The United Arab Emirates Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
United Arab Emirates vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	UAE	World
1960	19.6	22.5
1961	20.1	22.5
1962	20.6	22.4
1963	21	22.2
1964	21.5	22
1965	22	21.8
1966	22.6	21.7
1967	23.3	21.6
1968	23.5	21.5
1969	23.1	21.5
1970	23	21.4
1971	23.2	21.4
1972	23.6	21.5
1973	24.1	21.5
1974	24.7	21.6
1975	25.4	21.7
1976	25.6	21.9
1977	25.4	22
1978	25.5	22.2
1979	25.8	22.3
1980	26.2	22.5
1981	26.4	22.6
1982	26.4	22.7
1983	26.4	22.9
1984	26.4	23
1985	26.6	23.2
1986	26.5	23.3
1987	26.1	23.4
1988	25.9	23.6
1989	25.8	23.8
1990	25.8	23.9
1991	26	24.1
1992	26.4	24.3
1993	26.8	24.5
1994	27.4	24.7
1995	28	25
1996	28.1	25.2
1997	27.9	25.4
1998	27.9	25.7
1999	28	25.9
2000	28.2	26.1
2001	28.6	26.3
2002	29.1	26.5
2003	29.6	26.7
2004	30.3	27
2005	30.9	27.2
2006	31.4	27.4
2007	31.6	27.6
2008	31.6	27.8
2009	31.6	28
2010	31.7	28.2
2011	31.7	28.4
2012	31.7	28.6
2013	31.7	28.9
2014	31.8	29.1
2015	31.8	29.3
2016	31.8	29.5
2017	31.8	29.8
2018	31.8	30
2019	31.8	30.3
2020	31.8	30.6
2021	31.9	30.8
2022	31.9	31
2023	32.2	31.3
2024	32.6	31.6
2025	32.6	31.9
2026	32.6	32.1
2027	32.7	32.3
2028	32.7	32.6
2029	32.7	32.8
2030	32.8	33
2031	32.8	33.2
2032	32.9	33.4
2033	32.9	33.6
2034	33	33.8
2035	33	34
2036	33.1	34.2
2037	33.2	34.4
2038	33.2	34.6
2039	33.2	34.8
2040	33.3	35
2041	33.3	35.2
2042	33.3	35.4
2043	33.4	35.6
2044	33.4	35.8
2045	33.4	36
2046	33.5	36.2
2047	33.5	36.4
2048	33.5	36.6
2049	33.6	36.8
2050	33.6	37.1

In 1960, the median age in the United Arab Emirates was 19.6 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 32.6 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 99th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), the United Arab Emirates ranks 91st currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in the United Arab Emirates is expected to increase to around 33.6 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

The United Arab Emirates demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	UAE
	Male	Female
0-4	2.66%	2.61%
5-9	2.82%	2.77%
10-14	2.65%	2.6%
15-19	2.42%	2.14%
20-24	5.05%	3.28%
25-29	8.91%	4.3%
30-34	10.7%	4.44%
35-39	9.37%	4.39%
40-44	6.62%	3.28%
45-49	4.82%	2.05%
50-54	3.36%	1.49%
55-59	2.22%	1.26%
60-64	1.25%	0.73%
65-69	0.48%	0.34%
70-74	0.27%	0.23%
75-79	0.14%	0.12%
80+	0.09%	0.09%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. The United Arab Emirates has average demographic potential with 57.4% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 96/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	UAE			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	67%	63.1%	3.92%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	63.9%	60.2%	3.68%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	61.2%	57.8%	3.46%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	59.1%	55.8%	3.26%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	57.4%	54.3%	3.08%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	55.7%	52.8%	2.91%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	53.8%	51.1%	2.76%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	51.2%	48.6%	2.61%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	48.9%	46.5%	2.44%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	47.3%	45%	2.27%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	45.5%	43.3%	2.18%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	43.8%	41.7%	2.15%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	42.4%	40.3%	2.17%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	41.5%	39.3%	2.22%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	40.9%	38.6%	2.34%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	40.7%	38.2%	2.5%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	40.2%	37.8%	2.46%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	39.7%	37.4%	2.24%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	39.6%	37.5%	2.03%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	39.8%	37.9%	1.84%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	40.1%	38.4%	1.68%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	41.1%	39.5%	