Demographics of the United Arab Emirates

Demographic features of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) include population density, vital statistics, immigration and emigration data, ethnicity, education levels, religions practiced, and languages spoken within the UAE.

Source: Wikipedia

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Demographics of the United Arab Emirates

Demographic features of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) include population density, vital statistics, immigration and emigration data, ethnicity, education levels, religions practiced, and languages spoken within the UAE.

The majority of the population comes from South Asia, and is predominantly Muslim.

Population

Demographics of the United Arab Emirates

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pop.</th><th>±%</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1963</td><td>95,000</td><td>—    </td></tr><tr><td>1968</td><td>180,226</td><td>+89.7%</td></tr><tr><td>1975</td><td>557,887</td><td>+209.5%</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>1,042,099</td><td>+86.8%</td></tr><tr><td>1985</td><td>1,379,303</td><td>+32.4%</td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td>2,411,041</td><td>+74.8%</td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td>2,938,000</td><td>+21.9%</td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>4,106,427</td><td>+39.8%</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>8,264,070</td><td>+101.2%</td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>9,599,353</td><td>+16.2%</td></tr><tr><td>2025 estimate</td><td>11,350,000</td><td>+18.2%</td></tr><tr><td>Sources:</td></tr></tbody></table>

The United Arab Emirates experienced a significant population increase in recent years as a result of major economic growth. This led to an influx of workers from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, increasing the population from 4 million in 2004 to roughly 11.35 million in 2024. As of 2024, foreigners represent 88.50% of the population, the third largest proportion of expats in the world in relation to the nationals after Qatar and the Vatican. As of 2024, the largest group of non-UAE nationals are South Asian 68.36% (Indians 37.96%,Pakistanis 16.72%, Bangladeshis 7.38% and others 6.3%), Filipinos 6.1%, Iranians 4.72%, Egyptians 4.23% and other 2.16%.

Female citizens and non-citizens account for 36.20% percent of the UAE's population due to the high level of male foreign workers. The majority of the UAE population is between 25 and 54 years old 64.12%. A large part of this can be attributed to the expatriate worker population who fall in the age category. Population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula. The three largest Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah), are home to nearly 83% of the population.

As of 2024 the population of the UAE stood at 11.35 million, with 63.80% being male and 36.20% female. The country's total fertility rate (TFR) was 1.46, while that of the Emirati citizen population was 3.1, significantly higher than the national average, though reflecting a 16% decline from 3.7 in 2015. In 2024 the population density of the Emirates has reached a record 114 per km2.

<table><thead><tr><th>Emirate</th><th>Census 1975</th><th>Census 1985</th><th>Census 1995</th><th>Census 2005</th><th>Est. 2025</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Abu Dhabi</td><td>211,812</td><td>566,036</td><td>942,463</td><td>1,399,484</td><td>3,789,860</td></tr><tr><td>Dubai</td><td>183,187</td><td>370,788</td><td>689,420</td><td>1,321,453</td><td>3,943,683</td></tr><tr><td>Sharjah</td><td>78,790</td><td>228,317</td><td>402,792</td><td>793,573</td><td>1,808,000</td></tr><tr><td>Ajman</td><td>16,690</td><td>54,546</td><td>121,491</td><td>206,997</td><td>504,846</td></tr><tr><td>Umm Al-Quwain</td><td>6,908</td><td>19,285</td><td>35,361</td><td>49,159</td><td>49,159</td></tr><tr><td>Ras Al-Khaimah</td><td>43,845</td><td>96,578</td><td>143,334</td><td>210,063</td><td>400,000</td></tr><tr><td>Fujairah</td><td>16,655</td><td>43,753</td><td>76,180</td><td>125,698</td><td>316,790</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>557,887</td><td>1,379,303</td><td>2,411,041</td><td>4,106,427</td><td>11,350,000.</td></tr></tbody></table>

