Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan assumed the rulership of Abu Dhabi following the death of his father, Sheikh Zayed, on 2 November 2004. As head of the UAE's wealthiest emirate, he is widely expected to lead the seven-member federation as well.
Born in 1948 in Al-Ain, his father's hometown, Khalifa received an early Quranic education in a town that then had no schools. His mother was a cousin of Sheikh Zayed.
Khalifa entered public life in September 1966 as Zayed's representative in Abu Dhabi's eastern region. He was named crown prince in February 1969 and within days took command of Abu Dhabi's new defense force, later the nucleus of the UAE military. By July 1971 he held the emirate's prime ministerial, defense, and finance portfolios; after the federation was established on 2 December 1971, he became its deputy prime minister.
He chairs the Supreme Petroleum Council, overseeing Abu Dhabi's oil output of roughly 2.5 million barrels a day, about 90 percent of the UAE's total production. He previously chaired the Arab Monetary Fund, which helps Arab League members manage budget shortfalls and stabilize exchange rates.
Known for close ties with tribal communities, he founded a social services department to improve welfare for UAE nationals and is personally interested in horse and camel racing.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in November 2004, in its own words.