Qatar Rate of Natural Increase

Qatar’s rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between birth and death rates—has been moderate in recent years, typically ranging between 1.5% and 2% annually. This is somewhat lower than some of its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) neighbors like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, where higher fertility rates contribute to RNIs closer to 2% or slightly above. In contrast, countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have RNIs similar to or even lower than Qatar, reflecting declining birth rates and aging populations. While all these Gulf countries experience significant overall population growth, much of it is driven by net migration rather than natural increase. Qatar, in particular, has a large expatriate population, so its total population growth rate often outpaces its RNI, a pattern shared with the UAE. In summary, Qatar’s RNI is moderate by regional standards: lower than some neighbors with higher fertility, but higher than those with more advanced demographic transitions, and like others in the region, its population growth is heavily influenced by migration.

Data from US Census International Database