Making the decision to live in Abu Dhabi can be as daunting as it is exciting. There are idiosyncrasies to living in the United Arab Emirates that make getting things done frustrating, but get your head around these tasks quickly and you'll reap the rewards of your efforts. Fortunately, as a city, Abu Dhabi is well-versed in hosting expats so there's plenty of help to be had.

It's not Dubai
When you tell people you're moving to Abu Dhabi, you'll probably find them wishing you luck in Dubai. Correcting them is likely to be the first thing you need to do, if for no other reason than they come to visit you in the correct city. Dubai's prominence on the world stage – thanks to audacious buildings and well-documented excesses – makes the confusion understandable; for many who don't know better, Dubai is the only place of note in the UAE.

However, as the capital city, Abu Dhabi is critical to the UAE and the reasons for settling here are growing all the time. In fact, many who live here prefer the relaxed pace, local culture, greenery and choice of restaurants, bars and activities. Unique events like the Formula 1 every November make it that extra bit special too.

City profile
Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the UAE, despite Dubai generally being the more recognised name globally. As with all other emirates in the country, the largest city also gives its name to the emirate, so Abu Dhabi is a city as well as the country’s largest emirate, which incorporates Al Ain and Al Gharbia. The emirate shares borders with the emirate of Dubai to the north-east and the countries of Oman and Saudi Arabia to the south-east and west respectively.

The name Abu Dhabi literally means ‘father of the gazelle’. Pearl trading was a huge part of the city's fortunes, but the subsequent discovery of oil is what really put Abu Dhabi on the map. In a relatively short period of time, it has transformed from a quiet coastal village into one of the most recognised cities in the region, with some considerable prominence on on the global stage thanks to its financial firepower.