Largest Cities by Population in the United Arab Emirates
20 cities in the United Arab Emirates, ranked by population estimates for July 1, 2023 (by Statistics offices of the emirates, United Arab Emirates). 2 places missing from those estimates keep their 2015 estimate figure.
| Rank | City | Also Known As | Native Name | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubai | Dubayy | دبى | 3,570,099 |
| 2 | Abu Dhabi | Abū Ẓaby | ابو ظبى | 1,750,000 |
| 3 | Sharjah City | Ash-Shāriqah | الشارقة | 1,610,000 |
| 4 | Al Ain | Al-'Ayn | العين | 690,000 |
| 5 | 'Ajman | - | عجمان | 557,071 |
| 6 | Ras al-Khaimah | Rā's al-Khaymah | رأس الخيمة | 263,000(2015 estimate) |
| 7 | Fujairah City | Al-Fujayrah, Madīnat al-Fujayrah | مدينة الفجيرة | 114,356 |
| 8 | Umm al-Quwain | Umm al-Qaywayn | أم القيوين | 75,000(2015 estimate) |
| 9 | Khor Fakkan | Khawr Fakān | خور فكان | 53,000 |
| 10 | Kalba' | - | كلباء | 51,000 |
| 11 | Dibba | Dibā al-Fujayrah, Madīnat Dibā | دبا الفجيرة | 49,333 |
| 12 | Ad-Dhaid | - | الذيد | 33,000 |
| 13 | Al-Hamriyah | - | الحمریه | 19,000 |
| 14 | Al-Madam | - | المدام | 18,000 |
| 15 | Hatta | Ḥatā | حتا | 15,792 |
| 16 | Dibba | Dibā al-Ḥiṣn | دبا الحصن | 15,000 |
| 17 | Masfoutincl. Sayḥ Muzayra' | Maṣfūt | مصفوت | 10,215 |
| 18 | Al-Bataeh | - | البطائح | 7,000 |
| 19 | Manama | Al-Manāmah | المنامة | 6,600 |
| 20 | Mileiha | Mileīḥah | مليحة | 6,000 |
Source: Statistics offices of the emirates, United Arab Emirates (2023 estimate), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff.
Why don't these match official city populations?Official figures typically count only the population within administrative boundaries. UN urban area figures cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.Show moreShow less
Tokyo
33,338,852
Urban area
9,953,160
23 wards
Essen
2,709,375
Urban area
573,618
City of Essen
Ankara
3,630,865
Urban area
5,186,002
Metropolitan municipality
What counts as an urban area? The UN uses satellite imagery to map built-up land, and treats each continuous stretch of built-up land as an urban area. This means that urban areas can extend beyond official city boundaries, and may include multiple cities and towns within a single urban area.
Can an urban area be smaller than its city? Yes. While most cities have urban areas larger than their administrative boundaries, some cities have extensive administrative limits that include sparsely populated areas.
15 urban areas in the United Arab Emirates with 50,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.
| Rank | Urban Area | Population Estimate (2026) | Yearly Change | Land Area (km²) | Density (P/km²) | World Rank | Projections (2030) | Projections (2050) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubai | 5,356,637 | +1.36% | 913 | 5,865 | 76 | 5,648,030 | 6,851,740 |
| 2 | Abū Ẓabī (Abu Dhabi) | 1,035,846 | +1.87% | 254 | 4,081 | 498 | 1,113,389 | 1,435,331 |
| 3 | Al Ain | 885,860 | +1.36% | 231 | 3,832 | 590 | 933,943 | 1,201,924 |
| 4 | Ras Al Khaimah | 352,033 | +1.82% | 134 | 2,635 | 1,639 | 377,680 | 510,221 |
| 5 | Al Falah | 176,340 | +1.39% | 49 | 3,584 | 3,472 | 186,150 | 235,139 |
| 6 | Al Saja'a Industrial | 127,601 | +1.84% | 21 | 5,963 | 4,849 | 136,976 | 266,807 |
| 7 | Khalifa City | 107,554 | +1.66% | 25 | 4,234 | 5,812 | 114,712 | 149,819 |
| 8 | Al Aamerah | 92,769 | +1.63% | 23 | 3,999 | 6,761 | 98,826 | 122,452 |
| 9 | Fujairah | 85,953 | +6.82% | 25 | 3,494 | 7,332 | 109,408 | 162,310 |
| 10 | Al Dhahir | 74,703 | +3.27% | 22 | 3,365 | 8,437 | 84,477 | 109,605 |
| 11 | Al Ruways Industrial city | 71,664 | +2.31% | 21 | 3,380 | 8,771 | 78,276 | 110,683 |
| 12 | Bani Yas | 70,442 | +2.01% | 20 | 3,453 | 8,915 | 76,106 | 177,449 |
| 13 | Khor Fakkan | 69,580 | +1.12% | 15 | 4,639 | 9,018 | 72,710 | 97,374 |
| 14 | Hamriya Free Zone | 64,462 | +2.37% | 18 | 3,663 | 9,749 | 70,564 | 92,897 |
| 15 | Kalba | 54,628 | +2.50% | 21 | 2,652 | 11,394 | 60,080 | 84,610 |
Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.