After growing by over 5 million people from 2000 to 2010, population growth in the United Arab Emirates has slowed down significantly. The population currently stands at 9.89 million people and is projected to continue growing until 2033, when it will hit its peak at 10.71 million people. The population is then expected to decline very slowly and plateau, ending the 21st century with about 9.03 million people.
The UAE grew 1.23% from 2019 to 2020, adding about 120,000 people to the population. Between 2000 and 2010, the population grew anywhere from 5.35% per year to 13.26% per year. The UAE’s fertility rate is relatively low at 1.42 births per woman.
The fertility rate in the UAE is dropping rapidly, causing concern for the government. The UAE government has adopted policies, such as helping young married people financially, to encourage childbearing among its citizens. The median age is 32.6 for 2020 but can expect to increase if the fertility rate does not increase.
Again, because the United Arab Emirates is essentially seven separate nations, causation for population growth or decline is difficult to pinpoint. There has been a general trend of population increase in the recent past, with several small spikes due to regional immigration.
It is hard to predict the future population gains and losses in the United Arab Emirates, but there isn't expected to be any dramatic shifts in the near future that would cause any major increases or decreases. The overall annual population growth has been decreasing since 2010, and that trend is expected to continue in the years to come, with the 2019 rate of 1.47% declining to 0.68% by 2050. These same set of projections state the population of the United Arab Emirates will be 9,813,170 in 2020, 11,054,579 in 2030, 12,207,333 in 2040 and 13,163,548 in 2050.
| United Arab Emirates Population (as of 9/10/2024) | 11,101,247 |
| Last UN Estimate (July 1, 2024) | 11,027,129 |
| Births per Day | 296 |
| Deaths per Day | 29 |
| Migrations per Day | 762 |
| Net Change per Day | 1,029 |
| Population Change Since Jan. 1 | 261,366 |
Net increase of 1 person every 1.4 minutes
Population estimates based on interpolation of data from World Population Prospects
| One birth every 4.87 minutes | |
| One death every 49.65 minutes | |
| One immigrant every 1.88 minutes | |
| Net gain of one person every 1.4 minutes |
City | 2024 Population |
|---|---|
| Dubai | 1,137,347 |
| Abu Dhabi | 603,492 |
| Sharjah | 543,733 |
| Al Ain | 408,733 |
| Ajman | 226,172 |
| Ras al-Khaimah | 115,949 |
| Al Fujayrah | 62,415 |
| Umm al Qaywayn | 44,411 |
| Khawr Fakkan | 33,575 |
| Dibba Al-Fujairah | 30,000 |
The United Arab Emirates occupies an area of 83,600 square kilometers altogether and is made up of seven monarchies: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Qaiwain. The land is nestled between Oman and Saudi Arabia in terms of land and has 1,318 kilometers of coastline on the Persian Gulf. The current population density is at 114 individuals per square kilometer. Additionally, the three largest emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah - are home to nearly 85% of the population.
The capital of the UAE is Abu Dhabi. Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai are considered two of the country's cultural and commercial centers. Dubai is the largest city with a population of 2.4 million. Interestingly, Dubai is often misperceived as a country or a city-state. Sometimes, all of the UAE is described simply as "Dubai", which shows just how influential and well-known the city has become.
Year | Population | Growth Rate | Density (/km²) | Population Rank | Density Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11,027,129 | 3.29% | 132 | 86 | 92 |
| 2023 | 10,642,081 | 2.63% | 127 | 89 | 94 |
| 2020 | 9,448,524 | 0.75% | 113 | 96 | 100 |
| 2019 | 9,377,847 | 0.33% | 112 | 97 | 99 |
| 2018 | 9,346,870 | 1.22% | 112 | 96 | 98 |
| 2017 | 9,234,327 | 2.25% | 110 | 95 | 97 |
| 2015 | 8,674,633 | 4.57% | 104 | 96 | 105 |
| 2010 | 6,938,363 | 8.26% | 83 | 103 | 118 |
| 2005 | 4,664,790 | 5.95% | 56 | 116 | 143 |
| 2000 | 3,493,575 | 7.49% | 42 | 128 | 153 |
| 1995 | 2,434,662 | 5.1% | 29 | 136 | 167 |
| 1990 | 1,898,220 | 6.62% | 23 | 143 | 173 |
| 1985 | 1,377,911 | 6.29% | 16 | 146 | 181 |
| 1980 | 1,015,700 | 13.35% | 12 | 147 | 187 |
| 1975 | 542,856 | 13.63% | 6 | 159 | 202 |
| 1970 | 286,536 | 11.39% | 3 | 169 | 213 |
| 1965 | 167,103 | 4.93% | 2 | 174 | 218 |
| 1960 | 131,334 | 5.34% | 2 | 176 | 220 |
| 1955 | 101,258 | 6.33% | 1 | 176 | 220 |
