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Population density: Bahrain vs United Arab Emirates compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bahrain has a population density of 5,378 people per square mile compared to 424 people in the United Arab Emirates. Bahrain has 5,329 sq ft of land per person vs 81,907 sq ft in the United Arab Emirates. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates rank 4th and 62nd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Bahrain has 0.02% of the world's population and 0.0005% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.14% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for the United Arab Emirates, making the population density in Bahrain 1,168% higher than in the United Arab Emirates.

Population density by year

Bahrain
United Arab Emirates

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bahrain UAE
2026 5,378 424
2025 5,268 415
2024 5,143 401
2023 5,106 382
2022 4,999 367
2021 4,932 349
2020 4,857 343
2019 4,927 344
2018 5,004 341
2017 4,984 336
2016 4,734 326
2015 4,562 310
2014 4,416 293.9
2013 4,215 280.6
2012 4,066 269.6
2011 4,035 259.1
2010 4,176 250.5
2009 4,016 244.6
2008 3,761 229.8
2007 3,589 205.1
2006 3,361 182.7
2005 3,111 170.1
2004 2,923 161.5
2003 2,750 152.9
2002 2,592 144.3
2001 2,412 135.8
2000 2,326 127.4
1999 2,265 119.1
1998 2,206 110.9
1997 2,149 102.7
1996 2,093 94.7
1995 2,039 88.8
1994 1,986 84.9
1993 1,934 81
1992 1,884 77.1
1991 1,888 73.2
1990 1,932 69.2
1989 1,867 65.3
1988 1,801 61.3
1987 1,737 57.4
1986 1,675 53.5
1985 1,615 50.3
1984 1,558 47.6
1983 1,504 45
1982 1,453 42.5
1981 1,402 40.1
1980 1,347 37
1979 1,289 33.3
1978 1,231 29.5
1977 1,174 25.9
1976 1,118 22.5
1975 1,063 19.8
1974 1,010 17.8
1973 958 15.9
1972 909 14
1971 866 12.2
1970 844 10.4
1969 835 8.74
1968 823 7.27
1967 804 6.55
1966 779 6.34
1965 754 6.09
1964 728 5.82
1963 700 5.55
1962 673 5.29
1961 647 5.03

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bahrain/united-arab-emirates | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bahrain increased by 60%, compared to a 132.2% growth in the United Arab Emirates.

In 2006, Bahrain ranked 4th by population density and is 4th still. The United Arab Emirates was 102nd in 2006 and ranks 62nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bahrain
United Arab Emirates
1x
Year Urban population
Bahrain UAE
2024 90.9% 85.8%
2023 90.8% 85.7%
2022 90.7% 85.5%
2021 90.6% 85.4%
2020 90.5% 85.2%
2019 90.4% 85%
2018 90.3% 84.9%
2017 90.2% 84.7%
2016 90.2% 84.5%
2015 90.1% 84.3%
2014 90% 84.1%
2013 90% 84%
2012 89.9% 83.8%
2011 89.8% 83.6%
2010 89.8% 83.4%
2009 89.6% 83.2%
2008 89.4% 83%
2007 89.1% 82.8%
2006 88.9% 82.6%
2005 88.7% 82.2%
2004 88.6% 81.5%
2003 88.4% 80.8%
2002 88.3% 80.3%
2001 88.3% 79.7%
2000 88.3% 79.3%
1999 88.3% 78.9%
1998 88.3% 78.6%
1997 88.3% 78.4%
1996 88.4% 78.3%
1995 88.4% 78.3%
1994 88.4% 78.3%
1993 88.4% 78.4%
1992 88.4% 78.4%
1991 88.3% 78.6%
1990 88.1% 78.7%
1989 87.9% 78.8%
1988 87.6% 79%
1987 87.4% 79.2%
1986 87.1% 79.3%
1985 86.7% 79.5%
1984 86.4% 79.7%
1983 86.1% 80%
1982 85.8% 80.3%
1981 85.5% 80.7%
1980 85.3% 81.1%
1979 85% 81.8%
1978 84.7% 82.6%
1977 84.5% 83.4%
1976 84.2% 83.9%
1975 84% 83.9%
1974 83.7% 83.7%
1973 83.5% 83.2%
1972 83.2% 82.6%
1971 83% 82%
1970 82.8% 81.2%
1969 82.7% 80.5%
1968 82.7% 79.8%
1967 82.7% 79.2%
1966 82.6% 78.5%
1965 82.5% 77.8%
1964 82.4% 77.1%
1963 82.4% 76.3%
1962 82.4% 75.5%
1961 82.3% 74.5%
1960 82.3% 73.5%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bahrain/united-arab-emirates | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 88.6% to 90.9% in Bahrain and from 81.5% to 85.8% in the United Arab Emirates.

Densely populated cities

Bahrain
City Population
Manama 298K
Riffa 115K
Isa Town 61.3K
UAE
City Population
Dubai 3.94M
Abu Dhabi 1.57M
Sharjah 1.25M
Al Ain 767K
Ajman 490K
Ras al-Khaimah 116K
Fujairah 93.7K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bahrain/united-arab-emirates | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2012–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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