The statistic shows the total population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 2020 to 2030. In 2023, approximately 10.68 million inhabitants lived in the UAE. Population of the United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE) have undergone extreme demographic changes over the past decade. With the increasing developments, tourism and global recognition of cities in the UAE like Abu Dhabi and Dubai, it is to no surprise that the total population has grown by about 6 million people over the past decade. However, the majority of the total population of the UAE are expatriates. Any expatriate having lived in the UAE for a minimum of 20 years can apply for a citizenship, consequently, the growing total population is mainly due to the growing number of expatriates who become citizens and the high number of immigrants which gives the UAE the world’s highest net migration rate. This becomes evident when looking at the fertility rate, the average rate of children born per fertile woman in a year in the UAE, which has been steadily declining over the last decade. Life expectancy, however, has been increasing steadily over the same time span. It is interesting to note that, despite this increase, total population of the UAE consists mainly of people between the ages of 15 to 64, another fact pointing towards expatriates and immigrants contributing to the increasing numbers.

As of 2018, the demographic group of 30 to 34-year-olds in the Emirate of Dubai was above *** thousand people. Considering that the total population of the Emirate of Dubai was estimated to be around *** million people in 2020, the above-mentioned age bracket is a substantial share of Dubai’s society.   In the context of the United Arab Emirates   Dubai is the most populous region in the United Arab Emirates, followed by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi the United Arab Emirates was the second largest country amongst the Gulf Cooperation Council countries with almost ** million people, behind Saudi Arabia with a population thrice the size. The United Arab Emirates has about *** million male and *** million female inhabitants altogether.  Expats and Emirati    When discussing the demographic composition of this region, the gender imbalance is not the only demographic skewness experienced in the United Arab Emirates, particularly in its Dubai region. Additionally, foreign workers and expatriates significantly outnumber the indigenous population. Only an estimated *** million people in the United Arab Emirates are nationals of their country. The majority of the expatriate’s hail from the subcontinent. In terms of the working population of the United Arab Emirates, ** percent of men and ** percent of women in the labor force are from Asia.  Outlook    The population density of the UAE is continuing to grow, though the urban population growth of the UAE had slowed down considerably.

As of September, 30th 2023, roughly half of the population in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, at 50.1 percent, had never previously married. Nearly an equal share of the population was married, at 48.3 percent. The remaining 1.5 percent of the population comprised of widows or individuals who had been divorced.

Rapid urbanization, a growing expatriate population, and government initiatives promoting foreign investment in real estate are driving the UAE condominiums & apartments market, particularly in key cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi. According to the analyst from Verified Market Research, the UAE condominiums & apartments market size is growing at a faster pace with substantial growth rates over the last few years and is estimated that the market will grow at a CAGR of 5.65% from 2026 to 2032.The UAE's growing population, economic diversification, and supportive policies like freehold ownership and long-term visas for foreigners have made the country an attractive destination for both end users and foreign investors, which in turn has fueled the condominiums and apartments market.

In 2024, the unemployment rate in the United Arab Emirates was at 2.13 percent of the total labor force. The unemployment rate depicts the share of a country's labor force without jobs but available and actively seeking employment. The United Arab Emirates’ unemployment rate is quite low, and the region has one of lowest amounts of unemployed persons worldwide. Oil-based economyOne of the most important economic centers of Western Asia, the United Arab Emirates’ gross domestic product (GDP) amounted to around 424.64 billion U.S. dollars in 2018. The United Arab Emirates’ economy is particularly reliant on oil exports, and it holds the seventh-largest proved oil reserves. Most reserves are located in Abu Dhabi in a combination of offshore and onshore locations. UAE populationDue to the profitable nature of the petroleum industry and a relatively small population, the country has one of the highest GDP per capita rates in the world, at over 40,700 U.S. dollars in 2018. The country’s population is mostly comprised of expatriate workers, the majority of whom who have cultural backgrounds from South Asia, Egypt, and the Philippines. Most of the country’s population fall between the ages of 15 and 64 years.

In 2024, Oppenheimer was the highest-grossing movie in the United Arab Emirates at a staggering ************* U.S. dollars. Among the top ten movies on the list, **** of them were Indian Bollywood productions. The Goat Life stood out as the lone Malayalam language film on the list, alongside Argylle, the sole Apple Original production, which added diversity to the lineup with its action-comedy genre.

Movie preferences in the UAE

The United Arab Emirates boasts a diverse movie industry thanks to its overwhelming expat population. The top-grossing films highlight a strong affinity for Indian cinema, particularly in Hindi and Malayalam languages. Action and adventure movies were by far the most preferred film genres in the UAE. In addition to local cinemas, all major online streaming platforms have a footprint in the market. Netflix was one of the most popular streaming platforms for watching action and adventure movies in the UAE.

UAE film industry investment

As a major tourist destination, the UAE invests heavily in entertainment. In 2021, the country generated the second-highest box office revenue in the Middle East, following Saudi Arabia. Dubai and Abu Dhabi currently have the highest number of cinemas in the UAE. Additionally, the country has been investing in film production. In August 2024, Abu Dhabi’s TwoFour54, a media-free zone, allocated ** hectares to be the site of a new film studio to attract international producers.