Year | Population | Growth Rate | Density (/km²) | Population Rank | Density Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11,027,129 | 3.29% | 132 | 86 | 92 |
| 2025 | 11,346,000 | 3.73% | 136 | 86 | 91 |
| 2030 | 12,190,605 | 1.45% | 146 | 84 | 89 |
| 2035 | 12,910,702 | 1.15% | 154 | 83 | 87 |
| 2040 | 13,693,776 | 1.19% | 164 | 84 | 85 |
| 2045 | 14,507,366 | 1.16% | 174 | 83 | 85 |
| 2050 | 15,367,392 | 1.16% | 184 | 84 | 80 |
| 2055 | 16,264,889 | 1.14% | 195 | 83 | 77 |
| 2060 | 17,214,830 | 1.14% | 206 | 81 | 75 |
| 2065 | 18,237,403 | 1.16% | 218 | 80 | 72 |
| 2070 | 19,334,289 | 1.18% | 231 | 77 | 70 |
| 2075 | 20,474,288 | 1.15% | 245 | 77 | 64 |
| 2080 | 21,617,417 | 1.09% | 259 | 75 | 62 |
| 2085 | 22,741,916 | 1.02% | 272 | 73 | 57 |
| 2090 | 23,852,867 | 0.96% | 285 | 70 | 55 |
| 2095 | 24,973,506 | 0.92% | 299 | 69 | 52 |
38.4
Total
40.4
Male
31.5
Female
There are people over age 18 in United Arab Emirates.
Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2020 |
| 2010 | 19 April 2010 |
| 2005 | 6 December 2005 |
| 1995 | 17 December 1995 |
| 1985 | 23 December 1985 |
The United Arab Emirates (also called Emirates or just UAE) is an Arab country in the southeast region of the Arabian Peninsula. The UAE is a federation of 7 emirates, each governed by a hereditary emir who together form the Federal Supreme Council.
The population of the UAE noted for 2016 is 9,157,000 according to UN estimates. Other estimates are as low as 5.7 million but do not take into consideration the high population of immigrants, which are estimated to make up 90% of the population. The estimate is now up to 9,400,145 as of mid-year 2017 from the UN, and the World Factbook still gives a lower estimate of just over 6 million - also from 2017.
The United Arab Emirates has a very diverse population, of which only 10% are UAE nationals and the remainder is made up of expatriates. The UAE has the 7th highest net migration rate in the world at 12.36, as any expatriate is allowed under law to apply for UAE citizenship after living in the country for twenty years, assuming they have not been convicted of a crime and can speak Arabic. The UAE also has the highest gender imbalance in the world with a male/female ratio of 2.2, or 2.75 for the 15-65 age group.
The largest group of non-UAE nationals are South Asian (58%), followed by other Asians (17%) and Western expatriates (8.5%). There is an increasing presence of Europeans, particularly in cities like Dubai. As of 2015, the official estimates stand at Emirati make up approximately 11.6%, South Asian 59.4% (includes Indian 38.2%, Bangladeshi 9.5%, Pakistani 9.4%, other 2.3%), Egyptian 10.2%, Philippine 6.1%, and other backgrounds at 12.8%.
The official language of the UAE is Arabic, and the population also uses Persian, English, Hindi, and Urdu.
The median age of the UAE is approximately 30.3 years of age, with a total life expectancy of 77.7 years upon birth. 93.8% of the population aged over 15 is literate.
The official religion among the United Arab Emirates is Muslim, coming in at 76% of the population, a 9% Christian following, approximately 10% Hindu or Buddhist faiths, and less than 5% other religions.
The United Arab Emirates has the second-largest economy in the middle east after Saudi Arabia and has a GDP exceeding $377 billion. Except for Dubai, the United Arab Emirates are extremely reliant upon oil, which makes up roughly 85% of the country's exports. Tourism is also a major industry, and the UAE is home to some of the world's most luxurious accommodations. Other major industries include banking, commerce, and real estate and UAE is known for upholding great business policies and is considered one of the least corrupt countries in the world.
As a federation os seven constitutional monarchies, political policies aren't overarching for the United Arab Emirates, each of which has its ruler. Each ruler sets its own rules and has control over the area's natural resources. The constitution separates powers between executive, legislative and judicial branches- and both the legislative and executive branches are further split into federal and emirate jurisdictions.
Because the United Arab Emirates is made up of seven self-run states, it is hard to determine the actual origin of the country, but it was given its current status in 1892 when Britain made a deal with the Trucial States that would give Britain power over the area's foreign affairs, but each emirate could control their internal political issues. Any further speculation about the cause of population gains or losses is difficult because of the split nature of the country.