Al Ain is known as the "Garden City" (Arabic:مَدِيْنَة ٱلْحَدِيْقَة,romanized: Madīnat Al-Ḥadīqah,lit. 'City of The Garden')[1] of Abu Dhabi,[3] the UAE[4] or theGulf,[5][6] due to its greenery, particularly with regard to the city's oases,[2] parks, tree-lined avenues and decorative roundabouts, with strict height controls on new buildings, to no more than seven floors.[9] According to one author, the oases around Al Ain andAl-Hasa inSaudi Arabia are the most important in the region of the Gulf.[10]
The city is located approximately 160 kilometres (99 mi) east of the capital Abu Dhabi, and about 120 kilometres (75 mi) south of Dubai.[11] The eastern region covers an area of approximately 13,100 km2 (5,100 sq mi).Oman lies to the east, Dubai and Sharjah to the north, Abu Dhabi to the west and theEmpty Quarter desert and Saudi Arabia to the south. The topography of Al Ain is unique and varies as one travels to the east. The ecologically importantJebel Hafeet ("Mount Hafeet"),[12] anoutlier of the mainHajar range, is considered one of the monuments of Al Ain, lying just to the south of the city. Rising to 1,100–1,400 metres (3,600–4,600 feet) in elevation,[2][13][14] Jebel Hafeet is one of the highestmountains in the country,[3] and has a number ofridges which stretch to the inner part of the city, two of which areJabal Al Naqfah[15][16][17] (which touches Al Ain Oasis),[18][19] and theWestern ridge.[20][21] Sand dunes of varying texture that are tinged red with iron oxide lie to the north and east of Al Ain.[citation needed]
The city has ahot desert climate (Köppen climate classificationBWh), featuring long, extremely hot summers and warm winters. In Al-Ain, the mean annual rainfall is 96 mm (3.8 in) and the average relative humidity is 60% (United Arab Emirates University, 1993). Low humidity in Al-Ain, particularly during the summers, makes it a popular destination for many people during this time of the year. Boer (1997) classified the UAE climate as hyper-arid and divided it into four climatic regions: the coastal zone along the PersianGulf, the mountain areas northeast of UAE, the gravel plains around Al Ain, and the central and southern sand desert. More rainfall and lower temperature occur in the northeast than in the southern and western regions. The monthly average rainfall around Al-Ain was 100–120 mm (3.9–4.7 in) from the period 1970 to 1992.[citation needed]
To the south of the city, near Oman, there is the man-madeLake Zakher, which resulted from the release of waste water fromdesalination plants.[22] Also in this region, to the east of Jebel Hafeet, lies the area ofMezyad, which has a border crossing with Oman, and is where the historicMezyad Fort is located.[18][23]
With a population of 846,787 (as of 2021),[27] it has the highest percentage of Emirati nationals (30.8%) in the country, though the majority of its residents areexpatriates, particularly from theIndian subcontinent. Many people are fromBangladesh andPakistan. There is also a significant number ofAfghans in the city.[28]
Al Ain is an important services centre for a wide area extending into Oman. There are three major shopping centres,[29]Al Ain Mall, Al Jimi Mall, Al Hili Mall and Al Bawadi Mall (opened in 2009 in Al Khrair area) as well as traditionalsouqs for fruit and vegetables and livestock. One such souq exists for camels near anIKEA store and Bawadi Mall on Zayed Bin Sultan Street,[2] the road which leads to Mezyad.[6] Industry is growing on a small scale, and includes theCoca-Cola bottling plant and the Al Ain Portland Cement Works. The water in Al-Ain is of good quality. Service industries such as car sales, mechanics and other artisans are located in the area known as Sanaiya and Pattan Market. Social and governmental infrastructure include theHigher Colleges of Technology, well-equipped medical facilities including the teaching hospital at Tawam,Al Ain International Airport,[30] and military training areas.[citation needed] Al Ain also has world's largestdates processing and marketing company, Al Foah Company LLC. The place is also famous for Al Ain Dairy Farm located just outside Al Ain.
Hafit {Tuwwam} abounds inpalm trees; it lies in the direction of Hajar {Al-Hasa}, and the mosque is in themarkets ...Dibba andJulfar, both in the direction of the Hajar, are close to the sea ... Tuwwam has been dominated by a branch of theQuraysh ...
