The annual population growth in the Arab World declined to 2.19 percent in 2023. Nevertheless, the last two years recorded a significantly higher population growth than the preceding years.Annual population growth refers to the change in the population over time, and is affected by factors such as fertility, mortality, and migration.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for the Arab World (SPPOPGROWARB) from 1961 to 2024 about Arab World, population, and rate.

In 2023, the total population in the Arab World increased by **** million inhabitants (+**** percent) compared to 2022. Therefore, the total population in the Arab World reached a peak in 2023 with ****** million inhabitants. Notably, the total population continuously increased over the last years.The total population of a country refers to the de facto number of people residing in a country, regardless of citizenship or legal status.

United States - Population Growth for the Arab World was 2.18849 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Population Growth for the Arab World reached a record high of 3.67835 in January of 1990 and a record low of 1.52590 in January of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Population Growth for the Arab World - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

This statistic shows the median age of the population among Middle Eastern countries in 2020. In Kuwait, the median age of the population was 36.8 years old in 2020, in comparison with a median population age of **** in Palestine.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Developing Countries in Middle East and North Africa (SPPOPGROWMNA) from 1961 to 2023 about North Africa, Middle East, population, and rate.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Arab population over the last 20 plus years. It lists the population for each year, along with the year on year change in population, as well as the change in percentage terms for each year. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population change of Arab across the last two decades. For example, using this dataset, we can identify if the population is declining or increasing. If there is a change, when the population peaked, or if it is still growing and has not reached its peak. We can also compare the trend with the overall trend of United States population over the same period of time.

Key observations

In 2023, the population of Arab was 8,830, a 2.36% increase year-by-year from 2022. Previously, in 2022, Arab population was 8,626, an increase of 1.48% compared to a population of 8,500 in 2021. Over the last 20 plus years, between 2000 and 2023, population of Arab increased by 1,401. In this period, the peak population was 8,830 in the year 2023. The numbers suggest that the population has not reached its peak yet and is showing a trend of further growth. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Data Coverage:

• From 2000 to 2023

Variables / Data Columns

• Year: This column displays the data year (Measured annually and for years 2000 to 2023)
• Population: The population for the specific year for the Arab is shown in this column.
• Year on Year Change: This column displays the change in Arab population for each year compared to the previous year.
• Change in Percent: This column displays the year on year change as a percentage. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Arab Population by Year. You can refer the same here

United States - Population ages 65 and above for the Arab World was 4.51954 % of Total in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Population ages 65 and above for the Arab World reached a record high of 4.75913 in January of 2020 and a record low of 3.39403 in January of 1950. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Population ages 65 and above for the Arab World - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

The total population in the Middle East and Africa region was approximately *** million in 2018. It was expected to increase to *** million in 2030, and almost double by 2050 to reach about *** million. Demographics The Middle East and Africa region includes ** countries, which is approximately of six percent of the population of the world. The population is characterized with an above average fertility rate of ***, compared to the global fertility rate of ****. Due to the decrease in death rates due to the introduction of modern medicine, combined with the steady birth rates, the population of the MENA region is expected to continue growing in the future. Population growth might cause governmental burden in the future as governments try to decrease poverty rates, provide healthcare, and education to the larger number of people. The Arab spring In 2011, a series of demonstrations spread across many Arab countries to overthrow oppressive governments and dictators. It initiated from Tunisia, and spread to other countries including Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, and Syria. The instability caused by the Arab spring affected international oil supply and prices, as the MENA region owns ** percent of the world’s oil reserves and ** percent of its natural gas reserves which makes it an important global economic stability factor. Some countries succeeded in overthrowing their oppressive governments, while other protests resulted in social violence and civil wars. The instability forced ** million people to seek refuge in neighboring countries. It was declared as the worst refugee crisis after World War II.

In 2020, the number of people residing in Kuwait who originated from Arab countries totaled approximately *** thousand. This was a decrease compared to the previous year.

