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List of cities in UAE

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List of main cities and towns in the UAE

List of main cities and towns in the UAE by population - Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Al Ain, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah RAK, Umm Al Quwain UAQ, information about the largest and most populous cities. The top 5 or biggest cities in the UAE are (in descending order by population of city):

1. Dubai
2 & 3. Abu Dhabi & Sharjah metropolitan areas have a similar population, 1.2-1.3 million in 2015.
4. Al Ain, population about 500,000 in 2015.
5. Ajman, population about 350,000 in 2015.
Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is also usually regarded as one of the major UAE cities, with a population of about 250,000 in 2015.

Population figures in table below are given for the city, not the emirate. Each UAE emirate has an emirate capital city with the same name as the emirate (emirates or states are the primary political or administrative divisions of the UAE, with each "state" governed by a royal ruling family). For a small emirate like Ajman, most of the population lives in Ajman City. For the much larger emirate of Abu Dhabi, a larger proportion of the emirate's population lives outside Abu Dhabi City. Note that Al Ain is not an emirate, it is a city in the Al Ain Region in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

List of cities and areas with "city" names in the UAE
City or town name Emirate Population Updated Location,
Community
Comments

Capital cities of each emirate [Update population figures, from < 2007 (!)]

Dubai Dubai 1,137,3471     Daytime population 3.8m, DSC 2016, Dubai emirate not city.
Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi 603,4921      
Sharjah Sharjah 543,7331      
Ras Al Khaimah RAK 115,9491      
Fujairah Fujairah 62,4151      
Ajman Ajman 226,1721      
Umm Al Quwain UAQ 44,4111      
           

Global cities in the UAE

Abu Dhabi         The Economist 2012 Global City Competitiveness Index,
rank 41st, 2nd in Middle East.
Dubai         The Economist 2012 Global City Competitiveness Index,
rank 40th, 1st in Middle East.
           

Other major towns and cities in UAE

Al Ain Abu Dhabi 408,7331     Al Ayn, AlAin
Hatta Dubai        
Jebel Ali Dubai       Jabal Ali, Jabel Ali, Jebal Ali
Khorfakkan   33,5751     On east coast, Khor Fakkan
Dibba Al Fujairah   30,0001     On east coast
Diba Al Sharjah   26,3951     On east coast
Kalba         On east coast
Khalifa City A Abu Dhabi       Renamed as Khalifa City (Madinat Khalifa).
Khalifa City B Abu Dhabi       Renamed as Shakhbout City.
Khalifa City C Abu Dhabi       Renamed?
MBZ City Abu Dhabi       Mohammed Bin Zayed City
Mussaffah Abu Dhabi       Musaffah, Mussafa, etc
Officers City Abu Dhabi       Renamed as Abu Dhabi Gate City Dec 2010.
Police Officers City Abu Dhabi       Part of MBZ City or Mussafah Community?
Ruwais Abu Dhabi        
Ghayathi Abu Dhabi        
Madinat Zayed Abu Dhabi       Capital of Al Gharbia (Western Region).
Madinat Zayed Abu Dhabi       District in Abu Dhabi city (renamed as Al Danah).
Liwa Abu Dhabi        
           

Other towns and villages in Dubai [population figures DSC 2016]

Al Awir, Al Aweer (1 & 2)   6,732   711 & 721 Part of Dubai city urban area?
Al Faqa   370   945 At Abu Dhabi emirate border on Al Ain Rd.
Al Faga'a, Al Fagga, Al Faqqa, Al Faqaa.
Al Lesaily, Al Lisaily   2,514     Al Lesaili, Al Lesailly, Al Lisaili, Al Lisailli
Al Meryal   709   735 Different from Mereiyel (821).
Hatta   12,200   891 Exclave of Dubai, not an exclave of the UAE.
Lahbab, Lehbab (1 & 2)   3,822   731 & 831  
Margham   844   841  
Margab, Murqab   479   857 Murqquab, Marqab, Murgab
Mereiyeel   1,075   821 Different from Al Meryal (735).
Nazwa, Nazwah       736 Dubai-Sharjah border, most of town in Sharjah.
Jebel Ali         Part of Dubai city urban area?
Al Quoz         Part of Dubai city urban area. Wiki lists as separate town, why?
           

