Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual was 1.64 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in United Arab Emirates, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in United Arab Emirates is 1.64 % change on previous year, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.5% on the previous year and down 71.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in United Arab Emirates peaked at 15.84 % change on previous year in 1975 and was at its lowest, 1.64 % change on previous year, in 2025.
United Arab Emirates ranks 56th of 121 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 9.12 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 9.32 % change on previous year | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 9.52 % change on previous year | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 9.73 % change on previous year | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 9.89 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 1966 | 10.11 % change on previous year | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 10.3 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 11.98 % change on previous year | +16.3% |
| 1969 | 15.63 % change on previous year | +30.4% |
| 1970 | 15.68 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 15.71 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 15.77 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 15.75 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 15.81 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 15.84 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 13.64 % change on previous year | -13.9% |
| 1977 | 11.48 % change on previous year | -15.8% |
| 1978 | 11.61 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 11.72 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 11.85 % change on previous year | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 8.13 % change on previous year | -31.4% |
| 1982 | 5.09 % change on previous year | -37.5% |
| 1983 | 5.11 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 5.14 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 5.15 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 5.31 % change on previous year | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 5.44 % change on previous year | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 5.47 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 5.47 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 5.5 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 5.52 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 5.54 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 5.55 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 5.57 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 5.59 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 6.23 % change on previous year | +11.5% |
| 1997 | 6.75 % change on previous year | +8.4% |
| 1998 | 6.77 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 6.78 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 6.8 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 6.79 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 6.81 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 6.82 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 6.84 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 6.83 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 7.08 % change on previous year | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 7.26 % change on previous year | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 7.29 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 7.28 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 7.3 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 5.75 % change on previous year | -21.3% |
| 2012 | 5.76 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 5.75 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 5.77 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 5.77 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 5.78 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 5.79 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 5.8 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 2.39 % change on previous year | -58.7% |
| 2020 | 2.23 % change on previous year | -6.9% |
| 2021 | 2.05 % change on previous year | -7.8% |
| 2022 | 1.94 % change on previous year | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 1.84 % change on previous year | -5.5% |
| 2024 | 1.73 % change on previous year | -5.6% |
| 2025 | 1.64 % change on previous year | -5.5% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 1.64 % change on previous year is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.6224 % change on previous year, 2.6× the median. (40 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 1.64 % change on previous year is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.64 % change on previous year, 1.0× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in United Arab Emirates changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | -58.7% | 5.8 % change on previous year | 2.39 % change on previous year |
| 1982 | -37.5% | 8.13 % change on previous year | 5.09 % change on previous year |
| 1981 | -31.4% | 11.85 % change on previous year | 8.13 % change on previous year |
| 1969 | +30.4% | 11.98 % change on previous year | 15.63 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.62 % change on previous year | 9.12 % change on previous year | 15.63 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 14.3 % change on previous year | 11.48 % change on previous year | 15.84 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.22 % change on previous year | 5.09 % change on previous year | 11.85 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.98 % change on previous year | 5.5 % change on previous year | 6.78 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.98 % change on previous year | 6.79 % change on previous year | 7.29 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.59 % change on previous year | 2.39 % change on previous year | 7.3 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.91 % change on previous year | 1.64 % change on previous year | 2.23 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 53 Morocco 1.74 % change on previous year compare
- 54 Dominican Republic 1.69 % change on previous year compare
- 55 Kazakhstan 1.66 % change on previous year compare
- 57 Saudi Arabia 1.64 % change on previous year compare
- 58 Paraguay 1.64 % change on previous year compare
- 59 Ecuador 1.58 % change on previous year compare
More urban development data for United Arab Emirates
- Population in the largest city 31.3% (2025)
- Population density 147.62 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 57.19 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 6.62 million (2025)
- 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, 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 in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in United Arab Emirates?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual in United Arab Emirates was 1.64 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 15.84 % change on previous year in 1975.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.64 % change on previous year in 2025.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 56th out of 121 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 71.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.