Dubai's population climbed to 4.58 million by the end of 2025, marking a rise of roughly 332,000 people and a growth rate of 7.5 percent compared with the previous year, according to figures released by Digital Dubai through the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment.
The announcement came alongside a major shift in how the emirate tracks its residents. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, approved a new real-time census and population monitoring project that replaces traditional counting methods with administrative records, smart systems and continuously updated data.
When accounting for daily visitors including workers, tourists and students, the number of people present in Dubai during peak hours rises to 6.392 million, with more than 1.812 million counted as temporary arrivals.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of Digital Dubai, described the initiative as a strategic milestone in building a data and AI driven government model, calling population data a national asset that strengthens planning and forecasting.
Younus Al Nasser, CEO of the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, linked the population growth to broader economic momentum, noting Dubai's real GDP grew 5.4 percent in 2025 while the emirate welcomed 19.6 million international tourists and around 96 million airport passengers.
The project draws on cooperation between multiple government bodies including the GDRFA-Dubai, RTA, DEWA, Dubai Health Authority and Dubai Land Department, integrating their records into a unified population ecosystem.
Dubai's population has grown nearly 380-fold since 1881, when it stood at around 12,000. Officials say the current growth rate ranks among the highest in the emirate's history.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