Vital statistics

UN estimates

<table><thead><tr><th>Period</th><th>Live births per year</th><th>Deaths per year</th><th>Natural change per year</th><th>CBR</th><th>CDR</th><th>NC</th><th>TFR</th><th>IMR</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1950–1955</td><td>4,000</td><td>2,000</td><td>2,000</td><td>49.4</td><td>20.8</td><td>28.6</td><td>6.97</td><td>175</td></tr><tr><td>1955–1960</td><td>4,000</td><td>2,000</td><td>3,000</td><td>49.3</td><td>18.0</td><td>31.3</td><td>6.97</td><td>156</td></tr><tr><td>1960–1965</td><td>5,000</td><td>2,000</td><td>4,000</td><td>46.3</td><td>13.2</td><td>33.2</td><td>6.87</td><td>120</td></tr><tr><td>1965–1970</td><td>8,000</td><td>2,000</td><td>6,000</td><td>41.2</td><td>8.7</td><td>32.5</td><td>6.77</td><td>77</td></tr><tr><td>1970–1975</td><td>12,000</td><td>2,000</td><td>10,000</td><td>32.6</td><td>6.4</td><td>26.2</td><td>6.36</td><td>51</td></tr><tr><td>1975–1980</td><td>23,000</td><td>4,000</td><td>19,000</td><td>29.1</td><td>4.6</td><td>24.5</td><td>5.66</td><td>36</td></tr><tr><td>1980–1985</td><td>36,000</td><td>4,000</td><td>32,000</td><td>30.5</td><td>3.7</td><td>26.8</td><td>5.23</td><td>25</td></tr><tr><td>1985–1990</td><td>45,000</td><td>5,000</td><td>40,000</td><td>28.4</td><td>3.1</td><td>25.4</td><td>4.83</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td>1990–1995</td><td>48,000</td><td>5,000</td><td>42,000</td><td>23.0</td><td>2.5</td><td>20.4</td><td>3.88</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>1995–2000</td><td>49,000</td><td>6,000</td><td>43,000</td><td>18.1</td><td>2.1</td><td>16.0</td><td>2.97</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>2000–2005</td><td>57,000</td><td>6,000</td><td>51,000</td><td>16.2</td><td>1.7</td><td>14.4</td><td>2.38</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>2005–2010</td><td>81,000</td><td>8,000</td><td>73,000</td><td>14.0</td><td>1.4</td><td>12.6</td><td>1.86</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)</td></tr></tbody></table>

