UAE: How Dubai population grew by 165 times in 70 years

Dubai had a population of just 20,000 in 1950. And in 70 years, the number of residents that made the city home soared to 3.3 million — a 165-fold growth between 1950 and 2020.

Interestingly, the population is forecast to hit 5.8 million by 2040.

The Government of Dubai Media Office shared a graphic on Monday, tracing the population growth in the emirate:

According to data available on the Dubai Statistics Centre, the current population in Dubai stands at over 3.5 million. The Emirate’s population increased by over 100,000 since 2020, despite the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since Dubai was one of the first cities to open after the pandemic hit, many people moved back as the economy recovered and there were more business and job opportunities in the market.

Despite a consistent increase in population, the unemployment rate in Dubai stands at just 0.5 per cent.

According to the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, daytime population will soar to 7.8 million. The plan factors in the expected population rise and maps out sustainable urban development in the city.

sahim@khaleejtimes.com