The population of the six GCC countries has reached 57.6 million in 2023, compared to 56.6 million the previous year. Males accounted for 62.4% of the total population, while females made up 37.6%, reported Wam, citing GCC Statistical Centre data.

 

The report also indicates that the population density was 23.9 people per sq km, with the total area of the GCC countries amounting to 2.4 million sq km.

 

The GCC Statistical Centre has released the ninth edition of the Atlas of GCC Statistics for 2024. The Atlas highlights key statistical maps, data dashboards, and interactive statistical information, showing their distributions both at the country level and within administrative regions. 

 

These are illustrated with graphs and geographical maps, linking statistical data to its geographical location, enhancing the information's value and supporting its use in planning across various fields.

 

Speaking at the release of the Atlas, Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, said that statistics represent one of the most important foundations for planning and development in the journey of joint Gulf cooperation.

 

He praised the significant efforts and role of the GCC Statistical Centre in its various publications. He explained that the Atlas serves as a live model of data sources that contribute to shaping future policies to achieve further growth and prosperity for the GCC countries under the wise leadership of the GCC leaders.

 

Intisar bint Abdullah Al Wahibiah, Director-General of the GCC Statistical Centre, highlighted that the Statistical Atlas is one of the leading annual publications in the field of geographic information systems. She added that the Atlas was presented innovatively by integrating statistical indicators with geographic information, which enhances access to data and enables more comprehensive analysis.

 

The Atlas revealed that the total workforce in the GCC countries reached approximately 33.1 million in 2023, compared to 30.3 million in 2022. According to the GCC Statistical Centre, 45.0 million people were of working age (15 years and above) in the GCC countries in 2023.

 

The Atlas also reported marriage and divorce statistics, showing that the marriage rate in 2022 stood at 4.7 contracts per 1,000 people aged 15 and above in the GCC, while the divorce rate was 1.8 cases per 1,000 people in the same age group.

 

In terms of education, the total number of students in early childhood education, including nurseries and kindergartens, reached 712,400 in the 2021-2022 academic year. Meanwhile, the total number of school students across the GCC was 8.9 million for the same period.

 

Regarding healthcare, the GCC had approximately 843 government hospitals in 2022, representing 58.4% of the total, with private hospitals accounting for 41.6%. The number of hospital beds across the GCC reached 122,100, with 74.6% in government hospitals and 25.4% in private ones. The number of physicians stood at 29.6 per 10,000 residents, while there were 61.2 nurses per 10,000 residents in 2022.

 

For water statistics, the Centre reported an 18.8% increase in rainfall across the GCC between 2000 and 2022, with 214.1 billion cubic metres of rainfall recorded in 2022. The production of desalinated water grew by 9.0% annually over the same period.

 

In 2022, 1.4 billion cu m of treated water were used for irrigation, 3.7 billion cubic metres of surface water were recorded, and the number of wastewater treatment plants increased by 10.1% compared to 2021.

 

In foreign trade, the GCC's trade volume reached US$1.482 trillion in 2023. Total commodity exports amounted to $823.1 billion, with national oil exports making up 63.8% non-oil exports 19.3% and re-exports 16.9%. Intra-GCC commodity exports were valued at $131.6 billion.

 

In macroeconomic terms, the GCC's nominal GDP stood at $2.113 trillion in 2023, with an annual growth rate decrease of 3.5% compared to 2022. The inflation rate in the GCC was recorded at 2.2% in 2023.

 

Tourism statistics showed that 68.1 million tourists visited the GCC in 2023. The region had 10,900 hotel establishments, offering a total of 696,600 rooms.

 

In telecommunications, the GCC had 5.5 million fixed phone lines and 94.9 million mobile subscriptions in 2023.