New data released by the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD) shows that Abu Dhabi achieved a 7.5 per cent growth in population in 2024, to reach a total of 4,135,985 people. This growth rate substantially exceeds that of established international financial centres, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s strengthened position as a preferred destination for international professionals, investments, and businesses.
The emirate’s population has increased by 51 per cent over the past decade, rising from 2.7 million in 2014 to over 4.1 million in 2024. This sustained demographic expansion coincides with significant economic achievements, including GDP growth by 3.8 per cent last year to an all-time high of AED1.2 trillion, driven by non-oil sectors, which grew by 6.2 per cent to account for 54.7 per cent of the total economic output, demonstrating the emirate’s successful diversification strategy.
His Excellency Ahmed Tamim Hisham Al Kuttab, Chairman of the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi and Chairman of SCAD, said: “Abu Dhabi’s sustained population growth reflects the government’s success in creating an environment that attracts international talent and investment. Through strategic policy development and infrastructure investment, Abu Dhabi has established itself as a leading destination for professionals seeking growth opportunities in a stable, innovative environment.
“The 7.5 per cent population growth validates Abu Dhabi’s talent-first strategy. The government and its leadership continue to demonstrate that in today’s knowledge economy, communities that offer genuine innovation opportunities—like pioneering AI-native governance—combined with world-class healthcare and safety standards, will attract the world’s best professionals. Abu Dhabi is not competing in the traditional talent market—the emirate is creating an entirely new category as a global career destination.”
Abu Dhabi’s population growth provides the foundation for its development into the world’s first AI-native government. Under the Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy 2025-2027, the emirate is pioneering data-driven governance that anticipates citizen needs before they arise and optimises service delivery through advanced analytics and artificial intelligence.
These initiatives are generating demand for specialists in areas including digital governance, policy analytics, service design, and technology integration—fields that combine traditional expertise with advanced technological capabilities. Such roles reflect the evolution of professional opportunities in an increasingly digital economy.
The emirate’s workforce expanded by 9.1 per cent in 2024, with growth across all skill levels. Professional roles increased by 6.4 per cent, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s continued transition toward knowledge-based industries including AI, technology, financial services, and advanced manufacturing. The demographic profile tells the story: 54 per cent of residents are aged 25-44—their peak productive years—creating one of the world’s most economically dynamic talent pools.
International confidence in Abu Dhabi’s talent strategy is evident in record-breaking investment flows. The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange exceeded AED3 trillion in market capitalisation, cementing its position among the world’s top 20 stock markets. In 2024, ADGM witnessed a 245 per cent growth of assets under management (AUM), 32 per cent rise in operational entities, and 39 per cent of workforce within its jurisdiction.
Foreign investment has grown 300 per cent since 2011 based on 2023 statistics, while the emirate recorded a 16 per cent increase in economic licenses issued in 2024 alone.
As the world’s safest city for nine consecutive years and the most liveable city in MENA for 7th year in a row in 2025, Abu Dhabi has created an environment where residents and businesses can thrive with confidence, attracting the global talent essential for leading the knowledge economy.
Abu Dhabi’s success in global talent attraction reflects deliberate strategic choices. The 2024 total value of AED107.4 billion in construction demonstrates the emirate’s commitment to creating a physical environment where global talent wants to live and work, supported by world-class facilities and comprehensive urban development.
As per the register-based census methodology, Abu Dhabi population statistics — including the results of the Abu Dhabi Census 2023 — is subject to regular revision under the Statistical Revision Policy.
This approach reflects the continuous expansion of new data sources integration, enhancement of methodological frameworks and ongoing improvement of data quality in line with international best practices.
Based on these improvements, the revised 2023 population figure now stands at 3,847,585, ensuring greater accuracy and alignment with the evolving administrative data ecosystem.
Detailed population data is available through the official Abu Dhabi Census website: https://census.scad.gov.ae/home?lang=en.
SCAD also provides open access to in-depth data and other statistical indicators via the Bayaan platform and mobile application: https://scad.gov.ae/web/guest/bayaan. Both platforms are designed to equip decision makers and the wider public with the latest statistical analysis across various sectors and topics.
