Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan
Encyclopedia
Sheikh
Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan (also known as The Rainbow Sheikh) is a member of the Abu Dhabi
Ruling Family in the United Arab Emirates
(UAE).
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan (also known as The Rainbow Sheikh) is a member of the Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
Ruling Family in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
(UAE).
- He has one of the largest car collections in the world at over 200 cars and trucks which are stored http://www.enam.ae in a pyramid that he purpose built, outside Abu Dhabi](open to the public free of charge).
- He constructed the world's largest truck; a replica of a classic Dodge Power WagonDodge Power WagonThe Dodge Power Wagon was a four wheel drive pickup truck produced from 1945 through 1980. This early version was based on a military truck and is a predecessor to the many four wheel drive pickups in use today.-History:...
, but eight times the original Power Wagon size This has four bedrooms inside the cabin. The vehicle also moves, and it weighs over 50 tonnes. - In 1983 he acquired seven Mercedes 500 SEL, one for each day of the week, which the firm Styling Garage in Germany painted in the colours of the rainbow complete with matching interior. The vehicles also included gun racks on the inside of the boot lid which held several M16 rifles. The guns were painted to match the cars. The cars are now on public view at the Emirates National Auto MuseumEmirates National Auto MuseumThe Emirates National Auto Museum is located about one hour drive south of Abu Dhabi, on the E65 road to Liwa Oasis . It houses the private collection of Shaikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan with ca. 200 exhibition items....
outside Abu Dhabi. - Sheikh Hamad owns Futaisi Island, inherited from his late father Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, the past Prime Minister of Abu Dhabi Emirate, and cousin to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (1918-2004) the founder of the UAE. The island covers an area of 50 square kilometres (larger than Abu Dhabi central city). He recently had "HAMAD" carved into the island. The letters are dug so deep they form waterways, and the inscription can be read from space.