Abu Dhabi and France have entered into an unprecedented 30-year cultural accord which will see the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum created within the Cultural District of Saadiyat Island - lying just 500 metres from Abu Dhabi city.

The 24,000 square metre Louvre Abu Dhabi, which will have 6,000 square metres of galleries devoted to permanent displays and 2,000 square metres for temporary exhibitions, is expected to open in 2012. The galleries will open to the public in successive phases.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi will exhibit major artifacts and works in archaeology, the fine arts and decorative arts from all historic periods, but pre-dominantly classical.

Fact Sheet

•Location: Middle East, United Arab Emirates
•Lat.24.18 Long.55.75
•Time: GMT +4
•Language: Arabic is the official language spoken in Abu Dhabi and the UAE. English is also widely understood and spoken throughout the region.
•Climate: Desert; cooler in eastern mountains. From May to September the temperature ranges between 30 and 40 degrees Centigrade (70 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit). Evenings are cooler with occasional rainfall during winter.
•Weather: Abu Dhabi Weathjhjhjhhher Forecast
•Currency: (1 US Dollar = 3.68 UAE Dirhams) currency converter