According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the number of United Arab Emirates' expats has grown over the past three years and now account for close to ninety percent of the countries total population despite a sharp growth in indiginous population and the downturn in the economy.
Among other Gulf countries, the UAE have recently experienced one of the sharpest population growths in the world due both to an increase of birth rates and the influx of foreign workers to the country mainly due to oil production.
The UAE population is estimated to stand at 8.26 million although the country hasn’t conducted an official census since 2005.
The International Monetary Fund estimates the GDP for the United Arab Emirates slumped by 3.2% in 2009, but resumed growth last year, with non-oil growth projected to increase from 2.1% in 2010 to 3.3% this year.
