The United Arab Emirates has a population density of 401 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. The United Arab Emirates has 81,907 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, the United Arab Emirates ranked 62nd out of 197.
The United Arab Emirates has 0.13% of the world's population and 0.05% of all countries' land area.
Population density in the United Arab Emirates compared to the World's average
UAE
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 401 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 62/197 | N/A |
| Population |
11533895
|
8280917972
|
| Land area | 27,421 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 69,582 sq ft | 196,907 sq ft |
| Rural population | 14.2% | 42.4% |
| Urban population | 85.8% | 57.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 61.6% | 28.6% |
The United Arab Emirates population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in the United Arab Emirates has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 148.1%. The population density rank was 111th 22 years ago and is 62nd today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 401 | 62 |
| 2023 | 382 | 66 |
| 2022 | 367 | 68 |
| 2021 | 349 | 70 |
| 2020 | 343 | 70 |
| 2019 | 344 | 70 |
| 2018 | 341 | 70 |
| 2017 | 336 | 70 |
| 2016 | 326 | 71 |
| 2015 | 310 | 73 |
| 2014 | 293.9 | 75 |
| 2013 | 280.6 | 79 |
| 2012 | 269.6 | 81 |
| 2011 | 259.1 | 83 |
| 2010 | 250.5 | 82 |
| 2009 | 244.6 | 82 |
| 2008 | 229.8 | 86 |
| 2007 | 205.1 | 95 |
| 2006 | 182.7 | 102 |
| 2005 | 170.1 | 107 |
| 2004 | 161.5 | 111 |
| 2003 | 152.9 | 113 |
| 2002 | 144.3 | 116 |
| 2001 | 135.8 | 118 |
| 2000 | 127.4 | 121 |
| 1999 | 119.1 | 118 |
| 1998 | 110.9 | 120 |
| 1997 | 102.7 | 123 |
| 1996 | 94.7 | 128 |
| 1995 | 88.8 | 129 |
| 1994 | 84.9 | 130 |
| 1993 | 81 | 130 |
| 1992 | 77.1 | 128 |
| 1991 | 73.2 | 113 |
| 1990 | 69.2 | 113 |
| 1989 | 65.3 | 116 |
| 1988 | 61.3 | 116 |
| 1987 | 57.4 | 116 |
| 1986 | 53.5 | 117 |
| 1985 | 50.3 | 119 |
| 1984 | 47.6 | 119 |
| 1983 | 45 | 119 |
| 1982 | 42.5 | 122 |
| 1981 | 40.1 | 124 |
| 1980 | 37 | 126 |
| 1979 | 33.3 | 129 |
| 1978 | 29.5 | 130 |
| 1977 | 25.9 | 132 |
| 1976 | 22.5 | 134 |
| 1975 | 19.8 | 136 |
| 1974 | 17.8 | 137 |
| 1973 | 15.9 | 141 |
| 1972 | 14 | 143 |
| 1971 | 12.2 | 145 |
| 1970 | 10.4 | 147 |
| 1969 | 8.74 | 149 |
| 1968 | 7.27 | 151 |
| 1967 | 6.55 | 151 |
| 1966 | 6.34 | 151 |
| 1965 | 6.09 | 151 |
| 1964 | 5.82 | 151 |
| 1963 | 5.55 | 151 |
| 1962 | 5.29 | 152 |
| 1961 | 5.03 | 153 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in the United Arab Emirates from 1960 to 2024: 73.5% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 79.3% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 85.8%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 85.8% | 32 |
| 2023 | 85.7% | 32 |
| 2022 | 85.5% | 32 |
| 2021 | 85.4% | 32 |
| 2020 | 85.2% | 32 |
| 2019 | 85% | 32 |
| 2018 | 84.9% | 32 |
| 2017 | 84.7% | 32 |
| 2016 | 84.5% | 33 |
| 2015 | 84.3% | 33 |
| 2014 | 84.1% | 32 |
| 2013 | 84% | 32 |
| 2012 | 83.8% | 32 |
| 2011 | 83.6% | 31 |
| 2010 | 83.4% | 31 |
| 2009 | 83.2% | 31 |
| 2008 | 83% | 31 |
| 2007 | 82.8% | 30 |
| 2006 | 82.6% | 30 |
| 2005 | 82.2% | 30 |
| 2004 | 81.5% | 31 |
| 2003 | 80.8% | 31 |
| 2002 | 80.3% | 33 |
| 2001 | 79.7% | 34 |
| 2000 | 79.3% | 33 |
| 1999 | 78.9% | 32 |
| 1998 | 78.6% | 32 |
| 1997 | 78.4% | 32 |
| 1996 | 78.3% | 32 |
| 1995 | 78.3% | 31 |
| 1994 | 78.3% | 30 |
| 1993 | 78.4% | 28 |
| 1992 | 78.4% | 28 |
| 1991 | 78.6% | 28 |
| 1990 | 78.7% | 27 |
| 1989 | 78.8% | 27 |
| 1988 | 79% | 26 |
| 1987 | 79.2% | 26 |
| 1986 | 79.3% | 25 |
| 1985 | 79.5% | 25 |
| 1984 | 79.7% | 24 |
| 1983 | 80% | 23 |
| 1982 | 80.3% | 23 |
| 1981 | 80.7% | 21 |
| 1980 | 81.1% | 20 |
| 1979 | 81.8% | 17 |
| 1978 | 82.6% | 15 |
| 1977 | 83.4% | 12 |
| 1976 | 83.9% | 11 |
| 1975 | 83.9% | 11 |
| 1974 | 83.7% | 11 |
| 1973 | 83.2% | 10 |
| 1972 | 82.6% | 10 |
| 1971 | 82% | 10 |
| 1970 | 81.2% | 11 |
| 1969 | 80.5% | 11 |
| 1968 | 79.8% | 12 |
| 1967 | 79.2% | 12 |
| 1966 | 78.5% | 13 |
| 1965 | 77.8% | 13 |
| 1964 | 77.1% | 14 |
| 1963 | 76.3% | 15 |
| 1962 | 75.5% | 15 |
| 1961 | 74.5% | 15 |
| 1960 | 73.5% | 16 |
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
UAE topic pages:
Population density comparisons
