occupying 71 % of the Abu Dhabi emirate's total area, yet the smallest by population and population density, and thus a rather remote region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, similar to the Eastern Region.[3] The capital of Al Dhafra Region is Madinat Zayed[4] (Bida Zayed). The new official name was already the historical name of the westernmost region of former Trucial Oman, which was Dhafrah.[5] It is significant for its natural resources, particularly gas and petroleum. Its reserves of hydrocarbons account for 90% of the Emirate's reserves, which in turn account for 90% of the country's reserves, and are important for the local economy.[6]

  1. ^ a b Statistical Yearbook of Abu Dhabi 2018, Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi, 2018, p. 171, archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-21, retrieved 2019-05-15
  2. ^ "Khalifa renames Eastern and Western Regions". WAM. Gulf News. 2017-03-16. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  3. ^ "Regional location maps (eastern and western regions of Abu Dhabi emirate)". Ask Explorer. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
  4. ^ "Al Gharbia". The Report Abu Dhabi 2010. Oxford Business Group. 2010. p. 171. ISBN 978-1-9070-6521-7.
  5. ^ John Gordon Lorimer: Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Vol. II, S, 412ff.
  6. ^ The Report Abu Dhabi 2016. Oxford Business Group. 2016-05-09. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-9100-6858-8.