United Arab Emirates Population Pyramid (2026)
The United Arab Emirates has a population of 11,574,683 in 2026, according to the UN World Population Prospects 2024 (projection for 1 July). That is the 85th-largest population in the world and 0.14% of the global total of 8.30 billion. Children under 15 make up 15.9% of the population and people aged 65 and over 1.8%, with 175.0 males for every 100 females.
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| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 5 | 15 | 20 | 0.00% |
| 95-99 | 84 | 178 | 262 | 0.00% |
| 90-94 | 658 | 921 | 1,579 | 0.01% |
| 85-89 | 3,425 | 3,680 | 7,105 | 0.06% |
| 80-84 | 6,006 | 5,207 | 11,213 | 0.10% |
| 75-79 | 20,886 | 16,233 | 37,119 | 0.32% |
| 70-74 | 25,776 | 24,504 | 50,280 | 0.43% |
| 65-69 | 61,132 | 43,090 | 104,222 | 0.90% |
| 60-64 | 153,036 | 99,734 | 252,770 | 2.18% |
| 55-59 | 236,851 | 128,200 | 365,051 | 3.15% |
| 50-54 | 390,618 | 154,462 | 545,080 | 4.71% |
| 45-49 | 536,513 | 245,529 | 782,042 | 6.76% |
| 40-44 | 726,344 | 385,166 | 1,111,510 | 9.60% |
| 35-39 | 1,153,976 | 505,009 | 1,658,985 | 14.33% |
| 30-34 | 1,278,802 | 527,976 | 1,806,778 | 15.61% |
| 25-29 | 983,710 | 564,510 | 1,548,220 | 13.38% |
| 20-24 | 597,132 | 344,694 | 941,826 | 8.14% |
| 15-19 | 272,435 | 236,075 | 508,510 | 4.39% |
| 10-14 | 300,030 | 295,885 | 595,915 | 5.15% |
| 5-9 | 315,842 | 316,895 | 632,737 | 5.47% |
| 0-4 | 302,938 | 310,520 | 613,458 | 5.30% |
| Total | 7,366,199 | 4,208,484 | 11,574,683 | 100.00% |
| Male surplus 3,157,715 (27.3% of the population). | ||||
Population pyramid, 1950 to 2026
Watch how the United Arab Emirates' population structure evolved from 1950 to 2026
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United Arab Emirates sex ratio
The United Arab Emirates has 175.0 males per 100 females.
That is 3,157,715 more men than women (27.3% of the population). Women outnumber men among the youngest ages, and the balance crosses over 2 times across the age bands, and at 85 and over there are 1.1 women for every man.
United Arab Emirates age structure
The United Arab Emirates has a constrictive population pyramid. The largest five-year band is 30–34, at 15.6% of the population.
The United Arab Emirates' 65+ share is the 2nd-lowest of 194 countries; Its under-15 share is the 43rd-lowest of 194 countries.
The largest generation is Millennials — 41.8% (4,836,735). All generations in the United Arab Emirates →
How the age structure shifted, 1950 to 2026
Key Demographics
| Total Population | 11,574,683 |
| Male Population | 7,366,199(63.6%) |
| Female Population | 4,208,484(36.4%) |
| Median Age | 31.6 years |
| Sex Ratio | 175.0 males per 100 females |
| Youth (0-14) | 1,842,110(15.9%) |
| Working Age (15-64) | 9,520,773(82.3%) |
| Elderly (65+) | 211,800(1.8%) |
| Total Dependency Ratio | 21.6 |
| Youth Dependency Ratio | 19.3 |
| Old Age Dependency Ratio | 2.2 |
| Pyramid Type | Constrictive |
Dependency Ratios: Number of dependents per 100 working-age individuals.
Births and fertility rate
UN World Population Prospects 2024, 2026 (medium-variant projection).
How many births, and how often (2026)
In United Arab Emirates there is about one birth every 4.4 minutes.
