# Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

_President of the United Arab Emirates from 2004 to 2022_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/khalifa-bin-zayed-al-nahyan
Last updated: 2026-11-01

> Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (Arabic:  خليفة بن زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان‎; 7 September 1948 – 13 May 2022) was the second president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Abu Dhabi from 2004 until his death in 2022.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 7 September 1948 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059948#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Al Ain ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059948#P19))
- **Died:** 13 May 2022 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059948#P570))
- **Place of death:** Abu Dhabi ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059948#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Trucial States; United Arab Emirates ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059948#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059948#P106))
- **Education:** Royal Military Academy Sandhurst ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059948#P69))
- **Spouse:** Shamsa bint Suhail Al Mazrouei ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059948#P26))
- **Positions held:** President of the United Arab Emirates (3 November 2004 – 13 May 2022); Ruler of Abu Dhabi (2 November 2004 – 13 May 2022); Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (23 December 1973 – 20 December 1977) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059948#P39))
- **Awards:** Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath; Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic; Order of the Golden Eagle; Order of Saparmurat Türkmenbaşy the Great; Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum; Collar of the Spanish Order of the Civil Merit; Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class; Order of the Star of Palestine; Order of Zayed; Dostyk Order of grade I; Order of the Netherlands Lion; Order of Merit; Order of Saint Michael and Saint George; Order of the Southern Cross; Grand Order of Mugunghwa ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059948#P166))

## About

Khalifa was the eldest son of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first president of the United Arab Emirates. As crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Khalifa carried out some aspects of the presidency in a de facto capacity from the late 1990s when his father experienced health problems. He succeeded his father as the ruler of Abu Dhabi on 2 November 2004, and the Federal Supreme Council elected him as president of the UAE the following day. As ruler of Abu Dhabi, he attracted cultural and academic centres to Abu Dhabi, helping establish the Louvre Abu Dhabi, New York University Abu Dhabi and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. He also established Etihad Airways.

During Khalifa's presidency, the United Arab Emirates became a regional economic powerhouse and its non-oil economy grew. Khalifa was viewed as a pro-Western modernizer whose low-key approach helped steer the country through a tense era in regional politics and forged closer ties with the United States and Israel. As president during the 2008 financial crisis, he directed the payment of billions of dollars in emergency bailout funds into Dubai. On 4 January 2010, the world's tallest man-made structure, originally known as Burj Dubai, was renamed the Burj Khalifa in his honor.

In January 2014, Khalifa had a stroke and was in stable condition after surgery. He then assumed a lower profile in state affairs but retained ceremonial presidential powers. His half-brother Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan carried out public affairs of the state and day-to-day decision-making of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. In 2018, Forbes named Khalifa in its list of the world's most powerful people. Following his death on…

## Questions

**When was Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan born?**  
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan was born on 7 September 1948 in Al Ain.

**What positions has Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan held?**  
Positions held by Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan include: President of the United Arab Emirates (2004–2022); Ruler of Abu Dhabi (2004–2022); Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (1973–1977).

**Where did Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan study?**  
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan was educated at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

## Related

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- [Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan](https://diginpl.com/people/mohamed-bin-zayed-al-nahyan)
- [Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan](https://diginpl.com/people/zayed-bin-sultan-al-nahyan)
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- [Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum](https://diginpl.com/people/hamdan-bin-rashid-al-maktoum)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khalifa_bin_Zayed_Al_Nahyan) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikipedia (Nepali): खलिफा बिन जायद अल नाहयान](https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AB%E0%A4%BE_%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A8_%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A6_%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B2_%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q1059948](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1059948) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan-CROPPED.jpg by Helene C. Stikkel (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Khalifa_Bin_Zayed_Al_Nahyan-CROPPED.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan-CROPPED.jpg — Helene C. Stikkel, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan". DigiNepal. Last updated 1 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/khalifa-bin-zayed-al-nahyan. Retrieved 7 November 2026.