It’s probably not news to you that there are quite a lot of people living in Dubai. However, the actual figures are monumental. In a report this month, it has been estimated that there are approximately 3.1 million people living in the Emirate. The number has grown significantly compared to the end of last year, where the figure stood at 2.9 million.
But, the majority of residents are not nationals. The population is made up of 83% expatriates, totalling a 2.6 million foreign-born residents. This makes Dubai the city with the highest percentage of foreign-born residents in the world.
"Dubai is currently the world's most cosmopolitan city, with foreign-born residents making up 83 per cent of its population. Its residents come from more than 200 countries and speak more than 140 different languages. Following Dubai is Brussels, with a population that is 62 per cent foreign-born; its inhabitants hail from approximately 140 countries and speak 86 different languages," said global consultancy McKinsey & Company.
Top cities with highest foreign population
| City |
% foreign-born |
| Dubai |
83 |
| Brussels |
62 |
| Toronto |
46 |
| Auckland |
39 |
| Los Angeles |
39 |
| Sydney |
39 |
| Singapore |
39 |
| London |
37 |
| New York |
37 |
| Melbourne |
35 |
| Amsterdam |
28 |
| Frankfurt |
27 |
| Paris |
25 |