Al Gharbia
From The Report: Abu Dhabi 2013
View in Online Reader

As government plans come to fruition, Al Gharbia – the western region of Abu Dhabi – will be a model of responsible and sustainable development for desert and arid coastal environments. Indeed, under Plan Al Gharbia 2030, the region’s economy is forecast to double in size, and the population set is to increase from 185,000 in 2010 to 450,000 by the end of the plan. Already a hive of activity in the energy and industrial sectors, other areas of the economy – notably tourism, logistics and agriculture – are proactively being positioned for healthy growth. More specifically, the region is home to extensive hydrocarbons reserves, 7% of global oil reserves and 3% of natural gas deposits. At the same time, energy developments in the region are focusing on solar and nuclear power plant plans, major areas in which Al Gharbia will change the energy landscape of Abu Dhabi. This chapter includes an interview with Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Sustainable change: Plans to diversify the local economy and provide more services
OBG
plus

As government plans come to fruition, Al Gharbia – the western region of Abu Dhabi – will be a model of responsible and sustainable development for desert and arid coastal environments. The goal for the region is to accommodate appropriate growth, while offering its residents a high quality of life within the environment’s carrying capacity. Guided by a master development framework known as Plan Al Gharbia 2030, the region’s economy is forecast to double in size, and the population…

Analysis

Desert stars: Local authorities plan expansion of the region’s tourism sector
OBG
plus

The development of Al Gharbia contributes to the region’s hope to build its tourism sector over the next decade. The sector accounted for Dh200m ($54m), or 1.3%, of the region’s GDP in 2010, according to the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi. As the targets of Plan Al Gharbia 2030 continue to be met, this figure is expected to hit Dh1.2bn ($327m), or 5.2%, by 2020. Although it is ambitious, the goal appears to be matched by the scale of touristic developments that are springing up throughout…