Population of Dubai in 2025 - Demographics & Statistics

In the centre of the constantly shifting terrain of the area, Dubai stands out as a beacon of prosperity and development. The flood of foreign labourers and investors in the first quarter of 2024 led to a large growth in the emirate's population. This increase which is greater than the growth rates from the prior year, shows Dubai's continued allure as a major centre for banking, trade and tourism.

Dubai has experienced significant expansion throughout the years. Its population, predicted to reach 3,095,550 in 2025, has grown from 20,000 in 1950 to a lively metropolitan agglomeration. The most recent data from the UN World Urbanisation Prospects indicates a consistent yearly growth of 1.44% throughout the previous year.

The economic trend of Dubai has been significantly accelerated by its dynamic economy, which is powered by a wide range of sectors including Tourism, Hospitality, Logistics, Growth in Dubai Real Estate Sector, Financial Services, Technology, Manufacturing Healthcare and Education. Its population of more than 3.8 million in 2025 attested to its appeal as a hub for travel and business.

Dubai’s Population Density and Size

The urban limits of Dubai cover an area of about 35 square kilometres, whereas the metropolitan area of Dubai covers 4,114 square kilometres of territory. The population density of this large metro area is approximately 741.6 people per square kilometre. This shows a concentration of people residing in the city's larger metropolitan area which includes the surrounding suburban and rural areas in addition to the city's central urban core. Dubai's comparatively high population density, given the size of its metropolitan area, is indicative of its prominence as a major urban centre and economic hub in the United Arab Emirates.

Demographics of Dubai

With an estimated 3.1 Million residents in 2025, Dubai is the most populated emirate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) more than 11,027,129 people live in Abu Dhabi, which is a larger emirate. Native residents make up only 15% of Dubai's population; the other 85% are ex-pats, most of whom are Asian (85%), with the majority coming from Bangladesh (9%), Pakistan (17%), India (51%), and the Philippines (3%). While British expatriates make up the largest group of Western expats, Somalis also make up a sizeable section of the population.

The proportion of men to women is lopsided, with men making up roughly 68.6% of the population. Dubai's official religion is Islam, however, the emirate welcomes religious diversity, with minorities practising Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Sikhism. The official language is Arabic, but Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil, Tagalog, Persian, and Chinese are all commonly spoken, in addition to English. According to 2025 WHO data, the average lifespan in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates is 82.37 years for men and 84.44 years for women. While auto accidents are a prominent cause of mortality, accounting for 615 fatalities per 100,000 persons in the UAE in 2010. 5.31% of the UAE's GDP was spent on healthcare in 2021.

What's driving the population to rise so quickly in Dubai?

The introduction of the golden and silver visas, which have seen a spike in interest from high-net-worth individuals globally, has been the main factor driving population development in Dubai. Silver visas have become more reasonably priced, making them attractive to companies moving to the UAE, while golden visas are now available to real estate investors with properties worth more than AED 2 million.

The demand for consumer items and rental houses has surged as a result of this influx. The UAE Central Bank predicts that 2025 inflation will be 2.2%, which is still below the average for the world, while the country's GDP will grow by 4.7% in 2025 and 5.7% the following year due to rising population and spending.

Population of Dubai in Recent Years

• 2020: Population - 2,878,344, Growth Rate - 1.6%, Growth - 45,265
• 2021: Population - 2,921,376, Growth Rate - 1.5%, Growth - 43,032
• 2022: Population - 2,964,382, Growth Rate - 1.47%, Growth - 43,006
• 2023: Population - 3,007,583, Growth Rate - 1.46%, Growth - 43,201
• 2024: Population - 3,051,016, Growth Rate - 1.44%, Growth - 43,433
• 2025: Population - 3,095,000, Growth Rate - 1.44%, Growth - 44,000

Expats Population in UAE & Their Percentage

There are many different nationalities in the population, but Indians make up the largest group with 37.96% (3.86 million). They are followed in size by Pakistanis 16.72% (1.70 million), Bangladeshis 7.38% (0.75 million), and Filipinos 6.89% (0.70 million). Around 4.72% (0.48 million) and 4.23% (0.43 million) of the population come from Iranians and Egyptians, respectively. Chinese and other ethnic groups account for 2.16% (0.22 million) of the population, followed by Sri Lankans and Nepalese (3.15%, or 0.32 million) respectively.

Population in Different Cities of UAE

• Dubai's population stands at 3,094,640.
• Sharjah's population stands at 1,909,930.
• Abu Dhabi has a population of 1,618,740.
• Ajman's population is 423,929.
• Ras al-Khaimah's population is 191,753.
• Fujairah has a population of 118,933.
• Umm Al Quwain's population is 59,098.

Quick Overview of UAE Population 2025

• 11.35 million people will live in the United Arab Emirates in 2025, according to Statista. In 2025, there will be 7.24 million men and 4.11 million women living in the United Arab Emirates.
• As of 2025, 11.35 million people are living in the UAE's cities, while 2.14 million people live in its rural areas. - GMI research projects that there will be 10.04 million foreign residents in the United Arab Emirates as of 2025.
• The UAE has 7.28 million inhabitants in the age group of 25 to 54, which is the largest in the country. In the UAE, the median age of the populace is 33.6 years.

Foreigners Vs Emiratis

Foreigners make up 88% of the population in the United Arab Emirates, compared to 12% of Emiratis. In response, programmes such as the Dubai Social Agenda 33 seek to increase the number of Emirati families and provide employment possibilities in the private sector in order to stimulate population growth among Emiratis.

Closing In!

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has gone through major changes in its demographics as of 2025. Its estimated total population is around 11.35 million, and expats account for about 88.5% of this number. Dubai continues to be the most populous emirate with an estimated 3.84 million residents. The male-to-female ratio is around 2.2:1, which also comes from labor migration trends. The UAE government has introduced initiatives such as Dubai Social Agenda 33 to promote Emirati families and encourage more locals to work in the private sector to redress the demographic imbalance. However, many challenges remain. These efforts are in line with the UAE's continued emphasis on sustainable development and cultural preservation, as its cities adapt to rapid growth.

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Disclaimer:- Information provided here has been gathered from various reliable sources, but please be advised that there might be minor changes in population stats