List of Municipalities in the UAE

Municipalities in Abu Dhabi emirate

Abu Dhabi Municipality          
Al Ain Municipality         Al Ain city and surrounding area
Al Gharbia Municipality         Western Region
           

Municipalities in Dubai

Dubai Municipality         There is no "Hatta Municipality", DM has an office in Hatta.
           

Municipalites in Sharjah emirate

Sharjah City Municipality          
Al Hamriyah Municipality          
Al Batayeh Municipality          
Al Dhaid Municipality          
Al Madam Municipality          
Dibba Al Hesn Municipality         Diba Al Hisn
Kalba Municipality          
Khorfakkan Municipality          
Maleha Municipality         Mileha, Miliha
           

Places with "city" in the name: developments, plans, locations, suburbs, shopping malls, parks, ...

Al Ain

Al Ain Industrial City I, II Al Ain        
Hili Fun City Al Ain       Amusement park in Hili district
           

Abu Dhabi

Al Adla (Adlah) City? Abu Dhabi        
Bani Yas City (Baniyas) Abu Dhabi        
Building Materials City Abu Dhabi       MBZ City
Capital District (New Khalifa City?) Abu Dhabi       Proposed development in Abu Dhabi
City Mall Madinat Zayed         Shopping centre in Zayed City, Gharbia region.
ICAD Residential City Abu Dhabi       Mussafah
Industrial City Abu Dhabi (ICAD) Abu Dhabi       Mussafah, ICAD I, II, III
Khalifa City A, B, C         KCA, KCB, KCC renamed as Khalifa City and Capital District?
Madinat Zayed       Al Gharbiyah See Zayed City, Western Region (Al Gharbia).
Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre       AUH city Downtown Abu Dhabi shopping mall
Masdar City Abu Dhabi        
MBZ City         Full name Mohammed Bin Zayed City. Abu Dhabi suburb.
New Khalifa City Abu Dhabi       Capital District renamed in Nov 2013.
New Port City Abu Dhabi        
Shamkha City Abu Dhabi        
Sheikh Shakbout (Shakbut) City Abu Dhabi       New name for Khalifa City B.
Zayed City Abu Dhabi     AUH city Capital District renamed (in Nov 2013?).
Zayed City       Al Gharbiya See Madinat Zayed, Western Region (Al Gharbia).

Ajman

City Life shopping malls         Citylife centers: Al Jurf, Al Khor, Al Tallah, Hamidiya, Zorah
           

