United Arab Emirates — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for United Arab Emirates, 1960–2025.
Urban population for United Arab Emirates was 85.96% 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 73.50% in 1960 (about 1.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.24% per year.
United Arab Emirates ranks 44 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 20%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 79.48%, so United Arab Emirates sits above it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 2%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 10 of 23 economies; Saudi Arabia (84.61%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 24th of 217 in 1960 → 18th of 217 in 1970 → 28th of 217 in 1980 → 37th of 217 in 1990 → 46th of 217 in 2000 → 44th of 217 in 2010 → 44th of 217 in 2020 → 44th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 85.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 85.82% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 85.67% | +0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 85.51% | +0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 85.36% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 85.2% | +0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 85.03% | +0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 84.86% | +0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 84.69% | +0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 84.51% | +0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 84.33% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 84.14% | +0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 83.96% | +0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 83.76% | +0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 83.57% | +0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 83.37% | +0.2 pp |
| 2009 | 83.17% | +0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 82.97% | +0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 82.76% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 82.56% | +0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 82.21% | +0.7 pp |
| 2004 | 81.47% | +0.6 pp |
| 2003 | 80.85% | +0.6 pp |
| 2002 | 80.27% | +0.5 pp |
| 2001 | 79.75% | +0.5 pp |
| 2000 | 79.29% | +0.4 pp |
| 1999 | 78.9% | +0.3 pp |
| 1998 | 78.6% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 78.38% | +0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 78.27% | +0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 78.26% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 78.29% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 78.35% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 78.44% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 78.55% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 78.69% | -0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 78.83% | -0.2 pp |
| 1988 | 78.99% | -0.2 pp |
| 1987 | 79.16% | -0.2 pp |
| 1986 | 79.34% | -0.2 pp |
| 1985 | 79.52% | -0.2 pp |
| 1984 | 79.73% | -0.3 pp |
| 1983 | 80% | -0.3 pp |
| 1982 | 80.3% | -0.3 pp |
| 1981 | 80.65% | -0.5 pp |
| 1980 | 81.1% | -0.7 pp |
| 1979 | 81.79% | -0.8 pp |
| 1978 | 82.62% | -0.8 pp |
| 1977 | 83.39% | -0.5 pp |
| 1976 | 83.87% | -0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 83.9% | +0.2 pp |
| 1974 | 83.66% | +0.4 pp |
| 1973 | 83.23% | +0.6 pp |
| 1972 | 82.64% | +0.7 pp |
| 1971 | 81.96% | +0.7 pp |
| 1970 | 81.22% | +0.7 pp |
| 1969 | 80.49% | +0.7 pp |
| 1968 | 79.8% | +0.6 pp |
| 1967 | 79.15% | +0.7 pp |
| 1966 | 78.5% | +0.7 pp |
| 1965 | 77.82% | +0.7 pp |
| 1964 | 77.1% | +0.8 pp |
| 1963 | 76.32% | +0.8 pp |
| 1962 | 75.48% | +0.9 pp |
| 1961 | 74.54% | +1.0 pp |
| 1960 | 73.5% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was United Arab Emirates’s Urban population in 1961?
74.54% (1961). 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 % of total population, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is United Arab Emirates’s Urban population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +17.0% in total — about 0.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS. 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: 85.96%; 2024: 85.82%; 2023: 85.67%; 2022: 85.51%; 2021: 85.36%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS — Urban Population (% of 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.