United Arab Emirates — Population
Population, Total for United Arab Emirates, 1960–2025.
Population for United Arab Emirates was 11.51 million in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 131,334 in 1960 (about 87.7× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 7.12% per year.
United Arab Emirates ranks 85 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 39%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 11.52 million, so United Arab Emirates sits below it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 35%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 13 of 23 economies; Israel (10.12 million) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 20% in 1969. That is 18% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 1970; grown tenfold by 1985. Doubling roughly every 10 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 170th of 216 in 1960 → 164th of 216 in 1970 → 145th of 216 in 1980 → 142nd of 217 in 1990 → 126th of 217 in 2000 → 102nd of 217 in 2010 → 95th of 217 in 2020 → 85th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11,513,149 | +4.8% |
| 2024 | 10,986,400 | +4.8% |
| 2023 | 10,483,751 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 10,074,977 | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 9,575,152 | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 9,401,038 | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 9,445,785 | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 9,346,701 | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 9,223,225 | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 8,935,095 | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 8,505,237 | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 8,059,440 | +4.8% |
| 2013 | 7,693,031 | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 7,391,448 | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 7,104,538 | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 6,869,838 | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 6,707,058 | +6.4% |
| 2008 | 6,302,664 | +12.1% |
| 2007 | 5,624,635 | +12.3% |
| 2006 | 5,009,100 | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 4,664,790 | +5.3% |
| 2004 | 4,428,967 | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 4,192,457 | +6.0% |
| 2002 | 3,956,826 | +6.3% |
| 2001 | 3,723,590 | +6.6% |
| 2000 | 3,493,575 | +7.0% |
| 1999 | 3,266,009 | +7.4% |
| 1998 | 3,040,421 | +7.9% |
| 1997 | 2,817,410 | +8.5% |
| 1996 | 2,597,564 | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 2,434,662 | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 2,328,188 | +4.8% |
| 1993 | 2,222,093 | +5.1% |
| 1992 | 2,114,730 | +5.4% |
| 1991 | 2,006,626 | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 1,898,220 | +6.1% |
| 1989 | 1,789,851 | +6.4% |
| 1988 | 1,681,788 | +6.8% |
| 1987 | 1,574,244 | +7.3% |
| 1986 | 1,467,383 | +6.5% |
| 1985 | 1,377,911 | +5.5% |
| 1984 | 1,305,996 | +5.7% |
| 1983 | 1,235,305 | +5.9% |
| 1982 | 1,166,370 | +6.0% |
| 1981 | 1,099,855 | +8.3% |
| 1980 | 1,015,700 | +11.4% |
| 1979 | 912,010 | +12.7% |
| 1978 | 809,274 | +13.9% |
| 1977 | 710,209 | +15.3% |
| 1976 | 615,866 | +13.4% |
| 1975 | 542,856 | +11.0% |
| 1974 | 489,087 | +12.1% |
| 1973 | 436,399 | +13.3% |
| 1972 | 385,014 | +14.9% |
| 1971 | 335,027 | +16.9% |
| 1970 | 286,536 | +19.6% |
| 1969 | 239,660 | +20.2% |
| 1968 | 199,416 | +11.0% |
| 1967 | 179,700 | +3.3% |
| 1966 | 173,976 | +4.1% |
| 1965 | 167,103 | +4.6% |
| 1964 | 159,692 | +4.9% |
| 1963 | 152,211 | +5.0% |
| 1962 | 144,946 | +5.0% |
| 1961 | 137,989 | +5.1% |
| 1960 | 131,334 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was United Arab Emirates’s Population in 1961?
137,989 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are United Arab Emirates’s Population figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — people — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is United Arab Emirates’s Population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +8666.3% in total — about 7.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.TOTL. 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: 11,513,149; 2024: 10,986,400; 2023: 10,483,751; 2022: 10,074,977; 2021: 9,575,152. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.TOTL — Population, Total. 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.