1.62%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	42.8%	41.2%	1.64%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	44.3%	42.6%	1.65%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	45.6%	44%	1.66%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	46.8%	45.1%	1.67%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	47.6%	46%	1.65%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	47.7%	46.1%	1.61%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	46.9%	45.3%	1.56%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	45.6%	44.1%	1.52%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	44.1%	42.6%	1.48%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	42.6%	41.1%	1.45%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	41.1%	39.6%	1.42%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	39.6%	38.2%	1.4%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	38.3%	36.9%	1.39%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	36.9%	35.5%	1.37%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	35.5%	34.1%	1.37%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	33.9%	32.5%	1.41%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	32%	30.6%	1.47%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	30.2%	28.6%	1.55%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	28.4%	26.8%	1.64%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	26.8%	25.1%	1.73%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	25.6%	23.7%	1.83%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	24.7%	22.8%	1.94%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	24.2%	22.1%	2.06%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	23.9%	21.7%	2.2%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	23.5%	21.2%	2.25%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	23%	20.9%	2.09%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	22.6%	20.7%	1.91%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	22.5%	20.7%	1.8%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	22.4%	20.7%	1.74%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	22.3%	20.6%	1.75%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	22.4%	20.6%	1.8%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	22.4%	20.6%	1.82%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	22.5%	20.6%	1.83%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	22.5%	20.6%	1.84%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	22.4%	20.6%	1.82%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	22.3%	20.5%	1.81%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	22.3%	20.4%	1.84%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	22.2%	20.3%	1.87%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	22.2%	20.3%	1.91%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	22.1%	20.2%	1.98%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	22.1%	20.1%	2%	54%	39%	15%
2023	22%	19.9%	2.07%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	21.8%	19.6%	2.15%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in the United Arab Emirates decreased from 24.2% to 21.8% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

United Arab Emirates working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	UAE	World
1960	59.9%	57.6%
1961	61%	57.5%
1962	62%	57.4%
1963	62.9%	57.2%
1964	63.5%	57%
1965	64.2%	56.9%
1966	65%	56.8%
1967	66.1%	56.9%
1968	67.2%	56.9%
1969	67.9%	56.9%
1970	68.7%	57%
1971	69.5%	57.1%
1972	70.2%	57.2%
1973	70.7%	57.3%
1974	70.9%	57.3%
1975	71.1%	57.4%
1976	71.3%	57.5%
1977	71.6%	57.7%
1978	71.7%	58%
1979	71.5%	58.4%
1980	71.4%	58.7%
1981	70.9%	59%
1982	70%	59.3%
1983	69.3%	59.6%
1984	68.7%	59.9%
1985	68.1%	60.1%
1986	67.7%	60.4%
1987	67.7%	60.5%
1988	68.1%	60.7%
1989	68.7%	60.8%
1990	69.4%	60.9%
1991	70.1%	61%
1992	70.9%	61.1%
1993	71.6%	61.2%
1994	72.3%	61.3%
1995	73.1%	61.5%
1996	73.8%	61.7%
1997	74.7%	61.9%
1998	75.7%	62.2%
1999	76.8%	62.5%
2000	77.9%	62.8%
2001	78.8%	63.1%
2002	79.6%	63.4%
2003	80.2%	63.7%
2004	80.5%	64%
2005	80.7%	64.3%
2006	81%	64.5%
2007	81.3%	64.7%
2008	81.6%	64.9%
2009	81.7%	65%
2010	81.7%	65.1%
2011	81.7%	65.2%
2012	81.7%	65.2%
2013	81.7%	65.2%
