Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
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Sheikh Zayed in 1974 | |||||
| 1st President of the United Arab Emirates | |||||
| In office 2 December 1971 – 2 November 2004 | |||||
| Prime Minister |
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| Vice President |
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| Preceded by | Position established | ||||
| Succeeded by | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan | ||||
| Ruler of Abu Dhabi | |||||
| Reign | 6 August 1966 – 2 November 2004 | ||||
| Predecessor | Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan | ||||
| Successor | Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan | ||||
| Born | 6 May 1918 Qasr Al-Hosn, Abu Dhabi, Trucial States | ||||
| Died | 2 November 2004 (aged 86) Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | ||||
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| House | Al Nahyan | ||||
| Father | Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan | ||||
| Mother | Salama bint Butti Al Qubaisi | ||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam | ||||
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (Arabic: زايد بن سلطان آل نهيان, romanized: Zāyid bin Sulṭān Āl Nahyān; 6 May 1918 – 2 November 2004) was an Emirati royal, politician, philanthropist and the founder of the United Arab Emirates. Zayed served as the governor of Eastern Region from 1946 until he became the ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, and served as the first president of the United Arab Emirates from its independence on 2 December 1971. He retained his position as Abu Dhabi's ruler from 1971 until his death in 2004. He is revered in the United Arab Emirates as the Waalid al-Ummah ("Father of the Nation"), credited for being the principal driving force behind the unification of the United Arab Emirates.
Zayed replaced his older brother Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan as the ruler of Abu Dhabi on 6 August 1966 after Shakhbut was deposed through a bloodless coup by members of the ruling family with British support.