At a glance
Twelve headline indicators, latest available year.
What changed in United Arab Emirates
Statistically notable movements in the latest data.
- Record high2023MajorMedian age reached a record high of 31.2 years in 2023 (series since 1950).
- Record high2025MajorPopulation reached a record high of 11.5M people in 2025 (series since 1960).
- Record high2024MajorGDP reached a record high of US$ 552.3B in 2024 (series since 1970).
- Sharp rise2024MajorFDI outflows rose 9.7 points to 14.0 % in 2024 (largest rise on record).
- Sharp rise2024MajorFDI inflows rose 2.4 points to 8.3 % in 2024 (largest rise since 2010).
Countries similar to United Arab Emirates
Nearest peers by standardised distance on the selected dimension.
Country DNA
Percentile rank among all countries on nine dimensions. Descriptive, not a score.
2025
Key facts
Computed from the data — no model-generated numbers.
Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, United Arab Emirates ranks 2nd of 22 for GDP per capita (PPP) (intl $ 79,344, 2024).
Trade is worth 199.0 % of GDP (2023), above the world median of 82.3 %.
With a median age of 31.2 years, United Arab Emirates ranks 107th of 216 countries worldwide (2023).
Life expectancy of 83.1 years ranks 3rd of 23 in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (2024).
Life expectancy gained 6.7 years since 2000, from 76.3 years to 83.1 years in 2024.
CO₂ emissions of 20.13 t per person are 6.7× the world median of 2.99 t (2024).
The fertility rate fell from 2.73 births/woman in 2000 to 1.21 births/woman in 2024.
GDP grew 2.8 % a year on average over 2014–2024.
GDP per capita rose from US$ 29,866 in 2000 to US$ 50,274 in 2024 (+68.3 % in current US dollars).
Unemployment of 2.2 % in 2025 is below the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan median of 8.7 %.
United Arab Emirates's population grew 229.6 % between 2000 and 2025, from 3.5M people to 11.5M people.
Renewables' share of electricity generation rose from 0.0 % in 2010 to 8.8 % in 2024 (+8.8 points).
86.0 % of the population lived in urban areas in 2025, compared with 79.3 % in 2000.
100.0 % of people used the internet in 2024, up from 68.0 % in 2010.
Borders: Oman, Saudi Arabia
Languages: Arabic
Timeline
Records, reversals and turning points across the whole history.
- 2025
- 2024
- Sharp dropChildren out of school, primary fell 97.7 % to 21 children in 2024.
- Sharp riseFDI outflows rose 9.7 points to 14.0 % in 2024.
- Sharp riseLow-carbon electricity share rose 2.4 points to 31.7 % in 2024.
- Sharp riseFDI inflows rose 2.4 points to 8.3 % in 2024.
- Sharp riseNuclear electricity share rose 2.4 points to 22.9 % in 2024.
- Sharp riseWind electricity generation rose 233.3 % to 0.20 TWh in 2024.
- Sharp dropFossil fuel electricity share fell 2.4 points to 68.3 % in 2024.
- Sharp dropGas electricity share fell 2.4 points to 68.3 % in 2024.
- Sharp dropNet migration fell 21,565 people to 278,439 people in 2024.
- ReversalInflation, GDP deflator turned positive in 2024 (1.6 %).
- Record highFDI inflows set a new high of 8.3 % in 2024, the first since 2004.
- Record lowNet electricity imports (% of demand) fell to a new low of -0.1 % in 2024, the first since 2017.
- Record highCO₂ emissions from gas set a new high of 144.5 Mt in 2024, the first since 2013.
- Record highFDI outflows set a new high of 14.0 % in 2024, the first since 2007.
- Record highGas production set a new high of 614 TWh in 2024, the first since 2016.
- 2023
- Sharp dropAir pollution (PM2.5) fell 15.5 % to 57.2 µg/m³ in 2023.
- Sharp riseLife expectancy rose 2.4 years to 82.9 years in 2023.
- Sharp dropCarbon intensity of electricity fell 13.4 % to 484 gCO₂/kWh in 2023.
- Sharp riseNuclear electricity share rose 7.6 points to 20.6 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseLow-carbon electricity share rose 11.4 points to 29.3 % in 2023.
- Sharp dropDeath rate, crude fell 21.0 % to 0.9 per 1,000 in 2023.
- Sharp dropFossil fuel electricity share fell 11.4 points to 70.7 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseChildren out of school, primary rose 5,305.9 % to 919 children in 2023.
- Sharp riseSolar electricity share rose 3.6 points to 8.6 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseMaternal mortality ratio rose 50.0 % to 3.0 per 100,000 in 2023.
- Sharp riseExpected years of schooling rose 0.7 years to 15.6 years in 2023.
- Sharp dropGas electricity share fell 11.4 points to 70.7 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseEmployment to population ratio (ages 15+) rose 1.7 points to 76.7 % in 2023.
- Sharp riseLife expectancy at birth, male rose 2.6 years to 82.0 years in 2023.
Explore United Arab Emirates by topic
19 topics · 257 indicators with data.
- Economy22 with data · 27 indicators
- Government & public finance13 with data · 18 indicators
- Population & demographics23 with data · 23 indicators
- Employment & wages12 with data · 19 indicators
- Income & inequality7 with data · 10 indicators
- Housing0 with data · 12 indicators
- Health23 with data · 23 indicators
- Education15 with data · 16 indicators
- Trade21 with data · 21 indicators
- Energy26 with data · 26 indicators
- Climate16 with data · 16 indicators
- Environment10 with data · 10 indicators
- Infrastructure & transportation9 with data · 10 indicators
- Digital economy & Internet6 with data · 6 indicators
- Innovation, research & technology9 with data · 9 indicators
- Agriculture & natural resources20 with data · 20 indicators
- Tourism4 with data · 5 indicators
- Security & governance8 with data · 15 indicators
- Quality of life13 with data · 14 indicators