Al 'Ayn, city in the eastern part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in the eastern part of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, the largest of the UAE's seven states. Al 'Ayn occupies an oasis at the edge of the Al Hajar al Gharbi mountain range, 160 km (100 mi) from the southern coast of the Persian Gulf. Al 'Ayn is a center of UAE agricultural production, especially dates. Dairy and chicken farms are also found in the area. The city is linked by a modern highway system with the rest of the UAE and the other gulf Arab states, and it has a recently constructed international airport.
Al 'Ayn is home to the United Arab Emirates University (founded in 1976). The picturesque fortress from which this part of Abu Dhabi was once ruled is now a museum with artifacts tracing the area's history from more than 5000 years ago. The city also has one of the world's largest zoos, a favorite project of the Abu Dhabi ruler and UAE president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nuhayyan.
