Gulf states' population nears 63 million as growth rate stays above 3%

The combined population of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries reached 62.8 million by the end of 2025, according to data from the GCC Statistical Center. The figure marks an increase of 6.2 million from 56.6 million in 2022, with the population rising to 59.1 million in 2023 and 61.5 million in 2024. The annual average population growth rate stood at 3.5%. The Statistical Center projects that the Gulf population will reach approximately 83.6 million by 2050. The bloc accounts for about 0.8% of the world's population and remains structurally young. In 2024, 23.5 million people, or 38.2% of the total population, were between the ages of 15 and 34. The working-age group of 15 to 64 made up 76.7% of the population, children under 15 accounted for 20.6%, and the elderly represented 2.6%. The center said the steady expansion of the working-age population presents an economic opportunity, and called for greater investment in education and employment to sustain the demographic trend.