UN projects GCC population to reach 83.6 million by 2050

Muscat [Oman], January 25: A report issued by the Gulf Statistical Center (GCC-Stat) on demographic indicators for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries forecasts that population growth will continue during the period 2025-2050, based on United Nations projections, with the total population of GCC countries expected to reach approximately 83.6 million by 2050.
The report also anticipates a doubling in the number of older persons, who are projected to exceed 5.5 million, underscoring the importance of developing long-term policies in areas such as urban planning, healthcare, labour markets, and social protection, to ensure sustainable development across GCC states.
According to the report, the total population of GCC countries reached around 61.5 million by the end of 2024, reflecting an increase of 8.5 million compared to 2019, with an average annual growth rate of 2.8 percent - nearly three times the global average - highlighting the region's rapidly evolving demographic dynamics.
Regarding age structure, the report noted that the working-age population group (15-64 years) accounted for the largest share, representing 76.7 percent of the GCC population, compared to 20.6 percent for children (0-14 years) and around 2.6 percent for older persons (65 years and above). This reflects the region's youthful demographic profile and a strong labour force base, with a total dependency ratio of nearly 30 children and elderly persons per 100 working-age individuals.
The report further indicated that males accounted for 62.7 percent of the population, compared to 37.3 percent for females across GCC countries, resulting in a sex ratio of 168 males per 100 females. This imbalance is largely attributed to the demographic structure associated with expatriate labour.
Source: Emirates News Agency