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United Arab Emirates

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates Population 2026

As of 2026, the population of United Arab Emirates is 11,574,682, ranking #86 in the world (0.14% of the global population), based on UN World Population Prospects 2024. The population is growing at 1.69% per year. The biggest city is Dubai with 3,790,000 inhabitants.

Live estimate

11,577,828

Growth rate

1.69%

Density

163

people / km² (422 / mi²)

Median age

31.6

Fertility rate

1.21

births per woman

Life expectancy

83.4

years

United Arab Emirates population 1950–2100

Population of United Arab Emirates, 1950–2100 — solid: UN estimates, dashed: UN medium-variant projection.

By 2050, the population of United Arab Emirates is projected to reach 15,367,392, and 26,134,299 by 2100.

United Arab Emirates population by year

Year	Population	Growth	Density /km²	Median age
2026	11,574,682	1.69%	163.0	31.6
2025	11,346,000	2.31%	159.7	31.6
2024	11,027,129	3.41%	155.3	31.6
2023	10,642,081	3.70%	149.8	31.2
2022	10,242,086	3.96%	144.2	30.9
2021	9,789,048	5.11%	137.8	30.9
2020	9,448,524	1.91%	133.0	30.9
2019	9,377,848	-0.42%	132.0	30.8
2018	9,346,870	1.09%	131.6	30.8
2017	9,234,327	1.34%	130.0	30.8
2016	9,030,873	3.14%	127.2	30.8
2015	8,674,633	4.95%	122.1	30.8
2014	8,236,874	5.42%	116.0	30.8
2013	7,831,847	4.64%	110.3	30.7
2012	7,497,118	4.08%	105.6	30.7
2011	7,199,424	4.02%	101.4	30.7
2010	6,938,363	3.35%	97.7	30.7
2009	6,707,058	3.43%	94.4	30.6
2008	6,302,664	9.19%	88.7	30.6
2007	5,624,634	13.84%	79.2	30.6
2006	5,009,100	9.06%	70.5	30.4
2005	4,664,790	5.04%	65.7	29.9
2004	4,428,967	5.34%	62.4	29.3
2003	4,192,457	5.64%	59.0	28.7
2002	3,956,826	5.94%	55.7	28.1
2001	3,723,590	6.22%	52.4	27.7
2000	3,493,576	6.54%	49.2	27.3
1999	3,266,009	6.94%	46.0	27.1
1998	3,040,422	7.39%	42.8	27.0
1997	2,817,410	7.87%	39.7	27.0
1996	2,597,564	8.40%	36.6	27.2
1995	2,434,662	4.42%	34.3	27.0
1994	2,328,188	4.53%	32.8	26.4
1993	2,222,094	4.81%	31.3	25.8
1992	2,114,730	5.10%	29.8	25.4
1991	2,006,626	5.40%	28.3	25.0
1990	1,898,220	5.71%	26.7	24.9
1989	1,789,850	6.05%	25.2	24.9
1988	1,681,788	6.42%	23.7	25.0
1987	1,574,244	6.82%	22.2	25.3
1986	1,467,383	7.26%	20.7	25.6
1985	1,377,911	5.26%	19.4	25.7
1984	1,305,996	5.47%	18.4	25.5
1983	1,235,305	5.67%	17.4	25.5
1982	1,166,370	5.82%	16.4	25.4
1981	1,099,855	5.93%	15.5	25.5
1980	1,015,700	10.16%	14.3	25.2
1979	912,010	11.44%	12.8	24.8
1978	809,274	12.53%	11.4	24.5
1977	710,209	13.66%	10.0	24.4
1976	615,866	14.93%	8.7	24.6
1975	542,856	10.00%	7.6	24.4
1974	489,086	10.91%	6.9	23.7
1973	436,398	11.95%	6.1	23.1
1972	385,014	13.19%	5.4	22.6
1971	335,027	14.73%	4.7	22.2
1970	286,536	16.69%	4.0	22.0
1969	239,660	19.27%	3.4	22.1
1968	199,416	17.32%	2.8	22.5
1967	179,700	2.77%	2.5	22.4
1966	173,976	3.72%	2.4	21.6
1965	167,103	4.36%	2.4	21.0
1964	159,692	4.73%	2.2	20.5
1963	152,211	4.87%	2.1	20.0
1962	144,946	4.91%	2.0	19.5
1961	137,989	4.93%	1.9	19.1
1960	131,334	4.96%	1.8	18.6
1959	124,937	5.03%	1.8	18.2
1958	118,762	5.11%	1.7	17.8
1957	112,784	5.22%	1.6	17.4
1956	106,963	5.38%	1.5	17.1
1955	101,258	5.59%	1.4	16.9
1954	95,652	5.81%	1.3	16.7
1953	90,147	6.06%	1.3	16.7
1952	84,761	6.27%	1.2	16.8
1951	79,540	6.45%	1.1	17.1
1950	74,512	6.62%	1.0	17.5

