United Arab Emirates — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for United Arab Emirates, 1961–2025.
Population growth for United Arab Emirates was 4.68% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 18.38% in 1969. The lowest was -0.47% in 2020 (about -9.9× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.08% per year.
United Arab Emirates ranks 1 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 1%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 1.56%, so United Arab Emirates sits above it. It peaked in 1969 and has fallen 75% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 13%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 1 of 23 economies; Saudi Arabia (4.63%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 486% in 2021. That is 44% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1968.
World ranking. Climbed: 7th of 216 in 1961 → 1st of 216 in 1970 → 1st of 216 in 1980 → 6th of 216 in 1990 → 1st of 217 in 2000 → 51st of 217 in 2010 → 191st of 217 in 2020 → 1st of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.68% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 4.68% | +0.7 pp |
| 2023 | 3.98% | -1.1 pp |
| 2022 | 5.09% | +3.3 pp |
| 2021 | 1.84% | +2.3 pp |
| 2020 | -0.47% | -1.5 pp |
| 2019 | 1.05% | -0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 1.33% | -1.8 pp |
| 2017 | 3.17% | -1.8 pp |
| 2016 | 4.93% | -0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 5.38% | +0.7 pp |
| 2014 | 4.65% | +0.7 pp |
| 2013 | 4% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 3.96% | +0.6 pp |
| 2011 | 3.36% | +1.0 pp |
| 2010 | 2.4% | -3.8 pp |
| 2009 | 6.22% | -5.2 pp |
| 2008 | 11.38% | -0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 11.59% | +4.5 pp |
| 2006 | 7.12% | +1.9 pp |
| 2005 | 5.19% | -0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 5.49% | -0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 5.78% | -0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 6.08% | -0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 6.38% | -0.4 pp |
| 2000 | 6.74% | -0.4 pp |
| 1999 | 7.16% | -0.5 pp |
| 1998 | 7.62% | -0.5 pp |
| 1997 | 8.12% | +1.6 pp |
| 1996 | 6.48% | +2.0 pp |
| 1995 | 4.47% | -0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 4.66% | -0.3 pp |
| 1993 | 4.95% | -0.3 pp |
| 1992 | 5.25% | -0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 5.55% | -0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 5.88% | -0.3 pp |
| 1989 | 6.23% | -0.4 pp |
| 1988 | 6.61% | -0.4 pp |
| 1987 | 7.03% | +0.7 pp |
| 1986 | 6.29% | +0.9 pp |
| 1985 | 5.36% | -0.2 pp |
| 1984 | 5.56% | -0.2 pp |
| 1983 | 5.74% | -0.1 pp |
| 1982 | 5.87% | -2.1 pp |
| 1981 | 7.96% | -2.8 pp |
| 1980 | 10.77% | -1.2 pp |
| 1979 | 11.95% | -1.1 pp |
| 1978 | 13.06% | -1.2 pp |
| 1977 | 14.25% | +1.6 pp |
| 1976 | 12.62% | +2.2 pp |
| 1975 | 10.43% | -1.0 pp |
| 1974 | 11.4% | -1.1 pp |
| 1973 | 12.53% | -1.4 pp |
| 1972 | 13.91% | -1.7 pp |
| 1971 | 15.63% | -2.2 pp |
| 1970 | 17.86% | -0.5 pp |
| 1969 | 18.38% | +8.0 pp |
| 1968 | 10.41% | +7.2 pp |
| 1967 | 3.24% | -0.8 pp |
| 1966 | 4.03% | -0.5 pp |
| 1965 | 4.54% | -0.3 pp |
| 1964 | 4.8% | -0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 4.89% | -0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 4.92% | -0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 4.94% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was United Arab Emirates’s Population growth in 1962?
4.92% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is United Arab Emirates’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -5.3% in total — about 0.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 4.68%; 2024: 4.68%; 2023: 3.98%; 2022: 5.09%; 2021: 1.84%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.