Birth-rate and fertility trend, 1950 to 2026
Crude birth rate · total fertility rate (dashed)Birth statistics, 2021 to 2026
| Year | Births | Birth rate (per 1,000) | TFR (children/woman) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 90,831 | 9.3 | 1.16 | estimate |
| 2022 | 95,204 | 9.3 | 1.15 | estimate |
| 2023 | 104,015 | 9.8 | 1.20 | estimate |
| 2024 | 108,273 | 9.8 | 1.21 | projection |
| 2025 | 114,046 | 10.1 | 1.21 | projection |
| 2026 | 119,325 | 10.3 | 1.21 | projection |
Since 1950
Global context (2026)
Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024. Births, birth rate and fertility for 2024 and later are medium-variant projections; 1950–2023 are estimates.
Fertility in context (2026)
That is below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman, and ranks the United Arab Emirates 185 of 194 for fertility (1 = highest). The world average is 2.23, and the UN projects the United Arab Emirates' rate at 1.33 by 2050. Since 1950 the rate is down 81.4%, from 6.50 children per woman.
United Arab Emirates median age
The United Arab Emirates' median age is 31.6 years
Half the population is younger than this and half is older, which makes the United Arab Emirates a young society.
The United Arab Emirates' median age changed by +0.8 years from 2016 to 2026, slower than the world average (+2.6 years).
It has risen from 17.5 years in 1950, and the UN projects 32.6 by 2050.
Life Expectancy in the United Arab Emirates
How long the average person in the United Arab Emirates is expected to live · sourced from UN WPP 2024
Life expectancy, 1950 to 2100: UN estimates to 2023, projection from 2024
Solid: actual · Dashed: medium-variant projectionUnited Arab Emirates population change, 1950 to 2050
Since 1950, the United Arab Emirates' population has grown by 15434.0%.
The United Arab Emirates has 11.6 million people in 2026, up 3939.5% from 286,535 in 1970.
Births outnumber deaths by 108,211 (UN projection for 2026).
The United Arab Emirates is projected to grow to 15.4 million people by 2050 (+32.8% from 2026).
United Arab Emirates' Demographic Evolution by Decade
In the 2020s, 2024 to 2026 are UN projections.
The population grew 254.5%, from 0.3 million in 1970 to 1.0 million by 1980
The median age increased by 3.2 years
The youth population share contracted by 2.4 percentage points.
Major Events That Shaped the United Arab Emirates' Demographics
Understanding the historical events and policy decisions that created the United Arab Emirates' current population structure.
Oil Discovery and Boom
1958-1980sMassive oil revenues transformed a small desert society into a modern state.
Demographic Impact
Population rose from 137,989 in 1961 to 4.7 million by 2005.
Economic Diversification and Immigration
1990s-presentDubai and Abu Dhabi emerged as global business and tourism hubs.
Demographic Impact
Population reached 9.4 million by 2020.
Emiratization Policies
2000s-presentGovernment initiatives to increase Emirati participation in the workforce.
Demographic Impact
The overall sex ratio was about 175.0 males per 100 females in 2026.
The United Arab Emirates' demographic transition stage
Stage 4 (low birth and death rates): fertility is below the replacement level of 2.1 (1.21 children per woman), and births still exceed deaths (10.3 vs 1.0 per 1,000). Read more about Stage 4.
The United Arab Emirates' working-age share is projected to peak in 2026 at 82.3%.
Compare United Arab Emirates with other countries
How Does the United Arab Emirates Compare to Its Neighbors?
The United Arab Emirates has a younger population than Qatar. The United Arab Emirates has an older population than Saudi Arabia, Oman.
| Country | Population | Median Age | Youth % | Elderly % | Pyramid Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates (Current) | 11,574,683 | 31.6 | 15.9% | 1.8% | constrictive |
| Saudi Arabia | 35,165,787 | 29.7 | 23.4% | 3.2% | stationary |
| Oman | 5,671,458 | 29.8 | 24.0% | 2.7% | stationary |
| Qatar | 3,173,560 | 33.4 | 15.0% | 1.7% | constrictive |