The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates, and its population is concentrated in a handful of large urban centers along the Gulf coast, with smaller towns spread across the desert interior and the eastern mountains. Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah account for most of the country’s urban population, but the full list of the top 25 cities shows how varied life is across the Emirates, from bustling commercial hubs to quiet oasis towns.

This article ranks the 25 most populous cities in the UAE using figures from the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates on Wikipedia. Figures refer to the city itself, not the whole emirate that often shares its name.

Top 25 Cities in the UAE by Population

1. Dubai (Dubai): 3,944,751
2. Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi): 2,189,860
3. Sharjah (Sharjah): 1,405,000
4. Al Ain (Abu Dhabi): 846,747
5. Ajman (Ajman): 565,767
6. Jebel Ali (Dubai): 540,732
7. Ras Al Khaimah (Ras Al Khaimah): 191,753
8. Fujairah (Fujairah): 118,933
9. Khor Fakkan (Sharjah): 61,936
10. Kalba (Sharjah): 59,401
11. Umm Al Quwain (Umm Al Quwain): 59,098
12. Dibba Al-Fujairah (Fujairah): 49,333
13. Madinat Zayed (Abu Dhabi): 46,862
14. Dhaid (Sharjah): 39,295
15. Al Dhannah (Abu Dhabi): 38,740
16. Ghayathi (Abu Dhabi): 34,333
17. Al Hamriyah (Sharjah): 22,354
18. Liwa Oasis (Abu Dhabi): 20,192
19. Dibba Al Hisn (Sharjah): 16,116
20. Hatta (Dubai): 13,023
21. Rams (Ras Al Khaimah): 13,000
22. Al Ghayl (Ras Al Khaimah): 10,337
23. Al Jazirah Al Hamra (Ras Al Khaimah): 10,190
24. Al Mirfa (Abu Dhabi): 9,111
25. Masfut (Ajman): 8,988

The Big Three: Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah

Dubai is the largest city in the UAE by a wide margin, with a population of nearly 3.95 million. It is the capital of its emirate and a global hub for trade, tourism, aviation and finance. Its population is almost double that of the next city on the list.

Abu Dhabi, the federal capital of the UAE, comes second with about 2.19 million residents. As the seat of the federal government and capital of the largest emirate, it is the country’s political and administrative center.

Sharjah ranks third at roughly 1.4 million. Neighboring Dubai, it is the capital of its own emirate and is widely associated with culture, education and heritage.

The Next Tier: Al Ain, Ajman and Jebel Ali

Al Ain (about 847,000) is the largest city in the Abu Dhabi emirate after the capital itself and sits inland, away from the coast. Ajman (about 566,000) is the capital of the smallest emirate by area and forms part of the continuous urban belt along the northern coast with Sharjah and Dubai. Jebel Ali (about 541,000) is notable because, although it is a district within the Dubai emirate, it is listed as a city in its own right on the Wikipedia table.

Smaller Capitals and Coastal Towns

Beyond the top six, populations drop sharply. Ras Al Khaimah (about 192,000) and Fujairah (about 119,000) are the capitals of their respective emirates, and Umm Al Quwain (about 59,000) is the capital of the emirate of the same name. On the east coast, towns such as Khor Fakkan, Kalba, Dibba Al-Fujairah and Dibba Al Hisn sit along the Gulf of Oman, separated from the Gulf-side cities by the Hajar Mountains.

Interior and Western Towns

Several towns on the list are in the Abu Dhabi emirate’s vast interior and western regions. Madinat Zayed, Al Dhannah, Ghayathi, Liwa Oasis and Al Mirfa are spread across the Al Dhafra region, while Dhaid in Sharjah and Hatta in Dubai are inland towns far from the main coastal centers. Rams, Al Ghayl and Al Jazirah Al Hamra are in Ras Al Khaimah, and Masfut is an exclave-style enclave town belonging to Ajman.

Distribution by Emirate

Abu Dhabi has the most entries on the list, with eight of the 25 cities, followed by Sharjah with six. Ras Al Khaimah has three, Dubai has three (Dubai, Jebel Ali and Hatta), Fujairah has two, and Ajman has two. Umm Al Quwain has one.

The UAE’s urban geography is highly concentrated: the top three cities hold millions of residents, while most of the remaining places on the list have populations in the tens of thousands or fewer. Together, they show a country that combines global metropolises with small oasis, mountain and coastal towns.