BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi has once again been named the Middle East's most liveable city, and for its residents, that distinction comes through in everyday life.
The latest Global Liveability Index of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) placed the UAE capital in 76th spot globally with a score of 81, extending its run as the highest-ranked city in the Middle East and North Africa. Dubai followed at 79th, with a score of 80.
The annual index measures healthcare, education, stability, infrastructure, and culture and environment across 173 cities worldwide. Abu Dhabi and Dubai placed well ahead of their regional peers, with Kuwait City next at 105th and Doha at 108th.
But behind the data, residents say it's the ordinary moments that define what makes the emirate liveable.
Asma Alam, 28, feels it especially at night, whenever she walks around the city knowing she's safe.
"As a woman, that peace of mind changes your everyday life because you know you are living in a safe place," she told Aletihad.
The simple routines that have shaped her days over the years carry that same sense of ease - from driving along the Corniche and watching the sunset by the water, to grabbing coffee after work or stopping by the neighbourhood baqala.
"Those moments make the city feel familiar," said the expat who works as an accountant. "The infrastructure makes everyday life easier, from transportation and roads to public spaces, and that gives people the confidence to build their lives here."
For Hebah Nasar, a 24-year-old Indian resident who was born and raised in Abu Dhabi, the city's greatest strength is the sense of belonging it creates.
"Abu Dhabi has a way of making you feel like you belong here, no matter where you are from," Nasar said. "On top of that, the feeling of safety has allowed me to truly enjoy life, be independent and simply be myself."
The quality of education the emirate provides, she added, has had the biggest personal impact on her life.
"Abu Dhabi has given me access to incredible opportunities, but what means the most is that it is a place that truly recognises and rewards hard work," she said, noting that receiving the UAE Golden Visa based on her academic achievements remains one of her proudest moments.
Sarah Fraihat, a Jordanian who was also born and raised in Abu Dhabi, said the city and its streets simply feel like home.
"Its neighbourhoods have such a distinct layout that it's just stuck in my head as I was growing up," Fraihat, a business and data analyst, told Aletihad.
The emirate is also "one of the greatest placed to connect to people", with all the cafes, concept stores, shared workplaces, and public spaces the city has to offer.
"Humans by nature yearn for connection, and that's what makes a place liveable," she said.