By Staff Reporter
GCC Population Reaches 57.6 Million in 2023, According to New Atlas Report
The population of the six GCC countries grew to 57.6 million in 2023, up from 56.6 million in 2022, with males representing 62.4% and females 37.6% of the total.
This was revealed in the ninth edition of the Atlas of GCC Statistics for 2024, released by the GCC Statistical Centre. The report also indicated a population density of 23.9 people per square kilometre across the GCC, which spans 2.4 million square kilometres.
Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, highlighted the importance of statistics for development and planning. He commended the Centre’s efforts in producing this annual publication, which uses interactive maps and data dashboards to offer insights on regional and country-level distributions.
The 2024 Atlas also showed notable growth in the GCC workforce, which reached 33.1 million in 2023, up from 30.3 million in 2022. The region’s working-age population (15 years and above) stood at 45 million.
In terms of education, over 712,000 children were enrolled in early childhood education in the 2021-2022 academic year, while 8.9 million attended school. Healthcare statistics revealed 843 government hospitals in 2022, accounting for 58.4% of the region’s total hospitals.
The report also shared encouraging figures for foreign trade, with GCC exports reaching $823.1 billion in 2023, and tourism activity, with 68.1 million visitors to the region in the same year. Additionally, telecommunications data showed 94.9 million mobile subscriptions in 2023, reflecting the region’s growing connectivity.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