2014	81.7%	65.2%
2015	81.7%	65.1%
2016	81.7%	65.1%
2017	81.8%	65%
2018	81.8%	64.9%
2019	81.8%	64.9%
2020	81.9%	64.8%
2021	81.9%	64.9%
2022	81.9%	64.9%
2023	82%	65%
2024	82.1%	65.1%
2025	82.2%	65.2%
2026	82.3%	65.3%
2027	82.2%	65.4%
2028	82.1%	65.4%
2029	82%	65.4%
2030	81.7%	65.4%
2031	81.5%	65.4%
2032	81.2%	65.4%
2033	80.9%	65.4%
2034	80.6%	65.3%
2035	80.4%	65.2%
2036	80.2%	65%
2037	80%	64.9%
2038	79.8%	64.7%
2039	79.6%	64.6%
2040	79.5%	64.5%
2041	79.4%	64.4%
2042	79.3%	64.3%
2043	79.2%	64.2%
2044	79.2%	64.1%
2045	79.2%	63.9%
2046	79.2%	63.8%
2047	79.3%	63.7%
2048	79.5%	63.6%
2049	79.6%	63.4%
2050	79.8%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in the United Arab Emirates changed from 80.5% to 82.1% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	UAE	World
1960	37.8%	37.4%
1961	36.7%	37.5%
1962	35.8%	37.6%
1963	35.1%	37.8%
1964	34.5%	38%
1965	33.9%	38%
1966	33.2%	38%
1967	32.1%	38%
1968	31.2%	37.9%
1969	30.6%	37.8%
1970	29.8%	37.7%
1971	29%	37.6%
1972	28.3%	37.5%
1973	27.8%	37.3%
1974	27.4%	37.2%
1975	27.2%	37.1%
1976	26.9%	36.9%
1977	26.8%	36.7%
1978	26.9%	36.3%
1979	27.1%	35.9%
1980	27.4%	35.5%
1981	28%	35.2%
1982	28.8%	34.9%
1983	29.5%	34.6%
1984	30.2%	34.3%
1985	30.7%	34%
1986	31.2%	33.8%
1987	31.2%	33.6%
1988	30.9%	33.4%
1989	30.3%	33.2%
1990	29.6%	33%
1991	28.8%	32.9%
1992	28.1%	32.7%
1993	27.4%	32.5%
1994	26.7%	32.3%
1995	25.9%	32.1%
1996	25.2%	31.8%
1997	24.3%	31.5%
1998	23.1%	31.1%
1999	22%	30.8%
2000	20.8%	30.4%
2001	19.8%	30%
2002	18.9%	29.6%
2003	18.3%	29.2%
2004	17.8%	28.8%
2005	17.5%	28.5%
2006	17.2%	28.1%
2007	17%	27.9%
2008	16.9%	27.6%
2009	16.9%	27.5%
2010	16.9%	27.3%
2011	16.8%	27.1%
2012	16.8%	27%
2013	16.8%	26.9%
2014	16.8%	26.8%
2015	16.8%	26.6%
2016	16.8%	26.5%
2017	16.8%	26.4%
2018	16.7%	26.2%
2019	16.6%	26%
2020	16.6%	25.8%
2021	16.5%	25.6%
2022	16.5%	25.3%
2023	16.3%	25%
2024	16.1%	24.7%
2025	16%	24.4%
2026	15.9%	24.1%
2027	15.9%	23.8%
2028	15.9%	23.4%
2029	15.9%	23.1%
2030	16%	22.8%
2031	16.1%	22.6%
2032	16.3%	22.3%
2033	16.5%	22.1%
2034	16.7%	21.9%
2035	16.9%	21.7%
2036	17.1%	21.6%
2037	17.3%	21.5%
2038	17.5%	21.4%
2039	17.7%	21.3%
2040	17.9%	21.2%
2041	18%	21.1%
2042	18.1%	21%
2043	18.2%	21%
2044	18.3%	20.9%
2045	18.3%	20.8%
2046	18.3%	20.7%
2047	18.3%	20.7%
2048	18.3%	20.6%
2049	18.2%	20.5%
2050	18.1%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in the United Arab Emirates decreased from 17.8% to 16.1% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	UAE	World
1960	2.35%	4.97%
1961	2.24%	4.99%
1962	2.14%	5.01%
1963	2.05%	5.02%
1964	1.96%	5.04%
1965	1.87%	5.08%
1966	1.79%	5.12%
1967	1.73%	5.16%
1968	1.64%	5.2%
1969	1.54%	5.24%
1970	1.5%	5.28%
1971	1.49%	5.32%
1972	1.52%	5.37%
1973	1.57%	5.42%
1974	1.66%	5.47%
1975	1.78%	5.53%
1976	1.76%	5.59%
1977	1.6%	5.65%
1978	1.46%	5.71%
1979	1.32%	5.77%
1980	1.2%	5.81%
1981	1.15%	5.81%
1982	1.15%	5.8%
1983	1.14%	5.79%
1984	1.14%	5.8%
1985	1.14%	5.82%
1986	1.12%	5.86%
1987	1.09%	5.91%
1988	1.06%	5.95%
1989	1.04%	6.01%
1990	1.03%	6.07%
1991	1.02%	6.14%
1992	1.01%	6.21%
1993	1.01%	6.29%
1994	1%	6.37%
1995	1%	6.45%
1996	1.01%	6.53%
1997	1.06%	6.61%
1998	1.12%	6.68%
1999	1.19%	6.76%
2000	1.28%	6.84%
2001	1.37%	6.92%
2002	1.46%	7.01%
2003	1.56%	7.1%
2004	1.66%	7.18%
2005	1.77%	7.26%
2006	1.83%	7.34%
2007	1.7%	7.41%
2008	1.55%	7.47%
2009	1.47%	7.52%
2010	1.42%	7.58%
2011	1.43%	7.66%
2012	1.47%	7.78%
2013	1.48%	7.92%
2014	1.5%	8.08%
2015	1.5%	8.26%
2016	1.49%	8.45%
2017	1.48%	8.65%
2018	1.5%	8.88%
2019	1.53%	9.1%
2020	1.56%	9.33%
2021	1.62%	9.53%
2022	1.64%	9.74%
2023	1.7%	9.98%
2024	1.77%	10.2%
2025	1.79%	10.4%
2026	1.83%	10.6%
2027	1.89%	10.8%
2028	2%	11.1%
2029	2.13%	11.5%
2030	2.26%	11.7%
2031	2.4%	12%
2032	2.53%	12.3%
2033	2.62%	12.6%
2034	2.65%	12.8%
2035	2.65%	13.1%
2036	2.65%	13.4%
2037	2.69%	13.7%
2038	2.72%	13.9%
2039	2.7%	14.1%
2040	2.67%	14.3%
2041	2.63%	14.5%
2042	2.62%	14.7%
2043	2.61%	14.9%
2044	2.57%	15%
2045	2.52%	15.2%
2046	2.46%	15.4%
2047	2.38%	15.7%
2048	2.28%	15.9%
2049	2.16%	16.1%
2050	2.07%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in the United Arab Emirates increased from 1.66% to 1.77% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.