Dubai population 862,387 in 2000

The population of the emirate of Dubai reached 862,387 in 2000, according to Dubai Municipality. The Statistical Yearbook 2000, published by the civic body, shows that males constitute 71 per cent of the total population.

It also showed that 97 per cent of the population resides in the urban areas and only 23,315 inhabitants live in rural regions. The percentage of inhabitants in urban areas in 1980 was exactly the same.

Illiterates constitute nine per cent of the total population while 51 per cent of Dubai's inhabitants have intermediate education. A total of 560,077 individuals are active in the labour force which means that 65 per cent of the total population is employed.

The yearbook divides the population into three categories: household, collective household and collective labour. More than half of the population, a total of 64 per cent, falls under household (families). More than half of the household category lives in Dubai's urban areas.

Sixty per cent of Dubai's inhabitants are married and nearly 21 per cent have never married. This represents a drop in both categories, compared with 1980 statistics. During that year, married individuals constituted 70 per cent of the total population and those who never married stood at 27 per cent.

In addition, the total number of births in the emirate was 16,382 while deaths stood at 1,343.

Male and female birth rates were almost equal. Of all births, 30 per cent was among nationals.

Most death rates were among males and constituted 72 per cent of all deaths in the emirate. The highest number of deaths occurred in the month of November followed closely by the months of December and April.

The infant mortality rate stood at 6.8 per cent in 2000. This is a decrease compared with 1996, when the rate stood at 8.1 per cent. The birth rate was 19 per cent in 2000 and 19.7 per cent in 1996.

The marriage rate was 1.7 per cent while the divorce rate stood at 0.5 per cent, according to the statistics.