The region of Al Ain and Buraimi, together known as the BuraimiOasis,[7] is of cultural and historical importance.[32] For example, the area witnessed events relevant to thehistory of Islam during theRashidun,Umayyad andAbbasid eras, similar toDibba andRas Al-Khaimah.[33] It was at this placeSheikhZayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the United Arab Emirates,had spent considerable time of his life (approximately from 1927 till he became the Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in 1966). Though it is often said that he was born in Abu Dhabi,[34][35][36] some others were of the opinion that he was born in Al-Ain.[5][37] Al-Ain could also be the place for theoldest mosque in the country, which is in the premises of theSheikh Khalifa Mosque.[38][39]
Part of the historically importantWestern Hajar region,[40][41] the area of Al Ain has been inhabited for nearly 8,000 years, with archaeological sites showing human settlement at places likeRumailah, Hili and Jabel Ḥafeet. The earlyHafit culture built"beehive" tombs for their dead and engaged in hunting and gathering in the area. The oases provided water for early farms until the modern age.[18][42] In the 1950s, Sheikh Zayed discovered the tombs, and brought this to the attention of aDanish team, leading to an excavation at the tombs in 1959. In 1971,Al Ain Museum was built to house items from this area. In the 2000s, theAbu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage lobbied for its recognition as aWorld Heritage Site byUNESCO, and in 2011, Al Ain became the first World Heritage Site in the UAE to be recognized by UNESCO.[43]
Bronze Age burial sites often re-used materials from earlier burials. For instance, theWadi Suq communal tomb atQattara Oasis is thought to have been constructed from stones recovered from previousUmm Al Nar burials.[44]
An Iron Age dagger, dated to 1,000 BCE, from Qattara oasis, Al Ain. Displayed at theLouvre Abu Dhabi, on loan fromAl Ain Museum
Finds atQattara includeWadi Suq erachlorite jugs and bowls and late Bronze Age short swords and daggers. Artefacts recovered also includecarnelian jewellery, often associated by UAE historians with trading links to theIndus Valley. A find of particular interest from Qattara is a Bronze Age pendant discovered in the 1970s depicting a double-bodied or entwined pair of horned animals.[45] Made fromelectrum, an alloy of silver and gold, the motif is found repeated in a number of Bronze Age sites in the UAE. Iron Age finds in and around Al Ain includeaflaj (underground water channels) in Bidaa bint Saud, Al Ain and Buraimi which have been placed several centuries prior to the qanats of theAchaemenid Empire, which had previously been credited with the innovation.[46]
Al Ain was originally within the area of influence of theDhawahir, a Bedouin tribe who settledDhahirah beforeBuraimi. A later wave of settlers, theNa'im, have long had an uneasy relationship with the Dhawahir and the two tribes were frequently in dispute.[47] Numbering 4,500, the Dhawahir consists of three subsections: theDaramikah, who populatedHili, Mutared andQattara; the Jawabir in Al Ain and the Bani Saad who lived in Jimi. Staying in the villages for the summer date season, in winter the community would move throughout theTrucial States.
