Amman, Oct. 27 (Petra) - The Arab world’s population has reached 501 million, making it the third most populous region globally after China and India, according to figures released Monday by Jordan’s Higher Population Council.
Roughly 60 percent of Arabs live in the African part of the region, primarily Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, and Morocco, which together account for just over half of the total population.
The findings come ahead of the Arab Population and Development Day, observed Tuesday, which marks the anniversary of the Arab Council for Population and Development’s establishment in 2019.
The council said the occasion offers a chance to assess demographic trends across the Arab world, strengthen regional cooperation on development goals, and share knowledge about how population dynamics shape sustainable growth.
In a brief issued to mark the day, the council noted that Arab countries vary widely in population size and structure, each at a different stage of demographic transition. Understanding past and projected shifts, it said, is crucial given their lasting impact on labor markets, economic growth, housing demand, and access to education, healthcare, and social services.
The Arab population is projected to rise to 548 million by the end of the decade and reach 591 million by 2035, an increase of 90 million in 10 years, with an average annual growth of 1.65 percent. If this trend continues, the population is expected to reach 756 million by mid-century.
The report also highlights sharp contrasts in fertility rates across the region. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Tunisia recorded the lowest fertility rates at or below two children per woman below the replacement level.
Rates ranged between 2.1 and 2.9 in Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Syria, Djibouti, and Egypt. Algeria, Iraq, and Palestine recorded between 3 and 3.9, while Yemen, Somalia, and Mauritania topped the list with rates above 4.5 children per woman.
Despite these differences, Arab societies remain largely youthful. In lower-income countries, children under 15 make up at least one-third of the population 47 percent in Somalia, 45 percent in Yemen, and 41 percent in Mauritania and Sudan posing development challenges in education and healthcare.
By contrast, Gulf states report some of the lowest shares of children under 15: 14 percent in Qatar, 16 percent in the UAE, and 18 percent in Kuwait, reflecting declining fertility and large inflows of young migrant workers.
Older adults (65 and over) make up less than 5 percent of the population in most Arab countries. Qatar and the UAE have the smallest share below 2 percent due to their young expatriate populations.
Tunisia, Lebanon, Morocco, and Algeria record the highest proportions of older adults, 10, 8, and 7 percent respectively, driven in part by significant emigration.
//Petra// AA