United States - Population Ages 0 to 14 for the Arab World was 32.73804 % of Total in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Population Ages 0 to 14 for the Arab World reached a record high of 44.86664 in January of 1968 and a record low of 32.56357 in January of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Population Ages 0 to 14 for the Arab World - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth: All Income Levels for Middle East and North Africa (SPPOPGROWMEA) from 1961 to 2024 about North Africa, Middle East, income, population, and rate.

Associated with manuscript titled: Fifty Muslim-majority countries have fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths than the 50 richest non-Muslim countriesThe objective of this research was to determine the difference in the total number of COVID-19 cases and deaths between Muslim-majority and non-Muslim countries, and investigate reasons for the disparities. Methods: The 50 Muslim-majority countries had more than 50.0% Muslims with an average of 87.5%. The non-Muslim country sample consisted of 50 countries with the highest GDP while omitting any Muslim-majority countries listed. The non-Muslim countries’ average percentage of Muslims was 4.7%. Data pulled on September 18, 2020 included the percentage of Muslim population per country by World Population Review15 and GDP per country, population count, and total number of COVID-19 cases and deaths by Worldometers.16 The data set was transferred via an Excel spreadsheet on September 23, 2020 and analyzed. To measure COVID-19’s incidence in the countries, three different Average Treatment Methods (ATE) were used to validate the results. Results published as a preprint at https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/84zq5(15) Muslim Majority Countries 2020 [Internet]. Walnut (CA): World Population Review. 2020- [Cited 2020 Sept 28]. Available from: http://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/muslim-majority-countries (16) Worldometers.info. Worldometer. Dover (DE): Worldometer; 2020 [cited 2020 Sept 28]. Available from: http://worldometers.info

United Arab Emirates AE: Population: Growth data was reported at 1.398 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.252 % for 2016. United Arab Emirates AE: Population: Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 5.936 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.695 % in 1973 and a record low of 0.715 % in 2014. United Arab Emirates AE: Population: Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Arab Emirates – Table AE.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; Derived from total population. Population source: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision, (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

Population Growth for Developing Countries in Middle East and North Africa was 1.82520 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Population Growth for Developing Countries in Middle East and North Africa reached a record high of 3.59094 in January of 1990 and a record low of 1.55792 in January of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Population Growth for Developing Countries in Middle East and North Africa - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

The United Arab Emirates: Population growth, percent: The latest value from 2023 is 0.8 percent, a decline from 0.81 percent in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 1.15 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for the United Arab Emirates from 1961 to 2023 is 6.77 percent. The minimum value, 0.78 percent, was reached in 2019 while the maximum of 18.13 percent was recorded in 2007.

In 2020, Indonesia recorded the largest population of Muslims worldwide, with around 239 million. This was followed with around 226.88 million Muslims in Pakistan and 213 million Muslims in India.

Historical chart and dataset showing Syrian Arab Republic population growth rate by year from 1961 to 2023.

United Arab Emirates AE: Urban Population Growth data was reported at 1.727 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.591 % for 2016. United Arab Emirates AE: Urban Population Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 6.937 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.696 % in 1973 and a record low of 1.077 % in 2014. United Arab Emirates AE: Urban Population Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Arab Emirates – Table AE.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;

WorldPop produces different types of gridded population count datasets, depending on the methods used and end application. An overview of the data can be found in Tatem et al, and a description of the modelling methods used found in Stevens et al. The 'Global per country 2000-2020' datasets represent the outputs from a project focused on construction of consistent 100m resolution population count datasets for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020. These efforts necessarily involved some shortcuts for consistency. The 'individual countries' datasets represent older efforts to map populations for each country separately, using a set of tailored geospatial inputs and differing methods and time periods. The 'whole continent' datasets are mosaics of the individual countries datasets

WorldPop (www.worldpop.org - School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton; Department of Geography and Geosciences, University of Louisville; Departement de Geographie, Universite de Namur) and Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University (2018). Global High Resolution Population Denominators Project - Funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1134076). https://dx.doi.org/10.5258/SOTON/WP00645