As early as the 16th century, Armenian merchants were the main organizers of trade between the East and the West in the Gulf region. Armenians have recently settled in the United Arab Emirates in the 1960s predominantly as migrant workers, emigrating from Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Armenia, Russia, countries throughout Europe, the United States and Canada.

The flow of Armenians to the UAE gradually increased, and since the 1980s have developed characteristic features. Initially, two Armenian communities were established in the UAE: Sharjah - Dubai (more than 80% of the population lived in the UAE) and Abu Dhabi (20%). Currently, a number of Armenians also live in the Northern Emirates (al-Fujairah, Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah, Umm al-Quwain).