Source: United National World Population Prospects

Registered births and deaths

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Population</th><th>Live births</th><th>Deaths</th><th>Natural increase</th><th>Crude birth rate</th><th>Crude death rate</th><th>Rate of natural increase</th><th>TFR</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1976</td><td>646,900</td><td>21,394</td><td></td><td></td><td>33.1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1977</td><td>748,100</td><td>23,119</td><td></td><td></td><td>30.9</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1978</td><td>852,200</td><td>27,645</td><td></td><td></td><td>32.4</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1979</td><td>952,000</td><td>31,685</td><td></td><td></td><td>33.3</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>1,042,000</td><td>34,774</td><td></td><td></td><td>33.4</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1981</td><td>1,121,000</td><td>38,547</td><td></td><td></td><td>34.4</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1982</td><td>1,190,000</td><td>41,961</td><td></td><td></td><td>35.3</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1983</td><td>1,253,000</td><td>43,419</td><td></td><td></td><td>34.7</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1984</td><td>1,318,000</td><td>43,704</td><td></td><td></td><td>33.2</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1985</td><td>1,391,000</td><td>44,192</td><td></td><td></td><td>31.8</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1986</td><td>1,472,000</td><td>45,460</td><td>3,222</td><td>42,238</td><td>30.9</td><td>2.2</td><td>28.7</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1987</td><td>1,561,000</td><td>47,703</td><td>3,231</td><td>44,472</td><td>30.6</td><td>2.1</td><td>28.5</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td>1,656,000</td><td>50,836</td><td>3,447</td><td>47,389</td><td>30.7</td><td>2.1</td><td>28.6</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1989</td><td>1,756,000</td><td>51,903</td><td>3,640</td><td>48,263</td><td>29.6</td><td>2.1</td><td>27.5</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>1,860,000</td><td>52,264</td><td>3,938</td><td>48,326</td><td>28.1</td><td>2.1</td><td>26.0</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td>1,970,000</td><td>49,496</td><td>4,026</td><td>45,470</td><td>25.4</td><td>2.0</td><td>23.4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1992</td><td>2,087,000</td><td>50,604</td><td>4,271</td><td>46,333</td><td>24.2</td><td>2.0</td><td>22.2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td>2,207,000</td><td>50,197</td><td>4,342</td><td>45,855</td><td>22.7</td><td>2.0</td><td>20.7</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1994</td><td>2,329,000</td><td>52,440</td><td>4,584</td><td>47,856</td><td>22.5</td><td>2.0</td><td>20.5</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td>2,449,000</td><td>48,567</td><td>4,779</td><td>43,788</td><td>19.8</td><td>2.0</td><td>17.8</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td>2,571,000</td><td>47,050</td><td>4,785</td><td>42,265</td><td>18.3</td><td>1.9</td><td>16.4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1997</td><td>2,700,000</td><td>46,360</td><td>4,878</td><td>41,482</td><td>17.2</td><td>1.8</td><td>15.4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1998</td><td>2,838,000</td><td>48,136</td><td>5,033</td><td>43,103</td><td>17.0</td><td>1.8</td><td>15.2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td>2,988,000</td><td>49,659</td><td>5,194</td><td>44,465</td><td>16.6</td><td>1.7</td><td>14.9</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>3,155,000</td><td>53,686</td><td>5,396</td><td>48,290</td><td>17.0</td><td>1.7</td><td>15.3</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>3,326,000</td><td>56,136</td><td>5,777</td><td>50,359</td><td>16.9</td><td>1.7</td><td>15.2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td>3,507,000</td><td>58,070</td><td>5,994</td><td>52,075</td><td>16.6</td><td>1.7</td><td>14.9</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>3,742,000</td><td>61,165</td><td>6,002</td><td>55,163</td><td>16.3</td><td>1.6</td><td>14.7</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>4,088,000</td><td>63,113</td><td>6,123</td><td>56,990</td><td>15.4</td><td>1.5</td><td>13.9</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>4,580,000</td><td>64,623</td><td>6,361</td><td>58,262</td><td>14.1</td><td>1.4</td><td>12.7</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td>5,242,000</td><td>62,960</td><td>6,483</td><td>56,477</td><td>12.0</td><td>1.2</td><td>10.8</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>6,044,000</td><td>67,677</td><td>7,414</td><td>60,263</td><td>11.2</td><td>1.2</td><td>10.0</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>6,894,000</td><td>68,779</td><td>7,755</td><td>61,024</td><td>9.9</td><td>1.1</td><td>8.8</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>7,666,000</td><td>76,366</td><td>7,789</td><td>68,577</td><td>10.0</td><td>1.0</td><td>9.0</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>8,271,000</td><td>79,625</td><td>7,414</td><td>72,211</td><td>9.6</td><td>0.9</td><td>8.7</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>8,672,000</td><td>83,950</td><td>7,350</td><td>76,600</td><td>9.7</td><td>0.8</td><td>8.9</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>8,900,000</td><td>89,578</td><td>7,702</td><td>81,876</td><td>10.1</td><td>0.9</td><td>9.2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>9,006,000</td><td>93,539</td><td>8,015</td><td>88,524</td><td>10.4</td><td>0.9</td><td>9.5</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>9,071,000</td><td>95,860</td><td>8,265</td><td>87,595</td><td>10.6</td><td>0.9</td><td>9.7</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>9,154,000</td><td>97,328</td><td>8,755</td><td>88,573</td><td>10.6</td><td>1.0</td><td>9.6</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td>9,121,200</td><td>98,299</td><td>8,988</td><td>89,311</td><td>10.8</td><td>1.0</td><td>9.8</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>9,304,277</td><td>97,738</td><td>8,826</td><td>88,912</td><td>10.5</td><td>0.9</td><td>9.6</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>9,366,828</td><td>95,309</td><td>8,794</td><td>86,515</td><td>10.2</td><td>0.9</td><td>9.3</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>9,503,738</td><td>94,697</td><td>9,006</td><td>85,691</td><td>10.0</td><td>1.0</td><td>9.0</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td>9,282,410</td><td>97,572</td><td>10,357</td><td>87,215</td><td>10.5</td><td>1.1</td><td>9.4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>9,861,007</td><td>92,777</td><td>11,911</td><td>80,866</td><td>9.7</td><td>1.2</td><td>8.5</td><td>1.494</td></tr><tr><td>2022</td><td>10,288,946</td><td>96,631</td><td>11,762</td><td>84,869</td><td>9.4</td><td>1.1</td><td>8.3</td><td>1.611</td></tr><tr><td>2023</td><td>10,678,556</td><td>101,088</td><td>11,514</td><td>89,574</td><td>9.5</td><td>1.1</td><td>8.4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2024</td><td>11,294,243</td><td>106,915</td><td>12,741</td><td>94,174</td><td>9.5</td><td>1.1</td><td>8.3</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Life expectancy

Life expectancy at birth in the United Arab Emirates

<table><thead><tr><th>Period</th><th>Life expectancy in Years</th><th>Period</th><th>Life expectancy in Years</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1950–1955</td><td>43.9</td><td>1985–1990</td><td>70.7</td></tr><tr><td>1955–1960</td><td>49.6</td><td>1990–1995</td><td>72.2</td></tr><tr><td>1960–1965</td><td>54.7</td><td>1995–2000</td><td>73.6</td></tr><tr><td>1965–1970</td><td>59.6</td><td>2000–2005</td><td>74.8</td></tr><tr><td>1970–1975</td><td>63.4</td><td>2005–2010</td><td>75.9</td></tr><tr><td>1975–1980</td><td>66.4</td><td>2010–2015</td><td>76.7</td></tr><tr><td>1980–1985</td><td>68.8</td><td>2019</td><td>78</td></tr></tbody></table>

Nationalities

Demographics of the United Arab Emirates

The UAE government does not publish demographic data regarding nationality. The table below records estimates of various reliable sources.

