Abu Dhabi is a new economic superpower that will soon wield enormous influence across both developing and developed worlds. The principal emirate of the United Arab Emirates federation commands over 8 percent of global oil reserves has nearly $1 trillion in sovereign wealth funds to invest and is busily implementing a thoughtful economic master plan. It has also pumped huge amounts of money into culture sport and infrastructural development in an attempt to eclipse even its ubiquitous UAE partner-Dubai-as an international household name. Abu Dhabi will host the Formula One Championship decider in 2009 is opening the worlds first Ferrari theme park has a rapidly expanding airline and is setting up satellite branches of the Guggenheim and Louvre museums. Gulf expert Christopher Davidsons book charts the emirates remarkable trajectory from its origins as an eighteenth-century sheikdom to its present position on the cusp of preeminence. Abu Dhabis impressive socio-economic development he offers a frank portrayal of a dynastys dramatic survival demonstrating the newfound resilience of a traditional monarchy in the twenty-first century and its efforts to create a system of tribal capitalism that incorporates old political allegiances into modern engines of growth. Finally he turns his attention to a number of problems that may surface to impede economic development and undermine political stability. These include an enfeebled civil society and invasive media censorship a seemingly unsolvable labor nationalization paradox an under performing education sector and increasing federal unrest.