A demographic indicators report for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, issued by the Gulf Statistical Centre, projects that population growth will continue between 2025 and 2050 (according to UN projections), reaching approximately 83.6 million people in the GCC by 2050. The number of elderly people is expected to more than double, exceeding 5.5 million, highlighting the importance of developing long-term policies in urban planning, healthcare, labor markets, and social protection to ensure sustainable development in the GCC countries. The report also shows that the total population in the GCC reached about 61.5 million by the end of 2024, an increase of 8.5 million compared to 2019, with an average annual growth rate of 2.8%, which is nearly three times the global rate, reflecting a rapidly accelerating demographic dynamic in the region. Regarding the age structure, the report indicates that the working-age population (15–64 years) constituted the largest share at 76.7%, compared to 20.6% for children (0–14 years) and around 2.6% for the elderly (65 years and older). This reflects a youthful population and an abundance of the workforce, with a total dependency ratio of about 30 children and elderly people per 100 working-age individuals. Furthermore, the male population reached 62.7% compared to 37.3% for females, with a sex ratio of 168 males per 100 females, attributed to the demographic makeup linked to the migrant workforce.