<table><thead><tr><th>Nationals of</th><th>Population</th><th>Year of data</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>India</td><td>4,300,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Pakistan</td><td>1,700,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>UAE</td><td>1,310,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Bangladesh</td><td>1,200,000</td><td>2024</td></tr><tr><td>Philippines</td><td>700,000</td><td>2026</td></tr><tr><td>Iran</td><td>600,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Nepal</td><td>450,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Egypt</td><td>400,000</td><td>2022</td></tr><tr><td>China</td><td>370,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Sri Lanka</td><td>300,000</td><td>2021</td></tr><tr><td>Afghanistan</td><td>300,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Palestine</td><td>300,000</td><td>2023</td></tr><tr><td>Syria</td><td>242,000</td><td>2017</td></tr><tr><td>United Kingdom</td><td>240,000</td><td>2026</td></tr><tr><td>Jordan</td><td>200,000</td><td>2024</td></tr><tr><td>Ethiopia</td><td>200,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Lebanon</td><td>200,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Sudan</td><td>200,000</td><td>2023</td></tr><tr><td>Uganda</td><td>160,000</td><td>2024</td></tr><tr><td>Russia</td><td>150,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>South Africa</td><td>100,000</td><td>2018</td></tr><tr><td>Morocco</td><td>100,000</td><td>2019</td></tr><tr><td>Indonesia</td><td>100,000</td><td>2019</td></tr><tr><td>Nigeria</td><td>100,000</td><td>2026</td></tr><tr><td>Iraq</td><td>100,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Yemen</td><td>99,638</td><td>2019</td></tr><tr><td>Saudi Arabia</td><td>85,000</td><td>2018</td></tr><tr><td>Somalia</td><td>80,000–100,000</td><td>2018</td></tr><tr><td>Turkey</td><td>60,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>France</td><td>64,000</td><td>2026</td></tr><tr><td>Canada</td><td>60,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>United States</td><td>50,000</td><td>2018</td></tr><tr><td>Kenya</td><td>40,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Tunisia</td><td>25,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Ukraine</td><td>30,000</td><td>2024</td></tr><tr><td>Algerian</td><td>30,000</td><td>2020</td></tr><tr><td>Australia</td><td>25,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Thailand</td><td>19,000</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>Italy</td><td>18,671</td><td>2024</td></tr><tr><td>South Korea</td><td>13,000</td><td>2019</td></tr><tr><td>Brazil</td><td>12,000</td><td>2022</td></tr><tr><td>Germany</td><td>10,000</td><td>2022</td></tr></tbody></table>

Languages

Demographics of the United Arab Emirates

Multicultural signboard featuring English, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu.

<table><thead><tr><th>Language</th><th>Number of speakers (all users)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Gulf Arabic</td><td>3,480,000</td></tr><tr><td>Modern Standard Arabic</td><td>3,090,000</td></tr><tr><td>Malayalam</td><td>1,060,000</td></tr><tr><td>South Levantine Arabic</td><td>499,000</td></tr><tr><td>Tamil</td><td>455,000</td></tr><tr><td>Northern Pashto</td><td>379,000</td></tr><tr><td>Southern Balochi</td><td>379,000</td></tr><tr><td>Hejazi Arabic</td><td>370,000</td></tr><tr><td>Kannada</td><td>337,000</td></tr><tr><td>Tagalog</td><td>303,000</td></tr><tr><td>Omani Arabic</td><td>303,000</td></tr><tr><td>Iranian Persian</td><td>303,000</td></tr><tr><td>Egyptian Arabic</td><td>284,000</td></tr><tr><td>French language</td><td>250,000</td></tr><tr><td>Eastern Punjabi</td><td>201,000</td></tr><tr><td>Southern Pashto</td><td>144,000</td></tr><tr><td>North Levantine Arabic</td><td>127,000</td></tr><tr><td>Sinhala</td><td>121,000</td></tr><tr><td>Sindhi</td><td>102,000</td></tr></tbody></table>

Arabic is the official language. Emirati people speak Gulf Arabic. English is the most used language amongst expatriates and in business. Arabic is the main medium of instruction at all levels of schooling in government schools, while English is taught as a second language and used for teaching technical or scientific subjects. Private schools can follow a different curriculum (British, American, French, Pakistani, etc.) and use a different language. Many other languages are spoken in the UAE due to immigration (see table). In 2019, Abu Dhabi included Hindi as third official court language. Currently, the UAE government provides lectures and tests to obtain a driving license in Urdu, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Bengali, besides Arabic and English.