Dubai's population increased by 157,000 since the start of 2026, reversing a temporary decline during the peak of the Iran war in March. Official data showed a 1.3% drop to 4.65 million residents, but by June the population rose to 4.74 million. The emirate's annual population growth has averaged 6-7% since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a record high of 8.2% in the 1980s. The latest figures come from the Dubai Population Now platform, which uses real-time data and administrative records. Meanwhile, the housing market has slowed due to excess supply over demand, with transaction volumes declining by 19% quarter-on-quarter. Experts predict normalization rather than correction in the property market.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual demographic trends and economic indicators without overt ideological slant. It reports on population fluctuations and housing market changes with balanced language, citing official data and expert forecasts without favoring any particular political stance. While the Iran






