Population of the United Arab Emirates
As of April 2025, the population of the United Arab Emirates is 9.6 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 73 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 0.77%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 29.2 years in 2015 to 33.9 years in 2025. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 80.9 years and population density is 136.1 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Population Growth
The population growth rate of the United Arab Emirates peaked in 2007, reaching around 18.91% annually, but has since declined to approximately 0.75% in 2025. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 1.13 million in 2008 to nearly 72.72 thousand in 2025.
Life Expectancy
In the United Arab Emirates, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 76.7 years in 2005 to 80.9 years in 2025, representing an increase of more than 4 years over the past 2 decades.
Most populous cities in the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates has several cities considered medium-sized by their number of inhabitants, but there are also some large ones. The most populous city is Dubai, with approximately 3.5 million inhabitants. It is followed by Abu Dhabi with 1.8 million and Sharjah with 1.3 million.
These are the 20 most populous cities in the United Arab Emirates:
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubai | 3,478,300 |
| 2 | Abu Dhabi | 1,807,000 |
| 3 | Sharjah | 1,274,749 |
| 4 | Al Ain City, Abu Dhabi | 846,747 |
| 5 | Ajman City, Ajman | 490,035 |
| 6 | Dayrah, Dubai | 400,000 |
| 7 | Ras Al Khaimah City, Raʼs al Khaymah | 351,943 |
| 8 | Musaffah, Abu Dhabi | 243,341 |
| 9 | Jebel Ali, Dubai | 210,000 |
| 10 | Business Bay, Dubai | 191,000 |
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Dubai Investments Park, Dubai | 160,000 |
| 12 | International City, Dubai | 120,000 |
| 13 | Dubai Marina, Dubai | 120,000 |
| 14 | Al Majaz, Sharjah | 116,503 |
| 15 | Warīsān, Dubai | 108,759 |
| 16 | Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai | 90,000 |
| 17 | Al Fujairah City, Fujairah | 86,512 |
| 18 | Ar Rumaylah, Ajman | 86,000 |
| 19 | Khalifah A City, Abu Dhabi | 85,374 |
| 20 | Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi | 85,000 |