As we all know, the Middle East is a rich and mysterious region with rich oil resources and a unique culture. Here, there are some tycoons at the level of local tycoons, whose wealth and luxury amaze the world.
One of the most famous figures is the former President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, or Khalifa for short.
He is a Middle Eastern tyrant with a legendary story, and his wealth and influence are important not only in the Middle East, but also in the world, and all kinds of behaviors reflect the inhumanity of the trenches: 25 yuan of mineral water is only suitable for flushing toilets, and 140 luxury housing assets in Britain have been forgotten.
So, what is the story of Khalifa? Let's talk about it today.
Khalifa's life and achievements
Born in 1948, Khalifa is the second son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE, the "Father of the Nation", the ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the largest shareholder of the UAE.
Perhaps many people don't understand the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, there is a saying that all roads lead to Rome, and some people live in Rome. If Dubai is described as Rome, then Abu Dhabi is the royal family of Rome, which shows how high its status is.
Khalifa was one such lucky man, who was well educated and nurtured from an early age, fluent in Arabic, English and French, and had an in-depth knowledge of politics, economics and the military.
In 1969, he was appointed Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and began to participate in the management and decision-making of the country. Two years later, the UAE was formed, and Khalifa became the deputy prime minister, defense minister and finance minister of the federal government, responsible for the country's security and finances.
At that time, he was primarily the Chairman of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi, overseeing the development and construction of the region. After the death of President Zayed in 2004, Khalifa succeeded the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and President of the UAE as the supreme leader of the UAE.
He held the leadership position for 15 years, and was re-elected as president of the UAE in 2019 until his death due to illness on May 13, 2022, at the age of 74.
Today, despite Khalifa's death, the UAE has made tremendous progress and development under his leadership, becoming an important political, economic and cultural force in the Middle East and around the world.
When it comes to Dubai, the first thing that comes to mind is oil, and the freedom of wealth is achieved by selling oil, but this is not the case.
Khalifa knows that he cannot rely solely on oil to develop the economy, after all, no matter how much oil is sold, he will promote diversification and innovation in the UAE, break its dependence on oil, and develop tourism, finance, trade and science and technology to improve the country's competitiveness and influence.
Now the tallest building in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa, was built by him, and many foreign trade ports in the UAE were also built by Khalifa against public opinion, which is why there are so many countries in the Middle East that sell oil, and why only the UAE is rich.
Most of the UAE is desert, so many people think that building ports and iconic buildings is useless, and the value of these things is now as great as the resistance that Khalifa faced in the first place.
In addition, Khalifa also actively participates in international affairs, maintains the stability and security of the UAE in the Middle East, strengthens friendly cooperation with other countries and regions, especially the comprehensive strategic partnership with the mainland, and makes important contributions to the common development and interests of the two countries.
Khalifa's wealth and lavish life
As the supreme leader of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa not only wields great power, but also astonishing wealth.
His personal net worth is estimated to be close to $20 billion, making him one of the richest presidents in the world.
Khalifa's wealth derives mainly from his control over Abu Dhabi's oil resources, where he is Chairman of the Supreme Petroleum Council and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Investment Commission and the Abu Dhabi Arab Economic Development Foundation.
These institutions are the largest investors and asset managers in the UAE, with hundreds of billions of dollars in assets invested in various sectors around the world, including energy, finance, real estate, technology and media.
Tens of billions of dollars of wealth have allowed Khalifa to live a luxurious and low-key life, owning numerous mansions and estates within and outside the UAE, the most famous of which is the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, a huge complex of more than 200 buildings covering 150 hectares.
It is both the political and cultural center of the UAE and the main residence of Khalifa. Khalifa also owns 140 luxury homes in the UK, including one of London's most expensive properties, Wilton Crescent near Hyde Park.
It is a semi-circular building of 45 townhouses, worth around £1 billion, because of the number of mansions owned in the UK so much that he himself has forgotten how many.
At one point, one of his mansions in London was found vacant for 25 years, with furniture and décor in the style of the 80s, and Khalifa had no idea about it.
He was even sued in court by the UK because of the large number of mansions, on the grounds that he had not paid the property fee for many years, and he did not remember any of the original 140 properties, so that he forgot to pay the fee.
When many people are worried about a house, he has so many houses that he can't remember clearly, and he has to complain that it is really "inhumane".
The 25 yuan mineral water is only used to flush the toilet
Khalifa also lived a lavish life in terms of consumption and entertainment, and it is said that he once spent 25 yuan on a bottle of mineral water on a trip, but felt that the price was not worth it, so he directly used it to flush the toilet.
What is the concept of 25 yuan a bottle of mineral water? Just like the "Japanese Wagyu beef" in beef, the average person's daily salary is only enough to eat one bite, and the cost of eating a second bite is not enough, so such expensive mineral water is actually used to flush the toilet.
Khalifa also has a penchant for collecting expensive cars and yachts, and he owns a fleet of more than 200 luxury cars, including brands such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and a $30 million gold Mercedes, one of the most expensive cars in the world.
Khalifa also loves to keep animals, and he owns a private zoo with hundreds of rare animals, including tigers, lions, bears, deer, camels, and elephants, among others, and often interacts with these animals in his daily life, even bringing them to his mansion and yacht.
Everyone must have seen the movie "Kung Fu Yoga", many of the luxury cars used by Jackie Chan and the tigers in the luxury cars were borrowed from the Dubai royal family, and there is no need to compensate for the damage of the luxury cars.
Khalifa's yacht, called "Abu Dhabi", is one of the largest and most luxurious yachts in the world, with 12 floors, a capacity of 60 guests and 100 staff members, and an interior decorated with gold leaf, crystal and marble, valued at about $600 million.
Of course, Khalifa is also a generous donor, and through his own foundations and organizations, he has funded many educational, medical, cultural and environmental projects in the country to improve the lives of many people in the UAE.
Overall, Khalifa is a figure to be respected and admired, he is a wealthy tycoon and a very successful leader who has contributed immensely to the development of the UAE.
While other countries in the Middle East were in the midst of war, he led the UAE from a desert country to a wealthy and advanced modern country, and promoted the UAE's diversified development and innovation.
After Khalifa's death, the people of the UAE mourned and mourned him, but fortunately, the new leader will continue to carry on his legacy and continue to promote the progress and prosperity of the UAE. What do you think differently about Khalifa?