Dubai for Investors: Economy, Population, Free Zones and Jebel Ali

At a glance

At a glance
Item	Fact
Ruler	Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, since 4 January 2006
Crown Prince	Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence
Capital	Dubai city, divided by the Creek into Deira and Bur Dubai
Other areas	Hatta, and the interior and western desert
Main port	Jebel Ali: 4 terminals, more than 100 berths, 25 km of quay
Airports	Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC)

Source: UAE Government Portal: Dubai; The National: Dubai population passed 4.5 million by end of 2025 (July 2026); Dubai Media Office: DP World records highest cargo volumes at Jebel Ali Port (February 2025); UAE Government Portal: Fact sheet^1,5,6,8

People

Dubai's population grew by about 332,000 in 2025 to 4.58 million. The count is updated continuously from administrative records, and stood at 4,807,185 on 28 September 2026. Residents are people who live in the emirate for at least six months, or intend to.^2,3

During the day in 2025 an average of 6.392 million people were in Dubai, including 1.812 million visitors, commuters and others.⁵

The economy

Dubai's GDP grew 5.4% in 2025 to AED 937 billion, with growth of 6.4% in the fourth quarter. The figure uses a new method for measuring GDP that the Executive Council approved in March 2026, so it is not comparable with earlier totals.⁴

Trade, services and finance drive the economy. Dubai's first oil exports were in 1969.¹

Free zones

Source: UAE Government Portal: Starting a business in a free zone⁷

Where the emirates are

Boundaries: geoBoundaries ARE ADM1 (OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0). Source: UAE Government Portal: Abu Dhabi; UAE Government Portal: Dubai; UAE Government Portal: Sharjah; UAE Government Portal: Ajman; UAE Government Portal: Umm Al Quwain; UAE Government Portal: Ras Al Khaimah; UAE Government Portal: Fujairah^{9,1,10,11,12,13,14}

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Dubai?

Dubai had 4.58 million residents at the end of 2025, up 7.5% in a year, and 4,807,185 on 28 September 2026, according to the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment.

Sources

Figures checked 21 October 2026. Prepared by Invest-Emirates.ae for general information. Figures come from the sources listed.

Dubai