Dubai’s population set to cross 4 million, doubling in just 15 years

Dubai: Dubai’s population is on the brink of crossing the four-million mark, according to new data from the Dubai Statistics Centre. 

The population stood at 3,999,247 as of August 25, an increase of 3.5 per cent, or more than 134,000 people, since the start of the year. 

That pace translates into a daily rise of roughly 567 new residents, pushing Dubai to record levels. 

Just a year ago, the emirate counted 3.79 million inhabitants, meaning the city has added more than 200,000 people in twelve months, the fastest clip in its history.

The surge is not confined to expatriates. Emirati citizens themselves grew by 2.5 percent in 2024, reaching nearly 300,000. It is the highest number on record for the local population, reflecting steady natural growth alongside immigration.

Fifty years ago, Dubai was a small trading town of 175,000. The city hit the two-million threshold on Christmas Eve 2011, in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. 

To have doubled again in less than 15 years speaks to both the scale and velocity of the transformation.

Much of the momentum has come since the pandemic, when Dubai’s open-door policy and reputation as a safe haven drew high-net-worth individuals from Britain, India, Russia, South-East Asia and Africa. 

Analysts estimate more than 30,000 Britons relocated to Dubai in each of the past three years, while waves of Russians and Ukrainians arrived following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

A report by New World Wealth for Henley & Partners this spring found that the number of millionaires in Dubai has doubled in a decade, cementing the emirate as one of the fastest-growing wealth hubs worldwide.

That influx of residents is visible in the city’s daily life. Public transport journeys have more than doubled since 2010, topping 747 million last year. Entire districts have emerged from the desert, while mega-projects such as the Dubai Canal, the Museum of the Future, and a fast-expanding Dubai Metro network have reshaped the urban landscape.

The city’s tourism and hospitality sector is also surging. International arrivals in the first four months of 2025 reached 7.15 million, up 7 percent from a year earlier. Hotels reported record occupancy of 83.5 percent, with room rates and revenue per room both climbing. 

Dubai Mall alone now welcomes over 80 million visitors annually, more than New York City.

Looking ahead, the government projects Dubai’s population will approach six million by 2040, guided by an ambitious urban master plan that emphasizes sustainability and accessibility. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has framed the blueprint as a “20-minute city,” where residents can meet nearly all their daily needs within a short distance.