Population and Demographics of the United Arab Emirates
Fast population growth · +3.62% in 2024
The longer record adds perspective: the population changed by +215.6% between 2000 and 2024. Looking ahead, 15.37 million is projected for 2050 under the medium scenario, compared with 11.03 million in 2024.
Population Over Time in the United Arab Emirates
Between 2000 and 2024, the United Arab Emirates' population increased from 3.494M to 11.027M, a gain of about 215.6%. The UN WPP 2024 medium-variant projection places the 2050 population at about 15.367M, roughly 39.4% above the 2024 reference point. No intermediate annual values are generated for this chart; it connects the published reference points only.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
Age composition is an important part of the United Arab Emirates' demographic picture in 2024. The youngest broad age group represents 16.11% of residents, against 1.77% in the 65+ group; the working-age band is 82.12%. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
The 2024 World Bank sex-share indicator gives United Arab Emirates a female share of 36.1% and a male share of 63.9%. Males exceed females by 27.8 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Males made up 63.9% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 36.1% females.
What Is Shaping Population Change
the United Arab Emirates' +3.62% annual change in 2024 sits beside fertility of 1.2 children per woman, beside an age profile led by 82.12% in the 15-to-64 group.
From 2000 to 2024, the United Arab Emirates' population moved +215.6%, and the UN medium projection subsequently changes the total +39.4% by 2050; separate component statistics would be needed to attribute the movement.
2024 estimate for the United Arab Emirates. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
United Arab Emirates vs. World
In the harmonized 2024 comparison, United Arab Emirates' annual population change is higher than the world rate, fertility is below the global level, and its population is older than the world median-age profile.
| Indicator | United Arab Emirates | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +3.62% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.2 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 32 | 30.6 | 2024 |
For comparability, the growth, fertility and median-age rows are kept to the same 2024 harmonized dataset, which cites UN World Population Prospects 2024 as its demographic source.
Key Takeaways
United Arab Emirates has 11,027,129 people in the 2024 estimate, with the population changing +3.62% over the year.
Age structure is a key feature of the profile: 16.11% are under 15 and 1.77% are 65 or older.
The World Bank 2024 sex-share series is 36.1% female and 63.9% male.
The 2050 medium projection is 15.367M, 39.4% above the 2024 estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of the United Arab Emirates?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for the United Arab Emirates is 11,027,129 people.
Is the population of the United Arab Emirates growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, United Arab Emirates' population is growing, with annual change of +3.62%.
What percentage of the population of the United Arab Emirates is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 1.77% of the United Arab Emirates' 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of the United Arab Emirates in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts United Arab Emirates' 2050 population at 15,367,392.
What is the fertility rate in the United Arab Emirates?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for the United Arab Emirates is 1.2 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.