Zayed

Zayed, full name Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan (1918-2004), ruler of the emirate of Abu Dhabi from 1966 to 2004 and president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 1971 to 2004. Under Zayed’s rule the UAE became one of the world’s richest countries.

Zayed was born into the al-Nahyan family, which has ruled Abu Dhabi for two centuries. He was educated in Abu Dhabi in both traditional Islamic and secular Arabic subjects. In 1946 Zayed was appointed governor of the economically and politically important Al ‘Ayn province. As governor, he brought together Al ‘Ayn's tribal factions, reestablishing their unity and loyalty to the state.

In 1966 Zayed became the ruler of Abu Dhabi after his brother, Sheikh Shakbut bin Sultan al-Nahyan, was deposed by the royal council. A master statesman renowned for his ability to negotiate within the complicated lines of families and tribes, Zayed unified the emirate much as he had unified Al ‘Ayn. During his rule Zayed used Abu Dhabi's rich oil resources to fuel economic development. He also divided water more equitably between rich and poor farmers.

In 1971 Abu Dhabi joined with five (later six) other Persian Gulf states to form the UAE. Zayed, who played a major part in creating the confederation, was named the UAE’s first president by the rulers of the other states. He continued to rule Abu Dhabi as well. Under Zayed’s leadership the UAE became a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which holds significant power in the world’s oil markets.

Zayed was a pivotal figure in maintaining the unity of the UAE federation and worked to establish peaceful relations with nearby countries such as Saudi Arabia and Oman. The sheikh also helped broker peace between Oman and the former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) during their border conflicts in the 1980s and between Iran and Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988).