The population of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries grew to 61.2 million by the end of 2024, an increase of over 2.1 million people compared to 2023.

In a report marking World Population Day, which fell on July 11, the GCC Statistical Center (GCC-Stat) outlined that the population of the GCC countries is rapidly recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The population of the GCC countries, which comprise Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, grew by approximately 7.6 million people between 2021 and the end of 2024, a 14.2 per cent increase. This reflects the resumption of population growth at an accelerated pace after the slowdown experienced by some countries during the pandemic.

The total male population of the GCC countries reached approximately 38.5 million, constituting 62.8 per cent of the total population, while the number of females reached approximately 22.7 million, representing 37.2 per cent of the total population.

Data from the GCC-Stat indicated that the population of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries constitutes 0.7 percent of the world’s total human population.

The sex ratio in the GCC countries reached 169 males for every 100 females at the end of 2024, while the gender ratio for the total global population stood at 101 males for every 100 females.

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