A number of interests jostled for influence over the tribes of Buraimi, including theSultan of Muscat, theWahhabis (who had made a number of incursions) and the Sheikhs of the Trucial States, particularly theBani Yas of Abu Dhabi, who acquired large tracts of land, principally from the Dhawahir. Thissuzerainty over Al Ain was cemented by SheikhZayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, known as 'Zayed the Great', a strong and charismatic leader who took the Dhawahir's main settlement 'Ain Dhawahir (the original name of Al Ain) when the tribe rebelled against him in 1877. He built afort, one of a number of fortifications established by the various interests vying for control over the oasis, to underline his dominion over the oasis and established awali, appointing a member of the Dhawahir as his headman.[48]
Wilfred Thesiger visited Al Ain in the late 1940s, during his travels across theEmpty Quarter. He met Sheikh Zayed and stayed with him atAl Muwaiji Fort. An ongoingdispute betweenSaudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Oman led to theBuraimi Dispute, a series of incidents which saw a Saudi armed force enter the oasis. Forces from theTrucial Oman Scouts, as well as the army of Muscat-Oman, arrived to recapture the oasis. With British intervention, the Saudi forces surrendered, leaving the oasis back in the hands of Abu Dhabi and Oman.[7][34]
In 1971,Queen Elizabeth II visited the Hilton Hotel in the area, during her tour of the Persian Gulf. Following independence in 1971, Al Ain experienced rapid growth and investment as part of the emirate of Abu Dhabi,[49] quickly becoming larger and more successful than Oman's Al-Buraimi. In 1972, Oman and Abu Dhabi agreed on the final borders to divide Buraimi and Al Ain. Until Sheikh Zayed's death in 2004, Al Ain's municipal code forbade construction of buildings over four stories, with the exceptions of the Hilton (now Radisson Blu), Danat Al Ain Resort, and Rotana hotels. Until 2006, Buraimi and Al Ain shared an open border. This border was closed in November 2006, and passport controls were imposed.[citation needed]
The city'swāḥāt (Arabic:وَاحَات,lit. 'oases') are known for their underground irrigation system (falaj[52] orqanāt) that brings water from boreholes to water farms and palm trees. Falajirrigation is an ancient system dating back thousands of years, and is used widely in Oman, the UAE,China,Iran and other countries.[53][54] There are seven oases here. The largest isAl Ain Oasis,[55][56][57] near Old Sarooj, and the smallest is Al-Jahili Oasis. The rest areAl Qattara, Al-Muʿtaredh, Al-Jimi, Al-Muwaiji, and Hili.[4]
Examples ofaflaj includeFalaj Hazza, which is named after Sheikh Zayed's elder brother,Hazza bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and has a district named after it.[7]
The city is known for its combination of modern and pre-modern buildings. The latter offer an insight into the city's and country's cultural heritage.[52] The city used to have roundabouts in every intersection but recently these have been replaced by traffic signals.
Many of Al-Ain's private schools, catering mainly to the expatriate population, are located in the Al-Manaseer area. They include Al-Ain International school (British curriculum, private school, part of the Aldar group),Al Ain English Speaking School,Al Dhafra Private School, Manor Hall School, Al-Sanawbar School, Liwa International School, Al-Madar International School, Global English School, Emirates Private School, a branch of theInternational School of Choueifat, and an Institute of Applied Technology campus. Other private schools include theCBSE affiliated schoolIndian School, Al-Ain,Our Own English High School, Al Adhwa Private School, Brighton College Al Ain andAl Ain Juniors School. A new British International School,Belvedere International School is located in the Al Hili district. In 1977, theZayed Central Library was established.[60] Al-Khwarizmi International College has started a Campus at Al-Ain and is offering BBA programme and various other licensed, accredited and approved courses.[citation needed]
Kanad Hospital in Al Ain is the oldest hospital in the emirate of Abu Dhabi
The first hospital in Al-Ain wasKanad Hospital (formerly known as Oasis Hospital), established in 1960 by the American missionary couple Drs. Pat and Marian Kennedy at the invitation of Sheikh Zayed. It is the oldest hospital in Al Ain and the second oldest in the United Arab Emirates.
Tawam Hospital is one of the largest hospitals in the UAE with 503 beds, featuring 24 VIP suites, 78 isolation rooms, 48 ER beds, 9 operating theaters and 81 specialty clinics. Its oncology centre is the main national cancer treatment centre as well as a regional referral centre.
Al Ain Hospital (abbr: AAH, also known as Al-Jimi Hospital) is the general hospital delivering health services to all Al-Ain patients regardless of their nationality. It is centrally located in the Al-Jimi district and is linked with the UAE University. Al-Ain Hospital still occupies old 1970s buildings, but a new building is planned. AAH currently has about 450 beds and provides services in all medical disciplines. In September 2007, theMedical University of Vienna International[62] (MUVI) took over the management of AAH.
