emirate · Arabia and the Gulf
Sheikhdom of Abu Dhabi
Origins
According to tradition, Bani Yas tribesmen hunting on the island of Abu Dhabi found fresh water in 1761, and a settlement grew there. The Al Nahyan sheikhs, leaders of the Bani Yas, moved their seat from the Liwa oases to the island in the 1790s.
Rule and society
Abu Dhabi controlled a large desert hinterland, including Liwa and part of the Buraimi oasis, and lived from pearling, dates and camels. From 1820 it was one of the Trucial States under British protection. Zayed bin Khalifa, ruling from 1855 to 1909, made it the strongest sheikhdom on the coast. The collapse of the pearl trade in the 1930s brought great poverty.
Decline and legacy
Oil was found offshore in 1958 and exported from 1962. In 1966 Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan replaced his brother Shakhbut and used the revenues for development. He led the creation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971 and became its first president.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (2)
- Sheikhdom of Abu Dhabi was part of Trucial States1820 CE – 1971 CE
- Sheikhdom of Dubai split from Sheikhdom of Abu Dhabi1833 CE
More states of Arabia and the Gulf →
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Sheikhdom of Abu Dhabi. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-abu-dhabi
- MLA
- “Sheikhdom of Abu Dhabi.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-abu-dhabi. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Sheikhdom of Abu Dhabi.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-abu-dhabi.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Sheikhdom of Abu Dhabi’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sheikhdom-of-abu-dhabi (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