In 2018, the majority of the expatriates residing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) hailed from India, with a population size of around 2.6 million. The expatriate population made up the vast majority of the country’s total population, at around 89 percent as of 2018.

 UAE Economy 

With a real gross domestic product growth rate of 1.7 percent in 2018, the UAE is one of the biggest economies in the region. (1143018) Since its discovery of oil in the mid 90’s, the country has transformed and has become a regional hub. It has demonstrated significant growth in various economics sectors, driven by the country’s shift in focus from the hydrocarbons sector. (1143358) Along with low levels of unemployment, this has led to the influx of workers from diverse nationalities.

 Migration figures

The UAE is one of the top countries worldwide to attract global talent. (1039195) In 2018, around a quarter of million people migrated from the Philippines to work in the UAE. (880782) In comparison, the number of Indonesian workers amounted to less than 0.6 thousand in 2019.

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;

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.

The total population in the United Arab Emirates was estimated at 10.9 million people in 2024, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - United Arab Emirates Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

United Arab Emirates AE: International Migrant Stock: % of Population data was reported at 88.404 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 87.840 % for 2010. United Arab Emirates AE: International Migrant Stock: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 78.916 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 88.404 % in 2015 and a record low of 72.128 % in 1990. United Arab Emirates AE: International Migrant Stock: % of Population 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. International migrant stock is the number of people born in a country other than that in which they live. It also includes refugees. The data used to estimate the international migrant stock at a particular time are obtained mainly from population censuses. The estimates are derived from the data on foreign-born population--people who have residence in one country but were born in another country. When data on the foreign-born population are not available, data on foreign population--that is, people who are citizens of a country other than the country in which they reside--are used as estimates. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 people living in one of the newly independent countries who were born in another were classified as international migrants. Estimates of migrant stock in the newly independent states from 1990 on are based on the 1989 census of the Soviet Union. For countries with information on the international migrant stock for at least two points in time, interpolation or extrapolation was used to estimate the international migrant stock on July 1 of the reference years. For countries with only one observation, estimates for the reference years were derived using rates of change in the migrant stock in the years preceding or following the single observation available. A model was used to estimate migrants for countries that had no data.; ; United Nations Population Division, Trends in Total Migrant Stock: 2008 Revision.; Weighted average;

Graph and download economic data for Population, Total for the United Arab Emirates (POPTOTAEA647NWDB) from 1960 to 2024 about United Arab Emirates and population.

United Arab Emirates AE: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 15-64 data was reported at 73.941 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 73.775 % for 2016. United Arab Emirates AE: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 15-64 data is updated yearly, averaging 54.297 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 73.941 % in 2017 and a record low of 51.471 % in 1960. United Arab Emirates AE: Population: as % of Total: Female: Aged 15-64 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total female population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average; Relevance to gender indicator: Knowing how many girls, adolescents and women there are in a population helps a country in determining its provision of services.

Population ages 65 and above, male (% of male population) in United Arab Emirates was reported at 1.5436 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Arab Emirates - Population ages 65 and above, male (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

The statistic shows the age structure among the population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, 16.34 percent of the UAE's total population were aged 0 to 14 years.

Population, total in United Arab Emirates was reported at 10876981 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Arab Emirates - Population, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

As of December 2024, the combined share of reach of Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger social media platforms in the United Arab Emirates was highest among men aged between 25 and 34. These three platforms together accounted for ** percent of the advertising that reached this demographic.

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

United Arab Emirates AE: Refugee Population: by Country or Territory of Origin data was reported at 103.000 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 99.000 Person for 2015. United Arab Emirates AE: Refugee Population: by Country or Territory of Origin data is updated yearly, averaging 90.000 Person from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2016, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 584.000 Person in 2012 and a record low of 4.000 Person in 1997. United Arab Emirates AE: Refugee Population: by Country or Territory of Origin 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: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Refugees are people who are recognized as refugees under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization of African Unity Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, people recognized as refugees in accordance with the UNHCR statute, people granted refugee-like humanitarian status, and people provided temporary protection. Asylum seekers--people who have applied for asylum or refugee status and who have not yet received a decision or who are registered as asylum seekers--are excluded. Palestinian refugees are people (and their descendants) whose residence was Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948 and who lost their homes and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. Country of origin generally refers to the nationality or country of citizenship of a claimant.; ; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Statistics Database, Statistical Yearbook and data files, complemented by statistics on Palestinian refugees under the mandate of the UNRWA as published on its website. Data from UNHCR are available online at: www.unhcr.org/en-us/figures-at-a-glance.html.; Sum;

Key information about United Arab Emirates population

• The United Arab Emirates population reached 10.7 million people in Dec 2023, compared with the previously reported figure of 10.3 million people in Dec 2022
• The data reached an all-time high of 10.7 million people in Dec 2023 and a record low of 0.1 million people in Dec 1951

CEIC shifts year-end for annual Population. National Institute of Statistics provides annual Population ending the second quarter of each year. Population prior to 2020 is based on previous censuses. Population prior to 2020 is a mid-year estimate sourced from the International Monetary Fund.


Further information about United Arab Emirates population data

• In the latest reports, United Arab Emirates Unemployment Rate dropped to 2.9 % in Dec 2022
• Monthly earnings of the United Arab Emirates population was 1,977.4 USD in Dec 2016
• United Arab Emirates Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 82.6 % in Dec 2023

The dataset shows population by emirates, nationality and gender from population census in United Arab Emirates from 1975 until 2005 every 5 years.

The statistic shows the adult mortality rate in the United Arab Emirates from 2012 to 2022, by gender. According to the source, the adult mortality rate is the probability of dying between the ages of 15 and 60 - that is, the probability of a 15-year-old dying before reaching age 60, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year between those ages. In 2022, the mortality rate for women was at 45.93 per 1,000 female adults, while the mortality rate for men was at 68.33 per 1,000 male adults in the United Arab Emirates.

Population growth (annual %) in United Arab Emirates was reported at 3.9772 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Arab Emirates - Population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Population Ages 0 to 14 for the United Arab Emirates (SPPOP0014TOZSARE) from 1960 to 2024 about 0 to 14 years, United Arab Emirates, and population.

Comprehensive socio-economic dataset for United Arab Emirates including population demographics, economic indicators, geographic data, and social statistics. This dataset covers key metrics such as GDP, population density, area, capital city, and regional classifications.

This statistic shows the degree of urbanization in the Mashriq countries in 2023. The Mashriq, also Mashreq, is the region encompassing the eastern part of the Arab World, comprising the countries Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Urbanization is defined as the share of urban population in the total population. In 2023, 92.02 percent of the total population of Jordan lived in urban areas.