February 23, 2026
Methodology About Newsletter
WE THE UAE 2031
The Vanderbilt Terminal for the UAE's National Transformation
INDEPENDENT GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% | UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% |

Definition

Expo City Dubai is a purpose-built urban district that transformed the 4.38-square-kilometre Expo 2020 Dubai site into a permanent mixed-use development focused on innovation, sustainability, culture, and business. Rather than following the pattern of previous World Expo host cities where event infrastructure was dismantled, Dubai retained approximately 80 percent of the Expo 2020 built environment and adapted it into a functioning district with residential, commercial, educational, and institutional components.

UAE Context

Expo City Dubai was officially launched in October 2022, one year after the conclusion of Expo 2020 (which ran from October 2021 to March 2022 following a pandemic-related postponement). The district retains iconic Expo structures including Al Wasl Plaza (the latticed dome that served as the event’s centrepiece), the Sustainability Pavilion (now Terra), and the Opportunity Pavilion (now the Expo 2020 Dubai Museum). Anchor tenants include the Siemens Middle East headquarters, the offices of the UAE Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, and DP World’s global headquarters. The district is connected by the Dubai Metro Route 2020 extension.

Key Data

Expo 2020 attracted over 24 million visits during its six-month run, making it one of the most attended World Expos. Expo City Dubai is designed to accommodate approximately 80,000 residents and workers at full build-out. The district targets a sustainability rating among the most advanced in the region, incorporating district cooling, solar energy, water recycling, and green building standards across all retained and new structures.

Vision 2031 Significance

Expo City Dubai demonstrates the UAE’s approach to leveraging mega-events for long-term development. By converting event infrastructure into a functioning urban district with institutional anchors and sustainability credentials, the project creates lasting economic value, attracts multinational corporate tenants, and provides a model for post-event legacy planning studied by future host cities.

  • Dubai South — The broader master-planned city surrounding Expo City Dubai.
  • Sustainability — A core design principle of the Expo City district.
  • Smart Government — Digital infrastructure embedded throughout the district.
  • D33 Economic Agenda — Dubai’s economic strategy that Expo City supports.