Year	Population	Growth	Density /km²	Median age
2027	11,755,596	1.41%	165.5	31.7
2028	11,912,256	1.24%	167.7	31.7
2029	12,054,640	1.14%	169.7	31.7
2030	12,190,605	1.10%	171.6	31.8
2031	12,327,110	1.13%	173.6	31.8
2032	12,467,816	1.14%	175.5	31.9
2033	12,612,265	1.16%	177.6	31.9
2034	12,760,076	1.17%	179.7	32.0
2035	12,910,702	1.18%	181.8	32.0
2036	13,063,716	1.18%	183.9	32.1
2037	13,218,798	1.18%	186.1	32.2
2038	13,375,742	1.18%	188.3	32.2
2039	13,534,189	1.18%	190.6	32.2
2040	13,693,776	1.17%	192.8	32.3
2041	13,854,524	1.16%	195.1	32.3
2042	14,016,332	1.16%	197.3	32.4
2043	14,179,096	1.15%	199.6	32.4
2044	14,342,812	1.15%	201.9	32.4
2045	14,507,366	1.14%	204.3	32.4
2046	14,673,759	1.14%	206.6	32.5
2047	14,843,818	1.16%	209.0	32.5
2048	15,016,877	1.16%	211.4	32.5
2049	15,191,614	1.16%	213.9	32.6
2050	15,367,392	1.15%	216.4	32.6
2051	15,543,672	1.14%	218.9	32.6
2052	15,720,976	1.13%	221.3	32.6
2053	15,900,020	1.13%	223.9	32.6
2054	16,081,439	1.14%	226.4	32.6
2055	16,264,890	1.13%	229.0	32.6
2056	16,450,041	1.13%	231.6	32.7
2057	16,637,528	1.14%	234.3	32.7
2058	16,827,635	1.14%	236.9	32.7
2059	17,020,197	1.14%	239.6	32.7
2060	17,214,830	1.14%	242.4	32.7
2061	17,412,137	1.14%	245.2	32.7
2062	17,613,168	1.15%	248.0	32.8
2063	17,817,880	1.16%	250.9	32.8
2064	18,026,058	1.17%	253.8	32.8
2065	18,237,403	1.17%	256.8	32.9
2066	18,451,478	1.17%	259.8	32.9
2067	18,668,363	1.17%	262.8	33.0
2068	18,888,000	1.17%	265.9	33.0
2069	19,110,154	1.17%	269.1	33.1
2070	19,334,289	1.16%	272.2	33.1
2071	19,560,135	1.16%	275.4	33.2
2072	19,787,409	1.15%	278.6	33.3
2073	20,015,900	1.15%	281.8	33.3
2074	20,245,058	1.13%	285.0	33.4
2075	20,474,288	1.12%	288.3	33.4
2076	20,703,707	1.11%	291.5	33.5
2077	20,933,012	1.09%	294.7	33.5
2078	21,161,825	1.08%	298.0	33.5
2079	21,389,975	1.06%	301.2	33.6
2080	21,617,417	1.05%	304.4	33.6
2081	21,844,113	1.04%	307.6	33.6
2082	22,070,029	1.02%	310.7	33.7
2083	22,295,061	1.01%	313.9	33.7
2084	22,519,025	0.99%	317.1	33.7
2085	22,741,916	0.98%	320.2	33.7
2086	22,964,204	0.97%	323.3	33.8
2087	23,186,347	0.96%	326.5	33.8
2088	23,408,452	0.95%	329.6	33.8
2089	23,630,654	0.94%	332.7	33.8
2090	23,852,866	0.93%	335.8	33.8
2091	24,075,187	0.92%	339.0	33.8
2092	24,298,127	0.92%	342.1	33.8
2093	24,521,988	0.92%	345.3	33.8
2094	24,747,048	0.91%	348.4	33.9
2095	24,973,506	0.91%	351.6	33.9
2096	25,201,603	0.91%	354.8	33.9
2097	25,431,504	0.91%	358.1	33.9
2098	25,663,508	0.91%	361.3	33.9
2099	25,897,696	0.91%	364.6	33.9
2100	26,134,299	0.91%	368.0	33.9

States & provinces of United Arab Emirates by population

#	State / province	Population	Share
1	Abu Dhabi	3,789,860	32.7%
2	Dubay	3,478,300	30.1%
3	Sharjah	1,800,000	15.6%
4	Ajman	490,035	4.2%
5	Ras Al Khaymah	400,000	3.5%
6	Fujayrah	118,933	1.0%
7	Umm Al Qaywayn	44,411	0.4%

State populations: GeoNames (latest official figures, reference dates vary by country).

Biggest cities in United Arab Emirates

#	City	Region	Population
1	Dubai	Dubai	3,790,000
2	Abu Dhabi capital	Abu Dhabi	1,807,000
3	Sharjah	Sharjah	1,800,000
4	Al Ain City	Abu Dhabi	846,747
5	Ajman	Ajman	490,035
6	Ras Al Khaimah	Ras Al Khaimah	351,943
7	Musaffah	Abu Dhabi	243,341
8	Jebel Ali	Dubai	210,000
9	Fujairah	Fujairah	118,933
10	Warīsān	Dubai	108,759
11	Khalifah A City	Abu Dhabi	85,374
12	Mohammed Bin Zayed City	Abu Dhabi	85,000
13	Reef Al Fujairah City	Fujairah	82,310
14	Bani Yas City	Abu Dhabi	80,498
15	Zayed City	Abu Dhabi	63,482

FAQ

What is the population of United Arab Emirates in 2026?

The population of United Arab Emirates is 11,574,682 in 2026, according to UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant).

What is the biggest city in United Arab Emirates?

Dubai is the biggest city in United Arab Emirates with 3,790,000 inhabitants; the capital is Abu Dhabi.

Is the population of United Arab Emirates growing or shrinking?

The population of United Arab Emirates is growing at 1.69% per year.

Neighboring countries

Sources

Country data: United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Retrieved 2026-07-06.
City and state data: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Retrieved 2026-07-06.

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