Population structure and composition

Though historically lightly populated, political Arabia is noted for a high

population growth rate – as the result of both very strong inflows of migrant
labor as well as sustained high birth rates. The population tends to be relatively
young and heavily skewed gender ratio dominated by males. In many states,
the number of South Asians exceeds that of the local citizenry. The four
smallest states (by area), which have their entire coastlines on the Persian Gulf,
exhibit the world's most extreme population growth, roughly tripling every 20
years. In 2014, the estimated population of the Arabian Peninsula was
77,983,936 (including expatriates).[24] The Arabian Peninsula is known for
having one of the most uneven adult sex ratios in the world, with females in
some regions (especially the east) constituting only a quarter of people aged
between 20 and 40.

The Arabian Peninsula is located in western Asia, northeast of Africa. It's home
to over 77.9 million people in seven countries. The population density of the
Arabian Peninsula is less than 25 people per km2, and at least half of the area
has fewer than 1 person per km2.

Major population centers in the region include:

Cities[edit]
The eleven most populous cities on the Arabian Peninsula are:
Rank City Population
1 Riyadh 7,538,200
2 Jeddah 4,780,740
3 Kuwait City 3,238,523
4 Sanaa 3,181,655
5 Dubai 2,964,382
6 Mecca 2,114,675
7 Sharjah 1,785,684
8 Muscat 1,622,620
 9 Medina 1,545,420
10 Abu Dhabi 1,539,830
11 Basra 1,414,000
Source: 2022 [26]

The population of the Arabian Peninsula continues to grow. Some of the

population groups near the center have less admixture compared to population
groups in the Southern, Eastern, and Northern parts of the country.

Here's some information about the population structure of Yemen:

35.14% of the population is 0-14 years old

61.52% of the population is 15-64 years old

3.34% of the population is 65 years and over

Density

may vary.
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The Arabian Peninsula has a population density of 26.6 people per square
kilometer. Most of the peninsula has fewer than 25 people per square kilometer,
and at least half of that area has fewer than 1 person per square kilometer.
Here are some population densities of countries in the Arabian Peninsula:
 Saudi Arabia: 17 people per square kilometer
 Oman: 14.79 people per square kilometer in 2022
 Qatar: Estimated to reach 2.96 million people in 2028
 Bahrain: 0.376 in 2021
Other countries in the Arabian Peninsula include:

 United Arab Emirates

 Yemen
 Kuwait
Arabian Peninsula Countries 2023
The Arabian Peninsula, also known as Arabia, is the largest peninsula in the
world. At 1,250,005 square miles (3,237,500 square kilometers), the Arabian
Peninsula is located in western Asia to the northeast of Africa. The peninsula is
home to over 77.9 million people in seven countries. The Arabian Peninsula is
surrounded by the Red Sea to the west and southwest, with the Persian Gulf
located to the north. The Peninsula consists of a range of deserts, mountains,
marshy coastlines, oases, and a central plateau called the Najd, which has fertile
valleys.

All seven Arabian Peninsula countries have previously been monarchies or are
still monarchies, and have been working to change their political landscape as
well as achieve economic growth. These nations are experiencing greater access
to healthcare and education, urbanization, and secularization, all of which are
helping their economic and social advancement. The Peninsula initially had
close military, social, political, and religious ties with the Middle East,
especially with the advent of Islam in the seventh century. Because of the
discovery of oil and natural gas reserves in the Peninsula in the 20th century,
the region started increasing its contact with the West as well.

The peninsula plays a large geopolitical role in the Middle East due to the vast
reserves of oil and natural gas. The Peninsula contains the world’s largest
reserve of oil, most of which lie within Saudi Arabia. Because of the high desire
and demand for these natural resources by industrialized nations all over the
world, the Peninsula countries can leverage their resources to direct political
action. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) unites the
Peninsula countries to consolidate their oil withholding power in order to guide
political action.

The seven Arabian Peninsula countries are:

  Bahrain
 Kuwait
 Oman
 Qatar
 Saudi Arabia
 United Arab Emirates
 Yemen

Saudi Arabia is the largest of these countries by both area and population.
Officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the country spans over
830,000 square miles (2,150,000 square kilometers) and is home to over 33.4
million people. Saudi Arabia has the largest economy in the Middle East, thanks
to the abundant oil reserves allowing the country to be the second-largest oil
producer in the world behind the United States. Modern-day Saudi Arabia is
believed to be where Islam emerged in the seventh century. Mecca and Medina,
vital cities in the Islamic religion, are located in Saudi Arabia.

Yemen is the second-largest Arab sovereign state and is unfortunately in the

middle of a civil war. The Yemen Civil War started on March 19th, 2015
between the Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi-led Yemeni government and the Houthi
armed movement. Both factions claim to constitute the official government of
Yemen.

Country Region 2023 Population

Bahrain Asia 1,485,509
Kuwait Asia 4,310,108
Oman Asia 4,644,384
Qatar Asia 2,716,391
 Country Region 2023 Population
Saudi Arabia Asia 36,947,025
United Arab Emirates Asia 9,516,871
Yemen Asia 34,449,825

Migration in GCC countries

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are among the largest recipients of
temporary labor migrants in the world. Non-nationals make up about 47% of the
population in the six oil-rich GCC countries.
Migrants in the GCC countries represent more than 11% of all migrants
worldwide. In 2019, 35 million international migrants were residing in the GCC,
Jordan, and Lebanon.
Migrants account for an average of 70 percent of the employed population in the
GCC. Over 95 percent of private sector workers in Qatar and the United Arab
Emirates are migrants.
The highest annual growth rate of labor migration to the GCC countries took place
during the period of 1975-1985. The oil boom of the 1970s is a major factor behind
the large influx of foreign labor.
The Kafala system defines the legal status of most migrant workers in the Gulf
region.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are among the top ten countries accommodating the
largest migrant populations in the world, occupying fourth and fifth place
respectively.