The economic growth has paralleled the rise of diabetes and its complications in multiethnic population of United Arab Emirates (UAE). Previous studies have shown that characteristics of diabetes is variable across different ethnicities. The objective of this study was to compare diabetes prevalence and risk factors between UAE nationals and different expatriate's ethnic groups in UAE using data from UAE National Diabetes and Lifestyle Study (UAEDIAB). The UAE nationals made one-fourth (n = 797, 25%) of total cohort and the remaining 75% belonged to immigrants. Across different ethnicities, adjusted prevalence of prediabetes ranged from 8% to 17%, while adjusted prevalence of newly diagnosed diabetes ranged from 3% to 13%. UAE nationals, Arabs non-nationals and Asians had the highest number of pre-diabetic as well as newly diagnosed diabetic patients. Adjusted prevalence of diabetes was highest in UAE nationals (male 21% and female 23%) as well as Asian non-Arabs (male 23% and female 20%), where 40% of both groups fell under the range of either prediabetes or diabetes conditions. Multivariate factors of diabetes versus non-diabetes included older age, ethnicities of Asian non-Arabs and local UAE nationals, family history of diabetes, obesity, snoring, decreased level of high density lipoprotein, elevated levels of triglycerides and blood pressure. In conclusion, diabetes prevalence and risk factors vary across the different ethnic groups in UAE, and hence interventions towards identification and prevention of diabetes should not treat all patients alike.