Abu Dhabi - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
90 per cent of the residents of the UAE are "foreigners." In terms of "Western expatriates," there are also a lot. British are the most common, but you can easily encounter people from all over the world here. It's a big deal if you can actually befriend an Emirati as they tend to be very reserved. - Jun 2022
Lots of expats live here. I think UAE is 85% expat. - Feb 2020
Huge expat community (87% of this country). You can find friends from all over the world. Morale seems to be pretty good from what I can tell. The UAE feels like a very westernized country. - Jun 2019
Huge! This is a country of expatriates. - Sep 2017
Huge and varied. Like anywhere, it is what you make it. - Jun 2015
Vast - like 90% of the population. But most are short-term workers. There are many fewer management/professional expats, but still it's a large and diverse community. - May 2013
Huge. Emiratis are less than 20% of the population and you have to go to El Ain to see a city in which they are the majority. - Jul 2012
Large - technically, about 90% of the population. Western expats are a much smaller percentage, with Americans a small percentage of those. - Aug 2011
UAE is about 15% native Emiratis. 85% of the population are guest workers, with Indians being the largest expat community, followed by Pakistanis, and then maybe Filipinos. There are roughly 400,000 westerners, many in Dubai, led by Brits and then Americans and Australians, some French. - Jul 2011
Huge. Expats make up 80% of the population. In reality, most are low income laborers and domestic workers. The actual Emirati population is tiny. - Nov 2010
Very large. Everyone is from away. Locals make up of about 20% of the population. - Jan 2010
HUGE! Lots of Brits, Americans, and more. - Aug 2009
