The People of the United Arab Emirates, Ethnic Groups

The native population of the UAE is Arab; and generally a different tribe dominates each emirate. About two-thirds of the UAE’s non-native population are Asians (largely Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, and Filipinos), and the other third are Iranians or Arabs (primarily Jordanians, Palestinians, and Egyptians). Although the disproportionate number of expatriates has caused some concern over its possible impact on security and on social and cultural values, the level of tensions between the various ethnic communities is slight.