GCC Population Projection 2050: UN Forecasts 83.6 Million Residents

A new report from the Gulf Statistical Center (GCC-Stat) shows that the combined population of Gulf Cooperation Council countries reaches about 61.5 million by the end of 2024. This is an increase of 8.5 million since 2019, driven by an average annual growth rate of 2.8 percent.

The study, which uses United Nations projections, indicates that GCC population growth is set to continue between 2025 and 2050. By 2050, the total population of GCC countries is expected to reach around 83.6 million, keeping the region on a strong demographic growth path.

GCC-Stat expects a sharp rise in the number of older persons over the projection period. The report forecasts that the population aged 65 years and above will more than double, exceeding 5.5 million by 2050. This shift places pressure on healthcare, social protection systems, and urban services.

According to the demographic indicators, the GCC population in 2024 remains heavily concentrated in working ages. Individuals between 15 and 64 years account for 76.7 percent of residents, while children aged 0 to 14 years represent 20.6 percent, and older persons hold a 2.6 percent share of the total.

The current age profile leads to a total dependency ratio of about 30 children and older persons for every 100 working-age individuals. This relatively low dependency level supports labour supply, yet the expected ageing trend will require labour market adjustments and long-term planning for income support systems.

The report notes that males make up 62.7 percent of the GCC population, compared to 37.3 percent for females, producing a sex ratio of 168 males for every 100 females. GCC-Stat attributes this imbalance mainly to expatriate labour patterns, which shape demographic structures across the Gulf Cooperation Council states.

GCC-Stat concludes that managing GCC population trends, including continued growth and the rise in older persons, will demand coordinated policies in urban planning, healthcare capacity, labour markets, and social protection. These measures are viewed as essential to support sustainable development objectives across all GCC countries through 2050.

With inputs from WAM