Labor force — all countries

Labor force — United Arab Emirates

Labor force in the United Arab Emirates in 2025 — 7,602,907 people. Ranked 67 in the world out of 182. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 665%.

2025 7.6M people +5.11% vs 2024
World rank 67of 182
Period maximum 7.6M people2025
Period minimum 993,900 people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — United Arab Emirates, 1990–202502M4M6M8M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 993,900 people1991: 1,065,917 people1992: 1,139,611 people1993: 1,217,956 people1994: 1,294,180 people1995: 1,373,245 people1996: 1,477,735 people1997: 1,607,913 people1998: 1,749,621 people1999: 1,901,019 people2000: 2,060,609 people2001: 2,229,575 people2002: 2,406,156 people2003: 2,586,345 people2004: 2,768,037 people2005: 2,952,666 people2006: 3,202,706 people2007: 3,609,902 people2008: 4,037,891 people2009: 4,270,876 people2010: 4,376,792 people2011: 4,542,648 people2012: 4,738,061 people2013: 4,948,156 people2014: 5,205,610 people2015: 5,517,279 people2016: 5,830,903 people2017: 6,046,380 people2018: 6,158,515 people2019: 6,256,531 people2020: 6,178,311 people2021: 6,160,044 people2022: 6,499,963 people2023: 6,873,426 people2024: 7,233,386 people2025: 7,602,907 people
Change over the period: +6.61M (+664.96%) Average annual rate: 5.99 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates 7.6M people
World 3.74B people
Western Asia computed 117M people
High-income countries computed 716M people
Labor force — United Arab Emirates, by year United Arab Emirates All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 7.6M +369,521 +5.11%
2024 7.23M +359,960 +5.24%
2023 6.87M +373,463 +5.75%
2022 6.5M +339,919 +5.52%
2021 6.16M −18,267 −0.3%
2020 6.18M −78,220 −1.25%
2019 6.26M +98,016 +1.59%
2018 6.16M +112,135 +1.85%
2017 6.05M +215,477 +3.7%
2016 5.83M +313,624 +5.68%
2015 5.52M +311,669 +5.99%
2014 5.21M +257,454 +5.2%
2013 4.95M +210,095 +4.43%
2012 4.74M +195,413 +4.3%
2011 4.54M +165,856 +3.79%
2010 4.38M +105,916 +2.48%
2009 4.27M +232,985 +5.77%
2008 4.04M +427,989 +11.86%
2007 3.61M +407,196 +12.71%
2006 3.2M +250,040 +8.47%
2005 2.95M +184,629 +6.67%
2004 2.77M +181,692 +7.03%
2003 2.59M +180,189 +7.49%
2002 2.41M +176,581 +7.92%
2001 2.23M +168,966 +8.2%
2000 2.06M +159,590 +8.39%
1999 1.9M +151,398 +8.65%
1998 1.75M +141,708 +8.81%
1997 1.61M +130,178 +8.81%
1996 1.48M +104,490 +7.61%
1995 1.37M +79,065 +6.11%
1994 1.29M +76,224 +6.26%
1993 1.22M +78,345 +6.87%
1992 1.14M +73,694 +6.91%
1991 1.07M +72,017 +7.25%
1990 993,900

About the indicator

The economically active population — everyone aged 15 and over who either works or actively looks for work. It covers the employed, the unemployed and first-time job seekers; it leaves out students, homemakers and other people who do not offer their labor on the market. The size of the labor force is the basic constraint on the growth potential of an economy.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.