, other_name = Al-Gharbia Western Region ar, ٱلْمِنْطَقَة ٱلْغَرْبِيَّة
, settlement_type =
, image_skyline = File:Dune ranges (4184948167).jpg
, image_caption = Dunes near
Liwa Oasis
The Liwa Oasis ( ar, وَاحَـة لِـيْـوَا, Wāḥḥat Līwā) is a large oasis area in the Western Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.
Geography
Liwa Oasis is about south of the Persian Gulf coast ...
in the region of ''Ar-Rub' Al-Khali'' (The Empty Quarter)
, image_flag = Flag of Abu Dhabi.svg
, image_shield = Emblem of Abu Dhabi.svg
, image_map = File:Abu Dhabi oeste.png
, map_caption = Location of the Western Region in the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi
The Emirate of Abu Dhabi (, , or ; ar, إِمَارَةْ أَبُوظَبِي , ) is one of seven emirates that constitute the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is by far the largest emirate, accounting for 87% of the nation's total land area o ...
Emirate
An emirate is a territory ruled by an emir, a title used by monarchs or high officeholders in the Muslim world. From a historical point of view, an emirate is a political-religious unit smaller than a caliphate. It can be considered equivalen ...
, subdivision_name2 =
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area.
...
Absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy (or Absolutism as a doctrine) is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means limited and has absolute power, though a limited constitut ...
, leader_title =
Emir
Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cerem ...
, leader_name =
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan ( ar, مُحَمّد بِن زَايد آل نَهيَان, Moḥamed bin Zāyed Āl Nahyān; born 11 March 1961), colloquially known by his initials as MBZ, is the third president of the United Arab Emirates ...
, leader_title1 = Ruler's Representative of the Western Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi
, leader_name1 =
Hamdan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Hamdan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan ( ar, حمدان بن زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان; born 1963) is an Emirati politician and royal. He is the ruler's representative in the western region of Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Hamdan is a son ...
, area_total_km2 =
, population_total =
, population_as_of =
, population_density_km2 =
, blank_name =
, blank_info =
, blank1_name =
, blank1_info =
, blank2_name =
, blank2_info =
, area_total_sq_mi =
, timezone = UAE standard time
, utc_offset = +4
, utc_offset_DST = +4
Al Dhafra Region ( ar, مِنْطَقَة ٱلظَّفْرَة, Minṭaqah aẓ-Ẓafrah), known until 2017 as "Al Gharbia" or the "Western Region" ( ar, ٱلْمِنْطَقَة ٱلْغَرْبِيَّة, Al-Minṭaqah al-Gharbiyyah), is one of three Municipal Regions in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Forming the western part of the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
, it is by far the largest region by area, occupying 71 % of the 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. The capital of Al Dhafra Region is
(Bida Zayed). The new official name was already the historical name of the westernmost region of former
Trucial Oman
The Trucial States ( '), also known as the Trucial Coast ( '), the Trucial Sheikhdoms ( '), Trucial Arabia or Trucial Oman, was the name the British government gave to a group of tribal confederations in southeastern Arabia whose leaders had s ...
, which was ''Dhafrah''. It is significant for its natural resources, particularly gas and
petroleum
Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crud ...
. Its reserves of
hydrocarbon
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are examples of group 14 hydrides. Hydrocarbons are generally colourless and hydrophobic, and their odors are usually weak or ex ...
s 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.
Demographics
The Region had a population of 202,154 as of the Census of 2010 (including Islands Region with 17,646). With a given population density of 6, the area of the region could be calculated at . Other official sources, however, state an area of , or an 83 percent share of the emirate total of .
This region comprises seven townships, with population figures of the 2005 census of population (109,000 for the region):
*
Ruwais
''Ar-Ruwais'' ( ar, ٱلـرُّوَيْـس, lit=The Small head) is a city located some west of Abu Dhabi City, in the Western Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. "Al Ruwais" is largely dropped in relation to the Ruwais Refinery and other in ...
(pop. 15,511)
*
Ghayathi
''Ghayāthī'' ( ar, غَـيَـاثِي), with 14,022 inhabitants (2005 census), is a town in the western region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Originally a bedouin settlement, today many inhabitants work in agriculture.
Ghayathi is situated fr ...
Al Mirfa
AL, Al, Ål or al may stand for:
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Al (''Aladdin'') or Aladdin, the main character in Disney's ''Aladdin'' media
* Al (''EastEnders''), a minor character in the British soap opera
* Al (''Fullmetal ...
Habshan Habshan is an area in the southwestern part of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
It is currently a major oil and gas field for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).
*
Ghuwaifat
Ghuwaifat ( ar, ٱلْغُوَيْفَات) is a small town in the far west of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The place forms a border crossing to Saudi Arabia on the transit road to Qatar.
Ghuwaifat belongs to the urban area of Sila, which extends i ...
Al Gharbia's coastal communities are served with six
Western Region Ports The Western Region Ports () are five ports run by Abu Dhabi Ports in Al Dhafra Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. These include ports in Mugharrag, Al Sila, Sir Bani Yas, Dalma and Marfa. The ports support local communities ...
built, developed and managed by
Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC)
AD Ports Group ( ar, مجموعة موانئ أبوظبي; formerly Abu Dhabi Ports Company and ADPC) serves as the region's premier facilitator of logistics, industry, and trade, as well as a bridge linking Abu Dhabi to the world, the Group op ...
Sir Bani Yas
Ṣīr Banī Yās ( ar, صِير بَنِي يَاس) is a natural island located southwest of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It lies offshore from Jebel Dhanna, which serves as a crossing point to other islands such as D ...
, Dalma and Marfa Ports. The ports support local industries like fishing, tourism, logistics and leisure activities as well as facilitating the transport of people and goods to offshore islands.
Wildlife and prehistory
7 million-year-old fossilized footprints of
elephant
Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae an ...
s have been discovered at a site named "Mleisa 1" in Al-Gharbia. Within the area of Baynunah, a
camel
A camel (from: la, camelus and grc-gre, κάμηλος (''kamēlos'') from Hebrew or Phoenician: גָמָל ''gāmāl''.) is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. C ...
-slaughter site dating to about 6,000 years ago was discovered.
Hazza bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan Al Nahyan ( ar, ٱلشَّيْخ هَزَّاع بِن سُلْطَان آل نَهْيَان, Ash-Shaykh Hazzāʿ bin Sulṭān Āl Nahyān) was the brother of Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi from ...
List of tourist attractions in the United Arab Emirates
This is a list of the popular tourist attractions in the United Arab Emirates, by Emirate, except for shared attractions, such as mountains shared by different emirates
Abu Dhabi
* Central Region:
** Sheikh Zayed Mosque: founded by Sheikh Zay ...
*
Western Region Municipality
Al Dhafrah Region Municipality (DRM) (), formerly Western Region Municipality (WRM) is a municipality in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, covering the al-Dhafra region. It was constituted in 2006 and is responsible for the region's planning, developme ...