Al-Ain is connected via theDubai–Al-Ain Road toAl Faqa' andDubai in the north, which also connects toAl Madam in theEmirate of Sharjah viaAl-Shwaib.[67] It is also connected to Abu Dhabi in the west, Al-Qu'a in the southeast, and Mezyad in the southwest. Bus[3] and taxi[30][68] services are available between these areas.[69] The southern border area of Mezyad lies on theroad to Dhank,Ibri andNizwa in Oman.[23] The city's airport (Al Ain International Airport) has scheduled passenger flights to Egypt, Pakistan and India.[30] A new railway line linking Al-Ain to Abu Dhabi and to the Port ofSohar in Oman is being planned.[70]
Al-Ain is developing as a tourist destination. The dry desert air makes it a welcome retreat from the coastal humidity of the larger cities. Many Emirati nationals inAbu Dhabi have holiday houses in the city making it a popular weekend destination for families from the capital city. Its attractions include theAl Ain National Museum,[71][72] theAl Ain Palace Museum, several restored forts and theHili Archaeological Park site, dating back to theBronze Age. Jebel Hafeet dominates the surrounding area. It is popular to visit to the mineral springs atGreen Mubazzarah at the base of the mountain,[73] and to drive to the mountaintop at sunset. Other attractions includeAl Ain Zoo, anamusement park named "Hili Fun City", many well-maintained parks popular with families in the summer evenings, and a heritage village. Opened in 2012, Al Ain Adventure park is located near Jebel Hafeet and provides a range of water-based activities including surfing, kayaking and rafting. On top of Jabel Hafeet is theMercure Hotel.[citation needed] Mount Hafeet and the nearby 'beehive' tombs are part of what is known as "Jebel Hafeet Desert Park"[18][74] or "Mezyad Desert Park",[51] which is meant to preserve the nature and geology of the area, besides attracting tourists.[75]
Al-Ain has five major malls –Al Ain Mall in the town centre, Al-Jimi Mall in Al-Jimi District, Bawadi Mall in Al-Khrair District, Remal Mall located in the Sanaiya district, and Hili Mall located in the Hili District. Most commercial activity is centred in and around town centre.
Another popular pastime for Emiratis and expatriates alike is spending time in coffee shops andshisha cafes. Like the rest of the UAE, Al-Ain has strict laws governing the consumption and distribution of alcohol. Five facilities in the city currently serve alcohol, four of which are hotels. There are many café's in Al-Ain, ranging in size and quality. The city also has an International standardgo-kart circuit.
The city has two English-language radio stations – 100.1 Star FM, which plays English-speaking hits alternating with Arabic-speaking hits, and 105.2 Abu Dhabi Classic FM, which playsclassical music, and Arabic Radio Station, which is Abu Dhabi FM 94.9.
In 2024 the city broke threeGuinness World Record. Once in January as an 8 minute firework and drone display took place, breaking the record for 'Longest straight-line drones display’. The second took place on the country's 53rd National Day celebrations, as the firework show reached a distance of 11.1km.[76]
Al-Ain is a cultural retreat for residents of the cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is home to a major festival ofclassical music,[citation needed] and is the home ofAl Ain Football Club, which is one of the most successful football clubs in the UAE andAsia.[77] It has many titles and championships to its name.[78] Al-Ain Club contains also eight other games which are: handball, volleyball, basketball, swimming, Table Tennis, Athletics, Jiu jitsu, and Taekwondo. The Al Ain Amblers are a well known rugby club with a long history fielding men's, women's and junior rugby teams in the UAE and Gulf competitions, based at the Al Ain Club.
Hili Fun City hosts two ice hockey teams, the Al Ain Vipers[79] and Ghantoot. Each team has adult and youth teams starting from age 4. The Al-Ain Vipers Men's Team won the Emirates Hockey League in the 2009–10 season.
The Palm Resort to the west of the town hosts a popular rugby club with adult and youth teams, and the Al-Ain International Soccer Club which has three youth teams, including one for 7-9-year-old's. There is a water sports centre called "Al Ain Adventure", with a wave pool and surf instructors. Additionally, the park has facilities for kayaking and rafting on an artificial river.[citation needed]
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![Jebel Hafeet, as viewed from Mezyad Fort near the southern border with Al Buraimi Governorate in Oman[18][23]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aMezyad_Fort.jpg)
![Qasr Al Muwaiji, the birthplace of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the former Ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the UAE, and former home of his father, Sheikh Zayed[50][51]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aAl_Muwaiji_Fort_-_01.jpg)
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![Dromedaries at the city's Camel Market. The camel is important to the cultures of Arabia, the Middle East, and elsewhere.[80]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aCamels_in_Al_Ain.jpg)
