The Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD) has released comprehensive 2024 population statistics, showing the emirate's total population reaching 4,135,985 people, representing a 7.5 per cent annual increase. This marks the first annual population release utilising Abu Dhabi’s innovative register-based census methodology.

The 2024 population figures are generated through Abu Dhabi’s pioneering register-based statistical ecosystem that is built on strong collaboration between local and federal government and semi-government entities. This methodology ensures continuous accuracy and represents a significant advancement in demographic data collection, positioning Abu Dhabi among global leaders in statistical innovation. 

Abu Dhabi’s population continued to grow across all three regions. The Abu Dhabi Region is the most populated, with about 2.8 million people, making up 68 per cent of the emirate’s total population. It also saw the highest growth in 2024 at 8.8 per cent. 

The Al Ain Region is the second-most populous region with nearly 1 million people, or 24 per cent of the total population, and a 4.4 per cent increase in 2024. Finally, Al Dhafra Region is home to 325,735 people, making up 8 per cent of the total, and its population grew by 6.2 per cent.
Around 84 per cent of the population is aged between 15 and 64, with over 3.4 million people as part of the workforce. More than half of the population (54 per cent) are between 25 and 44 years old, the prime age for productivity. 

The median age in the emirate is 33 years, reflecting a young and dynamic community. In terms of gender, about 2.77 million (67 per cent) of the population are males, while 1.37 million (33 per cent) are females.

In the Abu Dhabi Region, the most populated areas include Musaffah, Al Danah, and Mohamed Bin Zayed City. In Al Ain, the most populated districts are the Central District, Al Aamerah, and the Industrial Area. Meanwhile, in Al Dhafra, the most populated areas include Ghiyathi, Zayed City, and Jabal Al Dhannah. These areas represent the core residential and economic hubs across the emirate. 

Population growth has coincided with robust economic performance, with GDP reaching an all-time high value of AED1.2 trillion (3.8 per cent annual growth). The labour force expanded by 9.1 per cent, comprising 44.8 per cent white-collar and 55.2 per cent blue-collar workers, reflecting balanced sectoral demand.

The infrastructure development has kept pace with demographic growth as 29,415 new units were added (3.9 per cent increase to hit 783,970 units for commercial or housing use), while total buildings increased by 6.2 per cent to 299,360, which is consistent with the construction sector expansion in 2024, reaching a record value of AED107.4 billion, contributing 9.1 per cent to GDP.

SCAD's register-based methodology represents a paradigm shift from traditional census approaches, providing continuous updates of Abu Dhabi’s population. This system enables near real-time policy adjustment and strategic planning based on current rather than historical data.

The methodology involves continuous data validation across multiple registry sources, near real-time representation of population changes, and improved accuracy through the integration of various government databases, ensuring both reliability and global comparability.

His Excellency Abdulla Gharib Alqemzi, Director General of SCAD, said: "Abu Dhabi’s register-based approach delivers unprecedented accuracy in population measurement that reflects near real time population characteristics. By integrating interconnected registries, we provide reliable demographic insights that meet the highest international statistical standards and support evidence-based policymaking. These comprehensive statistics demonstrate our commitment to statistical excellence, transparency and data privacy. Our methodologies continuously evolve to meet global standards while providing the granular insights necessary for effective governance and planning."

Population statistics — including the results of the Abu Dhabi Census 2023 — is subject to regular revision under the Statistical Revision Policy. 

The policy 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). The Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi also provides access to in-depth data and other statistical indicators via the Bayaan platform and mobile application (https://scad.gov.ae/en/bayaan), which is designed to equip decision-makers and users with the latest statistical analyses across various sectors.