Total population | |
---|---|
16,000 (2015)
[1]
[2] 0.17% of the UAE population [1] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Abu Dhabi · Dubai · Sharjah | |
Languages | |
English ( Australian English) · Arabic | |
Religion | |
Christianity |
Australians in the United Arab Emirates consist of 16,000 expatriates, most of whom live in Dubai and the capital of Abu Dhabi. [2] [3]
Australians are attracted by the lifestyle Dubai offers, including the wealth of outdoor activities for their families. [4] However, their population fell in 2009 due to the downturn in the economy of Dubai, as retrenched Australian expatriates with underwater real-estate loans fled the country to avoid debtor's prison. [5]
In Dubai, Australian and New Zealander expatriates joined to set up the Australia New Zealand Association, which aims to provide mutual support for their communities in the entire UAE. [6]
The Australian International School, Sharjah is an established international school, catering to much of the Australian community. The school's education system and syllabus is Queensland-curriculum based. [7]