Disney has announced it will build its first theme park in the Middle East, with Abu Dhabi's Yas Island the location. It will be the seventh Disney development globally.

The development will see the theme park giant partnering with entertainment company Miral, the organisation behind the development of Yas Island as a tourist destination.

Miral currently operates Warner Bros park, where it's adding a Harry Potter attraction and also SeaWorld Abu Dhabi.

Disney CEO, Bob Iger, said: “This is a thrilling moment for our company as we announce plans to build an exciting Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, whose culture is rich with an appreciation of the arts and creativity.

“As our seventh theme park destination, it will rise from this land in spectacular fashion, blending contemporary architecture with cutting edge technology to offer guests deeply immersive entertainment experiences in unique and modern ways."

Iger said the park will be "authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati".

Miral CEO, Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, called the plans a milestone in the journey to advance the island's position as a global destination for "exceptional entertainment and leisure", saying the development will support sustained economic growth in Abu Dhabi and beyond.

The UAE is attractive as a destination, because of its short haul potential, being location within a four-hour flight of a third of the world's population, while Yas Island is 20 minutes from the heart of Abu Dhabi and 50 minutes from Dubai.

Around 120 million passengers travel through Abu Dhabi and Dubai every year, making the UAE a major global hub.

Disney currently has six theme parks or theme park hubs across North America, Europe and Asia, with international development spread across the decades from Tokyo in 1983, Paris in 1992, Hong Kong in 2005 and Shanghai in 2016.

The original Disneyland, opened in California in 1955 and Walt Disney World in 1971, with its various parks and attractions – Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom. It also has waterparks – Disney's Typhoon Lagoon and Disney's Blizzard Beach, as well as a shopping and entertainment area at Disney Springs.