There are more foreigners in United Arab Emirates than local citizens.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as of mid-2025, there are an estimated 10.04 million foreigners (expatriates) compared to approximately 1.31 million Emirati citizens.
This means that foreigners make up around 88% of the total population, while citizens constitute about 12% and/ foreigners are around 10 times more than citizens.
The total population of the UAE is estimated to be approximately 11.35 million in April 2025. The expatriate community significantly outnumbers the national population, making the UAE one of the countries with the highest percentage of foreign residents in the world.