MigrantoEmirati Diaspora
166.1K Emiratis live abroad — 2% of the population of the UAE
Emirati diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 51% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Canada | 36578 |
| Kuwait | 28593 |
| India | 19941 |
| Australia | 17673 |
| Palestine | 14071 |
| Turkey | 12928 |
| Qatar | 10034 |
| Bahrain | 7139 |
| Mali | 3990 |
| Libya | 3130 |
| New Zealand | 2976 |
| Sri Lanka | 1707 |
| Italy | 1118 |
| Denmark | 915 |
| South Africa | 762 |
| Hungary | 729 |
| Kazakhstan | 724 |
| Norway | 685 |
| Bulgaria | 477 |
| Egypt | 432 |
| Finland | 303 |
| Iraq | 293 |
| Cyprus | 158 |
| Slovakia | 138 |
| Malta | 130 |
| Greece | 92 |
| Luxembourg | 89 |
| Mauritania | 78 |
| Lithuania | 64 |
| Estonia | 33 |
| Latvia | 30 |
| Slovenia | 24 |
| Belarus | 21 |
| Iceland | 17 |
| Liechtenstein | 2 |
| Bolivia | 0 |
By region
44% of the diaspora lives in the Middle East
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Key facts
The Emirati diaspora in numbers
The community in Canada is growing fastest
The number of Emiratis living in Canada has grown 69% since 2015, from 21.7K to 36.6K.
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 45% to 22%.
The share of the diaspora living in the Middle East has declined since 1990
77% of the diaspora lived in the Middle East in 1990, compared with 44.1% today.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
4 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Mali, South Africa, Hungary. Mali climbed from outside the top 20 to #9.
The diaspora has grown 16% since 2020
The number of Emiratis living abroad rose from 143K to 166.1K in four years.
Emirati diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 61137 |
| 1995 | 74060 |
| 2000 | 93827 |
| 2005 | 86261 |
| 2010 | 108381 |
| 2015 | 121499 |
| 2020 | 142981 |
| 2024 | 166074 |
Largest communities over time
Emiratis living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Canada | Kuwait | India | Australia | Palestine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 996 | 4697 | 8631 | 545 | 10629 |
| 1995 | 2423 | 5936 | 11062 | 882 | 10387 |
| 2000 | 5366 | 9112 | 13769 | 1393 | 10145 |
| 2005 | 9386 | 13847 | 18031 | 2818 | 13525 |
| 2010 | 14328 | 21476 | 23661 | 5215 | 13718 |
| 2015 | 21677 | 22465 | 22376 | 8122 | 14045 |
| 2020 | 28236 | 26077 | 20869 | 13588 | 14087 |
| 2024 | 36578 | 28593 | 19941 | 17673 | 14071 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Emiratis in each country has changed since the selected year
Emiratis among immigrants in other countries
Where Emiratis make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Emiratis live outside UAE?
Around 166.1K Emiratis live abroad, the world's #138 largest diaspora.
Where do most Emiratis abroad live?
Most Emiratis live in Canada, Kuwait and India — these three countries account for about 51% of all Emiratis living abroad.
Which country has the largest Emirati population outside UAE?
Canada is home to the largest Emirati community abroad — 36.6K people, about 22% of all Emiratis living abroad.
What share of the population of the UAE lives abroad?
About 2% of the population of the UAE lives abroad — that's 166.1K out of a total population of 11M.
Is the Emirati diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Emiratis living abroad has grown from 121.5K to 166.1K, about 37%.
Where does the data on the Emirati diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in the UAE who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in the UAE
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