The United Arab Emirates has a population density of 424 people per square mile compared to 750 people in the United Kingdom. The United Arab Emirates has 81,907 sq ft of land per person vs 37,705 sq ft in the United Kingdom. The United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom rank 62nd and 35th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. The United Arab Emirates has 0.14% of the world's population and 0.05% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.85% of the population and 0.16% of the land area for the United Kingdom, making the population density in the United Arab Emirates 43.4% lower than in the United Kingdom.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
UAE
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2026 | 424 | 750 |
| 2025 | 415 | 746 |
| 2024 | 401 | 741 |
| 2023 | 382 | 733 |
| 2022 | 367 | 724 |
| 2021 | 349 | 717 |
| 2020 | 343 | 715 |
| 2019 | 344 | 713 |
| 2018 | 341 | 710 |
| 2017 | 336 | 706 |
| 2016 | 326 | 702 |
| 2015 | 310 | 697 |
| 2014 | 293.9 | 692 |
| 2013 | 280.6 | 687 |
| 2012 | 269.6 | 682 |
| 2011 | 259.1 | 677 |
| 2010 | 250.5 | 672 |
| 2009 | 244.6 | 667 |
| 2008 | 229.8 | 662 |
| 2007 | 205.1 | 656 |
| 2006 | 182.7 | 651 |
| 2005 | 170.1 | 647 |
| 2004 | 161.5 | 642 |
| 2003 | 152.9 | 639 |
| 2002 | 144.3 | 636 |
| 2001 | 135.8 | 633 |
| 2000 | 127.4 | 630 |
| 1999 | 119.1 | 628 |
| 1998 | 110.9 | 626 |
| 1997 | 102.7 | 624 |
| 1996 | 94.7 | 623 |
| 1995 | 88.8 | 621 |
| 1994 | 84.9 | 619 |
| 1993 | 81 | 618 |
| 1992 | 77.1 | 616 |
| 1991 | 73.2 | 615 |
| 1990 | 69.2 | 613 |
| 1989 | 65.3 | 611 |
| 1988 | 61.3 | 609 |
| 1987 | 57.4 | 608 |
| 1986 | 53.5 | 607 |
| 1985 | 50.3 | 605 |
| 1984 | 47.6 | 604 |
| 1983 | 45 | 603 |
| 1982 | 42.5 | 603 |
| 1981 | 40.1 | 603 |
| 1980 | 37 | 603 |
| 1979 | 33.3 | 602 |
| 1978 | 29.5 | 602 |
| 1977 | 25.9 | 602 |
| 1976 | 22.5 | 602 |
| 1975 | 19.8 | 602 |
| 1974 | 17.8 | 602 |
| 1973 | 15.9 | 602 |
| 1972 | 14 | 600 |
| 1971 | 12.2 | 598 |
| 1970 | 10.4 | 596 |
| 1969 | 8.74 | 594 |
| 1968 | 7.27 | 591 |
| 1967 | 6.55 | 588 |
| 1966 | 6.34 | 585 |
| 1965 | 6.09 | 582 |
| 1964 | 5.82 | 578 |
| 1963 | 5.55 | 574 |
| 1962 | 5.29 | 570 |
| 1961 | 5.03 | 565 |
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/united-arab-emirates/united-kingdom | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in the United Arab Emirates increased by 132.2%, compared to a 15.1% growth in the United Kingdom.
In 2006, the United Arab Emirates ranked 102nd by population density and is 62nd now. The United Kingdom was 35th in 2006 and still ranks 35th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
UAE
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 424 ppl/mi² | 750 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 62/197 | 35/197 |
| Population |
11686438
|
70154914
|
| Land area | 27,421 sq mi | 93,410 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 69,582 sq ft | 37,618 sq ft |
| Rural population | 14.2% | 16.8% |
| Urban population | 85.8% | 83.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 57.9% | 14.2% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
UAE
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 85.8% | 83.2% |
| 2023 | 85.7% | 83.2% |
| 2022 | 85.5% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 85.4% | 83% |
| 2020 | 85.2% | 82.9% |
| 2019 | 85% | 82.7% |
| 2018 | 84.9% | 82.4% |
| 2017 | 84.7% | 82.2% |
| 2016 | 84.5% | 82% |
| 2015 | 84.3% | 81.8% |
| 2014 | 84.1% | 81.6% |
| 2013 | 84% | 81.5% |
| 2012 | 83.8% | 81.3% |
| 2011 | 83.6% | 81.1% |
| 2010 | 83.4% | 81% |
| 2009 | 83.2% | 80.9% |
| 2008 | 83% | 80.8% |
| 2007 | 82.8% | 80.6% |
| 2006 | 82.6% | 80.5% |
| 2005 | 82.2% | 80.4% |
| 2004 | 81.5% | 80.3% |
| 2003 | 80.8% | 80.2% |
| 2002 | 80.3% | 80.1% |
| 2001 | 79.7% | 80% |
| 2000 | 79.3% | 79.8% |
| 1999 | 78.9% | 79.6% |
| 1998 | 78.6% | 79.4% |
| 1997 | 78.4% | 79.1% |
| 1996 | 78.3% | 78.9% |
| 1995 | 78.3% | 78.7% |
| 1994 | 78.3% | 78.4% |
| 1993 | 78.4% | 78.3% |
| 1992 | 78.4% | 78.2% |
| 1991 | 78.6% | 78.1% |
| 1990 | 78.7% | 78.1% |
| 1989 | 78.8% | 78.1% |
| 1988 | 79% | 78.2% |
| 1987 | 79.2% | 78.3% |
| 1986 | 79.3% | 78.3% |
| 1985 | 79.5% | 78.4% |
| 1984 | 79.7% | 78.5% |
| 1983 | 80% | 78.5% |
| 1982 | 80.3% | 78.6% |
| 1981 | 80.7% | 78.6% |
| 1980 | 81.1% | 78.6% |
| 1979 | 81.8% | 78.5% |
| 1978 | 82.6% | 78.3% |
| 1977 | 83.4% | 78.1% |
| 1976 | 83.9% | 77.8% |
| 1975 | 83.9% | 77.5% |
| 1974 | 83.7% | 77.3% |
| 1973 | 83.2% | 77.1% |
| 1972 | 82.6% | 77% |
| 1971 | 82% | 76.9% |
| 1970 | 81.2% | 76.9% |
| 1969 | 80.5% | 77% |
| 1968 | 79.8% | 77.1% |
| 1967 | 79.2% | 77.2% |
| 1966 | 78.5% | 77.4% |
| 1965 | 77.8% | 77.6% |
| 1964 | 77.1% | 77.8% |
| 1963 | 76.3% | 78% |
| 1962 | 75.5% | 78.2% |
| 1961 | 74.5% | 78.4% |
| 1960 | 73.5% | 78.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/united-arab-emirates/united-kingdom | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 81.5% to 85.8% in the United Arab Emirates and from 80.3% to 83.2% in the United Kingdom.
Densely populated cities
|
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 |
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| London | 8.8M |
| Birmingham | 1.14M |
| Glasgow | 626K |
| Manchester | 548K |
| Leeds | 536K |
| Sheffield | 518K |
| Liverpool | 513K |
| Edinburgh | 488K |
| Bristol | 472K |
| Cardiff | 384K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
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/united-arab-emirates/united-kingdom | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2011–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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