Population density in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Population density was 147.62 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
147.62 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 4.1%
World rank
79th
of 216 countries
All-time high
147.62 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
All-time low
1.94 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population density in United Arab Emirates, 1961–2023
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 147.62 people per sq. km of land area for population density in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 36.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in United Arab Emirates peaked at 147.62 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.94 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
United Arab Emirates ranks 79th 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 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% |
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 | 139.17 people per sq. km of land area | 132.37 people per sq. km of land area | 147.62 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 76 Indonesia 148.58 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 77 Ghana 148.5 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 78 Isle of Man 147.66 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 80 Cyprus 145.56 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 81 Tonga 145.27 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 82 Czechia 140.79 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 147.62 people per sq. km of land area in 2023, 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 147.62 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- 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 79th out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- 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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CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.