Dubai

Bowling City Dubai       Ten pin bowling, not residential
City Centre Deira         Shopping mall
City Centre Me'aisem (Meaisem)         Shopping mall
City Centre Mirdif (Mirdiff)         Shopping mall
City Centre Shindagha         Shopping mall
City of Arabia Dubai     Dubailand Mega project in Dubailand
Cityland Mall       Dubailand Shopping mall near Global Village, Carrefour open Q2 2019.
City Walk (Citywalk) Dubai       Shopping area and residential
Culture Village       Bur Dubai  
Dragon City         Where Dragonmart mall is?
Dream City         Not an area, is a name used by some companies in Dubai.
Dubai Academic City (DAC) Dubai     Al Awir District See Dubai International Academic City (DIAC)
Dubai Aladdin City         Proposed development?
Dubai Chess City         See International Chess City.
Dubai Children's City         Educational fun park, not residential
Dubai Design District (D3)          
Dubai Dome City         Reference to different possible projects?
Dubai Education City         Doesn't exist, see DAC or DIAC
Dubai Endurance City         Dubai International Endurance City
Dubai Energy City         Possibly a proposed development but no official information found.
Dubai Exhibition City         Also Exhibition World. Will host Dubai Expo 2020.
Dubai Fashion City         Proposed project near Palm Jebel Ali?
Dubai Festival City (DFC)       Creek District Dubai Festival Centre
Dubai Furniture City         See Furniture City
Dubai Golf City          
Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC)         Medical free zone, not residential
Dubai Industrial City       DWC  
Dubai International Academic City          
Dubai International City         See International City
Dubai Internet City         IT free zone, not residential
Dubai Knowledge Park         Education free zone, not residential, previously Knowledge Village.
Dubai Lifestyle City Dubai     Dubailand Not the same as Dubai Fashion City.
Dubai Logistics City          
Dubai Maritime City          
Dubai Mars City         see Mars Science City in Dubai.
Dubai Media City         Media free zone, not residential
Dubai Motor City         Dubai Motorcity
Dubai Mountain City Dubai       AED 12bn project announced Dec 2004. Not built (as of 2019).
Al Hashemi and Al Salem groups JV.
Dubai Outlet City Dubai     Dubailand Dubai factory outlet mall
Dubai Outsource City          
Dubai Production City          
Dubai Residential City       DWC Dubai World Central
Dubai Science Park          
Dubai Smart City         Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) Smart City or Dubai Smart City?
Dubai Sports City         Mixed use, sports themed
Dubai Studio City         Media free zone, not residential
Dubai Sustainable City         See The Sustainable City
Dubai Textile City          
Expo 2020         Not a "city" as such but probably deserves to be in this list.
Falcon City of Wonders         Falconcity
Fun City         Branded leisure center for kids in GCC malls
Furniture City Dubai       Bonyan International Group. Cancelled?
Global Village Dubai       Amusement park and flea market, not residential
Humanitarian City          
International Chess City         AED 10bn project announced Aug 2004 by Armada Group. Not built.
International City Dubai       Cheap apartments with country-based themes
Jumeirah City         Surprisingly, doesn't exist ... yet
Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC)         Not in Jumeirah
Jumeirah Village Square         Doesn't exist
Jumeirah Village Triangle (JVT)         Not in Jumeirah
Mars City Al Safa Dubai     Jumeirah Not a nursing home in Al Safa, is Mars City Dubai internet confusion.
Mars City Dubai Dubai       See Mars Science City. Also Mars Wisdom City.
Mars Science City       Al Khawaneej Simulated living project for habitation on Mars.
Meydan City          
Mohammed Bin Rashid City Dubai     Dubailand MBR City, Dubailand
Old Town Dubai         Downtown Dubai apartments, new not old
Smart City Dubai         Dubai smart cities project, or DSO Smart City?
The Forbidden City         Part of International City in Al Awir
The Sustainable City         Part of the Sustainable Cities project?
Warsan Village         Part of International City in Al Awir
Waterfront City         Dubai Waterfront City (Water Front City) planned?
           

Fujairah

Creative City         Free Zone area
           

Ras Al Khaimah (RAK)

           

Sharjah

Sharjah Media City Sharjah       Free Zone, also called Shams
Sharjah Publishing City Sharjah       Free Zone (SPCFZ)
Sharjah University City Sharjah       Tertiary education area
           

Umm Al Quwain (UAQ)

Al Salam City UAQ       Al Salamah district in Umm Al Quwain?
Umm Al Quwain University City UAQ       Unknown, no information supplied
           

Cities, developments, projects, plans in or by the UAE

Al Karamah         Proposed UAE capital city between AUH and DXB, plans abandoned.
Mars City UAE         See Mars Science City or Mars Wisdom City.
Mars Wisdom City (2117)       Planet Mars Planned development on Mars by 2117, see also Mars Science City.
Sheikh Zayed City         Several locations in other countries.
Wisdom City of Mars         See Mars Wisdom City.

Notes

  1. Population figures from geonames.org, original sources not given, date not given but appears to be figures from 2007 or earlier. As of Jun 2017, geonames data unchanged except for Dibba (location change from Sharjah to Fujairah). Many websites use the geonames data but with an obviously incorrect reference date. UAE city populations are substanially higher as of Jun 2017 (most recent check of geonames data). Assume city populations have more than doubled from 2007 to 2017.

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Last update Tuesday 19-Nov-2019. Page development 1H 2T 3D 4L 5C.
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Abu Dhabi AUH ABD ADB, Ajman AJM, Al Ain AAN, Dubai DXB, Fujairah FUJ, Ras Al Khaimah RAK, Sharjah SHJ, Umm Al Quwain UAQ

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