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GCC Population to Hit 83.6 Million by 2050 Amid Rapid Aging

Youthful today, older tomorrow: Gulf countries face a population boom and aging shift in the next 30 years.

  • Publish date: since 5 days Reading time: 1 min read
GCC Population to Hit 83.6 Million by 2050 Amid Rapid Aging

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is set to see its population reach 83.6 million by 2050, according to new UN projections. That’s a jump from 61.5 million at the end of 2024, up 8.5 million since 2019.

Population growth isn’t slowing down. The region will continue expanding fast over the next 25 years, but there’s a twist: the number of older residents will more than double, topping 5.5 million by 2050.

Young, but Aging Fast

Right now, the GCC population is still fairly young:

  • Working-age (15–64 years): 76.7%

  • Children (0–14 years): 20.6%

  • Older adults (65+ years): 2.6%

Even so, the aging trend is clear. Policymakers will need to rethink urban planning, healthcare, labour markets, and social support to keep the region thriving as its population grows older.

Gender Gap and Labour Dynamics

The report also highlighted a big gender imbalance: men make up 62.7% of the population, women 37.3%. That’s roughly 168 males per 100 females—mostly due to the large number of male expatriate workers across the GCC.

The dependency ratio—children and elderly per 100 working-age adults—sits at nearly 30, showing the region still has a strong labour force to support its population today.

What This Means for the Future

GCC countries face a unique challenge: rapid growth combined with rapid aging. The next decades will demand smart strategies in healthcare, housing, and jobs to ensure the region’s booming population stays healthy, productive, and supported.

This article was previously published on bahrainmoments. To see the original article, click here

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