Statistics for the first quarter of 2025 show a steady trend of population growth in Dubai: according to the Dubai Statistics Center, the emirate’s population has exceeded 3.9 million for the first time, Khaleej Times has reported. During January-March of this year, almost 51.3 thousand new residents were added — slightly less than the 52.1 thousand for the same period in 2024, but enough to record a continuation of the positive trend.
At the end of the first quarter, the population was 3.914 million people, and if the migration flow continues, Dubai could reach the historic mark of 4 million residents in the third quarter. In 2024, the increase was more than 169,000 – the highest figure since 2018, indicating the city’s continued appeal among foreign professionals and wealthy investors.
UAE Population Growth
The record migration dynamics directly affect a wide range of sectors – from real estate, retail and F&B (food and beverage) to tourism, hospitality and logistics. In its Global Investment Outlook 2025, Emirates NBD Research notes that the UAE’s non-oil economy is receiving a strong boost from a steady influx of new residents. Emirates NBD Group Chief Investment Officer, Maurice Gravier, highlights the importance of long-term visas and “best-in-class” business infrastructure, which encourage highly skilled professionals to choose the UAE as a new home. According to Gravier, the growth of the working-age population is becoming “one of the key drivers of sustainable economic development and prosperity” for the entire country, increasing consumption and creating new business opportunities in critical sectors.
Notably, Dubai’s GDP in the first nine months of 2024 grew by 3.1%, reaching 339 billion dirhams, compared to 329 billion in the same period in 2023. In the study, analysts highlight the “explosive increase” in the number of wealthy immigrants, who make up a significant share of the current population of the UAE. This opens up attractive prospects for investors who are targeting certain segments of the Dubai stock exchange — in particular, shares of companies that are focused on a higher price segment and provide services to a premium audience.
Good opportunities for investors
The tourism sector also plays a significant role in population growth and, as a result, economic indicators. In the first half of 2024 alone, more than 9.31 million tourists visited Dubai – this is 2.45 times higher than the permanent number of city residents. In 2023, the metropolis already hosted 17.15 million guests, and, according to experts, the tourist flow will continue to grow. According to Vijay Valechi, Chief Investment Officer of Century Financial, Dubai has every reason to become one of the most attractive centers in the world for living and working: strong state support, the practical absence of income tax, a strategic location “at the crossroads of continents” and a steady growth of “soft power” in the international arena.
Valecha believes that by 2040, Dubai’s population could exceed 5.8 million people, as urbanization and capital inflows create a self-sustaining growth model. With active construction, logistics development, large-scale entertainment projects and a large-scale hospitality offer, Dubai continues to form a positive image among the global business elite. Therefore, despite the challenges associated with global competition and macroeconomic risks, the emirate is confidently moving towards another demographic milestone — 4 million residents already this year, and a possible 5.8 million by 2040 will become a new stage of its global influence and economic leadership in the region.