Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 154.69 people per sq. km of land area in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
154.69 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 4.8%
World rank
73rd
of 216 countries
All-time high
154.69 people per sq. km of land area
in 2024
All-time low
1.94 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Population density in United Arab Emirates, 1961–2024
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 154.69 people per sq. km of land area for population density in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.8% on the previous year and up 36.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in United Arab Emirates peaked at 154.69 people per sq. km of land area in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.94 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
United Arab Emirates ranks 73rd of 216 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.94 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 2.04 people per sq. km of land area | +5.0% |
| 1963 | 2.14 people per sq. km of land area | +5.0% |
| 1964 | 2.25 people per sq. km of land area | +4.9% |
| 1965 | 2.35 people per sq. km of land area | +4.6% |
| 1966 | 2.45 people per sq. km of land area | +4.1% |
| 1967 | 2.53 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1968 | 2.81 people per sq. km of land area | +11.0% |
| 1969 | 3.37 people per sq. km of land area | +20.2% |
| 1970 | 4.03 people per sq. km of land area | +19.6% |
| 1971 | 4.72 people per sq. km of land area | +16.9% |
| 1972 | 5.42 people per sq. km of land area | +14.9% |
| 1973 | 6.14 people per sq. km of land area | +13.3% |
| 1974 | 6.89 people per sq. km of land area | +12.1% |
| 1975 | 7.64 people per sq. km of land area | +11.0% |
| 1976 | 8.67 people per sq. km of land area | +13.4% |
| 1977 | 10 people per sq. km of land area | +15.3% |
| 1978 | 11.39 people per sq. km of land area | +13.9% |
| 1979 | 12.84 people per sq. km of land area | +12.7% |
| 1980 | 14.3 people per sq. km of land area | +11.4% |
| 1981 | 15.49 people per sq. km of land area | +8.3% |
| 1982 | 16.42 people per sq. km of land area | +6.0% |
| 1983 | 17.39 people per sq. km of land area | +5.9% |
| 1984 | 18.39 people per sq. km of land area | +5.7% |
| 1985 | 19.4 people per sq. km of land area | +5.5% |
| 1986 | 20.66 people per sq. km of land area | +6.5% |
| 1987 | 22.17 people per sq. km of land area | +7.3% |
| 1988 | 23.68 people per sq. km of land area | +6.8% |
| 1989 | 25.2 people per sq. km of land area | +6.4% |
| 1990 | 26.73 people per sq. km of land area | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 28.25 people per sq. km of land area | +5.7% |
| 1992 | 29.78 people per sq. km of land area | +5.4% |
| 1993 | 31.29 people per sq. km of land area | +5.1% |
| 1994 | 32.78 people per sq. km of land area | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 34.28 people per sq. km of land area | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 36.58 people per sq. km of land area | +6.7% |
| 1997 | 39.67 people per sq. km of land area | +8.5% |
| 1998 | 42.81 people per sq. km of land area | +7.9% |
| 1999 | 45.99 people per sq. km of land area | +7.4% |
| 2000 | 49.19 people per sq. km of land area | +7.0% |
| 2001 | 52.43 people per sq. km of land area | +6.6% |
| 2002 | 55.71 people per sq. km of land area | +6.3% |
| 2003 | 59.03 people per sq. km of land area | +6.0% |
| 2004 | 62.36 people per sq. km of land area | +5.6% |
| 2005 | 65.68 people per sq. km of land area | +5.3% |
| 2006 | 70.53 people per sq. km of land area | +7.4% |
| 2007 | 79.2 people per sq. km of land area | +12.3% |
| 2008 | 88.74 people per sq. km of land area | +12.1% |
| 2009 | 94.44 people per sq. km of land area | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 96.73 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 100.04 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 104.08 people per sq. km of land area | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 108.32 people per sq. km of land area | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 113.48 people per sq. km of land area | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 119.76 people per sq. km of land area | +5.5% |
| 2016 | 125.81 people per sq. km of land area | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 129.87 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 131.61 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 133 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 132.37 people per sq. km of land area | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 134.82 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 141.86 people per sq. km of land area | +5.2% |
| 2023 | 147.62 people per sq. km of land area | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 154.69 people per sq. km of land area | +4.8% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 154.69 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for high income countries, which is 147 people per sq. km of land area, 1.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 154.69 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 117.07 people per sq. km of land area, 1.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.43 people per sq. km of land area | 1.94 people per sq. km of land area | 3.37 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.78 people per sq. km of land area | 4.03 people per sq. km of land area | 12.84 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.31 people per sq. km of land area | 14.3 people per sq. km of land area | 25.2 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.82 people per sq. km of land area | 26.73 people per sq. km of land area | 45.99 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.73 people per sq. km of land area | 49.19 people per sq. km of land area | 94.44 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 116.27 people per sq. km of land area | 96.73 people per sq. km of land area | 133 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 142.27 people per sq. km of land area | 132.37 people per sq. km of land area | 154.69 people per sq. km of land area | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 70 Guatemala 171.76 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 71 Kiribati 165.87 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 72 Micronesia (country) 161.43 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 74 Togo 154.56 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 75 Ghana 151.31 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 76 China 150.08 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for United Arab Emirates
- Population in the largest city 31.3% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 57.19 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.5753 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 6.62 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 1.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 90.19 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 3.09 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 4.84 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 217.12 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in United Arab Emirates?
- Population density in United Arab Emirates was 154.69 people per sq. km of land area in 2024, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 154.69 people per sq. km of land area in 2024.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.94 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for population density?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 73rd out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population density rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.