Muscat, July 19 (QNA) - The population of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries rose to an estimated 62.8 million in 2025, an increase of 6.2 million people compared with 2022, representing an average annual growth rate of 3.5 percent, according to the Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat).

According to the center, the GCC population increased from 56.6 million in 2022 to 59.1 million in 2023, then to 61.5 million in 2024, with the 2025 population estimated at 62.8 million.

The center said the GCC accounts for approximately 0.8 percent of the world's population and projected the population to reach around 83.6 million by 2050, an increase of about 33.6 percent from 2025.

The center noted that the GCC continues to have a relatively young population. Of the 61.5 million people recorded in 2024, around 23.5 million were aged between 15 and 34 years, accounting for 38.2 percent of the total population.

The working-age population (15-64 years) accounted for 76.7 percent of the total, while children under the age of 15 represented 20.6 percent. People aged 65 years and above made up just 2.6 percent, reflecting the region's youthful population structure.

The data also showed that there were 168 males for every 100 females in the GCC in 2024, while population density stood at approximately 25.5 people per square kilometer.

The center said the total demographic dependency ratio stood at 30.4 dependents per 100 working-age people in 2024, comprising 27.0 children and 3.4 older persons. The figures indicate that children account for the larger share of the dependency burden, reflecting the region's youthful population.

The center said the old-age dependency ratio is expected to increase gradually in line with projected demographic changes.

It added that the continued high share of the working-age population, accounting for more than three-quarters of the total, provides a strong foundation for economic growth and higher productivity. The data also highlight the importance of investing in and empowering young people as a key driver of development across the GCC. (QNA)