Dubai western expat population
Sep 26th 2010, 10:33 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,502
Dubai western expat population
So?
Exactly how big is it? How many of us are here?
I just spent some time in the other expat haven - Singapore. Have to say I prefer it by a good margin and can safely say that it is firmly a case of the grass being literally greener on the other side of the fence.
My friends in Singapore and I got around to comparing the expat populations of the two respective cities and I realised I didn't know the numbers for the Dubai expat population.
Wiki gives me this:
According to the census conducted by the Statistics Centre of Dubai, the population of the emirate was 1,771,000 as of 2009, which included 1,370,000 males and 401,000 females.
As of 2005, 17% of the population of the emirate was made up of UAE nationals. Approximately 85% of the expatriate population (and 71% of the emirate's total population) was Asian, chiefly Indian (51%), Pakistani (16%), Bangladeshi (9%) and Filipino (3%).[4][65] A quarter of the population however reportedly traces their origins to Iran.[66] In addition, 16% of the population (or 288,000 persons) living in collective labour accommodation were not identified by ethnicity or nationality, but were thought to be primarily Asian.[67]
So - if 85% of expatriates are Asian of some type, that leaves 15% for the non UAE Arabs, westerners, Africans and of course, the saffers.
15% of 85% of 1.7 million = 216,750.
Now, there is a pretty big non-UAE/non-Gulf Arab population from Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt out here.
Yet I keep hearing there's 100K Brits in Dubai. I don't think the number of Brits in DXB outnumber the Mediterranean Arabs. Plus we have all the other European nationalities and I've been told several times there are 20,000 Americans in Dubai as well. The numbers don't quite add up when you start breaking down the official statistics.
Does anyone have the actual breakdown of the various population groups in Dubai?
TYIA
Exactly how big is it? How many of us are here?
I just spent some time in the other expat haven - Singapore. Have to say I prefer it by a good margin and can safely say that it is firmly a case of the grass being literally greener on the other side of the fence.
My friends in Singapore and I got around to comparing the expat populations of the two respective cities and I realised I didn't know the numbers for the Dubai expat population.
Wiki gives me this:
According to the census conducted by the Statistics Centre of Dubai, the population of the emirate was 1,771,000 as of 2009, which included 1,370,000 males and 401,000 females.
As of 2005, 17% of the population of the emirate was made up of UAE nationals. Approximately 85% of the expatriate population (and 71% of the emirate's total population) was Asian, chiefly Indian (51%), Pakistani (16%), Bangladeshi (9%) and Filipino (3%).[4][65] A quarter of the population however reportedly traces their origins to Iran.[66] In addition, 16% of the population (or 288,000 persons) living in collective labour accommodation were not identified by ethnicity or nationality, but were thought to be primarily Asian.[67]
So - if 85% of expatriates are Asian of some type, that leaves 15% for the non UAE Arabs, westerners, Africans and of course, the saffers.
15% of 85% of 1.7 million = 216,750.
Now, there is a pretty big non-UAE/non-Gulf Arab population from Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt out here.
Yet I keep hearing there's 100K Brits in Dubai. I don't think the number of Brits in DXB outnumber the Mediterranean Arabs. Plus we have all the other European nationalities and I've been told several times there are 20,000 Americans in Dubai as well. The numbers don't quite add up when you start breaking down the official statistics.
Does anyone have the actual breakdown of the various population groups in Dubai?
TYIA
Last edited by Ethos83; Sep 26th 2010 at 10:35 am.
Sep 26th 2010, 10:48 am
#2
Expat Brat
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Motorsh1tty
Posts: 144
Re: Dubai western expat population
I'm here 
but in all seriousness - the 100k Brit figure was accurate for the whole UAE about two years ago - the embassy can't even get an accurate figure because Brits don't register with them.
The UAE and more importantly Dubai's census have always been circumspect, particularly where the national population is concerned - I heard there was less that 10% nationals in Dubai and that they represented 17 of the whole UAE population.
but in all seriousness - the 100k Brit figure was accurate for the whole UAE about two years ago - the embassy can't even get an accurate figure because Brits don't register with them.
The UAE and more importantly Dubai's census have always been circumspect, particularly where the national population is concerned - I heard there was less that 10% nationals in Dubai and that they represented 17 of the whole UAE population.
