After growing by over 5 million people from 2000 to 2010, population growth in the United Arab Emirates has slowed down significantly. The population currently stands at 9.89 million people and is projected to continue growing until 2033, when it will hit its peak at 10.71 million people. The population is then expected to decline very slowly and plateau, ending the 21st century with about 9.03 million people.
The UAE grew 1.23% from 2019 to 2020, adding about 120,000 people to the population. Between 2000 and 2010, the population grew anywhere from 5.35% per year to 13.26% per year. The UAE’s fertility rate is relatively low at 1.42 births per woman.
The fertility rate in the UAE is dropping rapidly, causing concern for the government. The UAE government has adopted policies, such as helping young married people financially, to encourage childbearing among its citizens. The median age is 32.6 for 2020 but can expect to increase if the fertility rate does not increase.
United Arab Emirates Population Growth
Again, because the United Arab Emirates is essentially seven separate nations, causation for population growth or decline is difficult to pinpoint. There has been a general trend of population increase in the recent past, with several small spikes due to regional immigration.
United Arab Emirates Population Projections
It is hard to predict the future population gains and losses in the United Arab Emirates, but there isn't expected to be any dramatic shifts in the near future that would cause any major increases or decreases. The overall annual population growth has been decreasing since 2010, and that trend is expected to continue in the years to come, with the 2019 rate of 1.47% declining to 0.68% by 2050. These same set of projections state the population of the United Arab Emirates will be 9,813,170 in 2020, 11,054,579 in 2030, 12,207,333 in 2040 and 13,163,548 in 2050.