The UAE witnessed a significant increase in the population of foreigners during the past decade because of the major growth in various economic sectors. More than 200 nationalities live in the UAE for work and/or education.
From nearly 4.1 million in 2005 (Excel, 250 KB), the population of the UAE grew to about 10 million by the end of 2021. Out of this, the number of UAE citizens is around 1 million.
According to the World Bank data, the UAE's population reached around 9,991,083 in 2021; expatriates still outnumbering the Emiratis. The number of male population is 6,888,345 representing 69 per cent and the number of female population is 3,102,738 representing 31 per cent of the total population.
Learn more about the UAE’s population statistics on the UAE Statistics website.
Most of the UAE’s population resides in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the two biggest cities of the UAE. Citizens and residents live in harmony proving that the UAE's society is a perfect example of tolerance and coexistence. One of the KPIs set for maintaining acohesive society and preserved identity to achieve National Agenda was the National Identity index. This composite indicator measured the sense of belonging and national identity of citizens. The index, as of 2021, was 97.8 per cent.
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