Al-Ain in Arabic means "spring" The name of the city, which is considered an oasis with natural landscapes and farms, is derived from a natural water spring named "Ain Al-Faydah" which has been converted into a tourist resort with artistically constructed recreation grounds. Ain Al-Faydah attracts many UAE citizens, Gulf states nationals and expatriates.
     The oasis city of Al Ain, part of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, deserves special mention because of its uniqueness. It is 160 kilometers inland from the capital.  Al-Ain has special significance for Emirates. It is the heartland of the country. His Highness President Sheikh Zayed was born there and learnt the arts of government there; he retains a special interest in its development, and for a while it had the distinction of being the fastest growing city in the Middle East. Many members of the ruling family live there, or nearby. Battles have been fought over it, and it still inspires passionate loyalty. It was the obvious home for the University of the UAE.
     The Agricultural Department of the University has been very active in pursuing research into desert farming. It has assisted the government in its policy of "greening" Al Ain, and the result today is quite remarkable. The many six lane roads of the city (and most of the road to the capital) are lined with grass, bushes and trees. There are several parks, and farms which are experimenting and developing desert hardy produce. Al Ain is an showcase of what can be done in the hottest deserts.

    As the major oasis in the area, it has always attracted human settlements. By around 3,000 BC people has settled here and the remains of their graves can be seen in Jebel Hafit, which overlooks the modern city. Jebel Hafit has been the site of some exciting recent discoveries. It is an amazing phenomenon to look at from the outside, but it now seems that the inside of the mountain is catacomb with passageways, somewhat reminiscent of the pyramids. Tourists with some pot holding experience can hire an expert guide and explore these mysterious caverns.

     At nearby Hili, a virtually intact Iron Age village has been discovered under the orche sand dunes. Today Hili is the site of a family recreation park called Fun City, complete with zoo and public gardens. Al Ain lies on a south-west trade route and excavations suggest that it has been occupied continuously from that time until now. Artifacts from Mesopotamia and Oman are evidence of the extent of its trade links. The area has also been the site of many wars and rumors of war; hence the many forts, of which Hahili fort if the most complete and impressive. Tourists normally need a visa and a road pass to enter the neighboring country of Oman. However, beyond Hili they can enter the Omani town of Al Buraimi, which adjoins Al Ain, without these documents and so make a longer excursion for the weekend.
      Al-Ain  is the second biggest city in the emirate of Abu-Dhabi, after the capital itself.  The City is linked to the Capital City and Dubai by fast, six lane dual carriage ways, and it generally takes about one and half hours to either city. Also, Al-Ain linked to the rest of the world by Al-Ain International Airport. Since its inauguration as the UAE's sixth airport made a significant impact on citizens of the Al-Ain region and played a valuable role in enhancing tourism and commercial developments in this region of the UAE.

          Al-Ain's population has grown from a few thousand in pre-oil boom days to around 288,000 in 1993. As elsewhere in the UAE, the expatriate residents make up a majority of the population, particularly from the Indian sub-continent (there are fewer Europeans and North Americans than in Dubai or Abu-Dhabi, and the city has a more traditional, though easy-going, feel to it, many would say). Al-Ain is regarded with affection as the home town of many Abu-Dhabians, who make the trip down at weekend to stay with relatives and friends.

         In addition, Al-Ain received ten thousand overseas tourists in 1993, and many thousands more from other Gulf countries and UAE cities. Added to that are the thousands of University and Higher Colleges of Technology students, many staying in halls of residence. Al-Ain never feels overcrowded.

        The climate in Al-Ain is generally hotter and drier than Abu-Dhabi and Dubai in summer, with July/ August temperatures averaging 45-50 degrees centigrade; morning and evenings are quite comfortable, however, even in summer, in contrast to the often sticky humidity of the coastal cities. In winter, Al-Ain comes into its own, with very pleasant weather from late October until around end of May.

        Although the city has benefited from oil wealth bestowed by a leader who originated from Al-Ain, Al-Ain's day-to-day economy is mainly agricultural and could be compared to a bustling market town elsewhere in the world. It also has a large and growing service economy, with a new shopping centers and hotels planned for the near future. In addition, there are a number of industrial operations, such as Al-Ain Portland Cement Work, and the Coca-Cola bottling factory.

         Al-Ain is distinguished by its attractive natural landscape and its beautifully designed parks. There are several rest areas in Al-Ain and its surroundings. About 50 km from the city, along the Abu-Dhabi highway, there is the Ramah Rest Area. Also, Al-Ain has many great public parks. There are ten public gardens in the city, four of which are for women and children only. Entrance is usually either free or at a modest price. Picnic areas and children's play areas, as well as pleasant walkways make these parks a popular choice for families in the evenings or at weekends.

        The most famous is the Hili Fun City opened in 1985, this offers a wide variety of rides, play areas and stalls selling a variety of goods. Hili Fun City is a large park built according to international standards and includes a modern ice skating rink.

         Al-Ain Zoo and Aquarium make Al-Ain great place to have fun. The zoo is open five days a week as well as on public holidays and offers a variety of birds, reptiles and fish to see, as well as a selection of animals from all over the world. The giant turtle habitat is a particularly popular section, as is the local birds of prey enclosure.

         Al-Ain has a unique museum which displays historical artifacts that reflect the deep-rooted civilization of the area. Two sections (Ethnographical and Archeological) display items which give a glimpse into the past lives and livelihoods of the local people. The museum and the restored fort can be visited six days a week.
Al Ain
 
       The city has two five-star hotels, the Al-Ain InterContinental and Al-Ain Hilton. Those two hotels offer a variety of recreational facilities including swimming pools, gymnasiums, tennis and squash courts, golf courses, and horseback riding.

    Al-Ain has numerous clubs and societies which meet regularly. These include:

• The Natural History Group
• The Al-Ain Amateur Dramatic Society
• The Choral Society of Al-Ain
• The Ladies' International Circle
• The Rugby Club
• The Hash House Harriers Group

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