United Arab Emirates

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan·High income

Population: 10.5M; 90th of 217
GDP: $537B; 28th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $49,378; 31st of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 82.9; 24th of 217
Human development: 0.911; 25th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Israel

Malta

Saudi Arabia

Kuwait

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

high-income, oil-driven Middle Eastern economy; fastest GDP growth of Gulf states; diversification through tourism, construction, and services; strong foreign direct investment orientation; continued government investment and business-friendly reforms

Area: 83,600 km²
Resources: petroleum, natural gas
Borders: Oman; Saudi Arabia

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Muslim72.9%▼ 2.2pt
Christian14.3%▲ 1.2pt
Hindu11.8%▲ 1.0pt

Religious diversity: 5.06 / 10 · moderate · 56th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

ARE

ISR

MLT

GDP

current US$

$537B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$30.7B–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

212.6%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

0.7%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

47.7%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

–––

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

–––

Annual hours worked

hours per worker

2,514.5–––

Population

people

10.5M–––

Population density

people per km²

141.9–––

Urban population

% of total

87.8%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

1.2–––

Net migration

people

278K–––

Population under 15

% of total

16.1%–––

Population 65+

% of total

1.8%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

4.7%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

3.9%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

138K–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

16.1K–––

Electricity generation

TWh

177.3–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0.6%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

–––

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

5.06–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

0.3%–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

5.6%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#28/214

$537B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#31/214

$49,3782024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#16/203

$76,110latest

GDP growth

annual %

#83/214

3.8%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#27/207

$49,5002024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#27/213

0.7%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#13/201

$30.7B2023

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#3/205

212.6%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#184/206

0.7%2023

Industry value added

% of GDP

#10/208

47.7%2023

Unemployment

% of labor force

#17/187

2.2%latest

Gini index

0–100

#11/168

26.4latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#18/168

0%latest

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

#4/165

$77,2042022

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

#37/144

3.32023

Annual hours worked

hours per worker

#3/129

2,514.52023

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#90/217

10.5Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#81/216

141.9latest

Urban population

% of total

#39/215

87.8%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#24/217

82.9latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#202/217

1.2latest

Net migration

people

#6/217

278K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#166/217

16.1%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#216/217

1.8%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#41/196

4latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#41/196

5latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#133/192

4.7%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#60/195

2.9latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#47/160

98%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#114/199

3.9%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#59/194

61.3%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#3/210

100%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#5/214

199.42023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#33/208

37.12023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#80/215

4,234.42024

Access to electricity

% of population

#121/215

100%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#5/198

138K2024

Electricity per capita

kWh

#7/202

16.1K2024

Electricity generation

TWh

#26/202

177.32024

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#156/202

8.8%2024

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#108/202

68.3%2024

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#178/204

2222024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#198/204

20.12024

Share of global CO₂

#27/204

0.6%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#187/193

26.72023

Inequality

Who gets what — top and bottom shares of income and wealth, from tax data and national accounts

theme overview →

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

#120/210

0.2%2024

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

#153/210

0.5%2024

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

#152/210

0.1%2024

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

#138/210

0.3%2024

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

#150/210

0.5992024

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#168/175

0.1042025

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#152/175

0.0772025

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

#143/175

0.3392025

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

#31/175

0.1052025

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

#146/175

0.1952025

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#25/178

672022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#31/193

1.162022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#23/193

1.32022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#37/193

0.8372022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#52/193

0.7012022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#130/175

0.6142025

Conflict & Security

Organized violence since 1989 — every battle death georeferenced by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program

theme overview →

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#22/126

02025

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#27/126

02025

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

#27/126

02025

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#56/193

5.062020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#145/193

0.3%2020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#25/189

0.9112021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#11/170

0.0492021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#21/164

6.822025

Global Peace Index

1–5

#72/158

1.982023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#10/161

5.6%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.