Compare
China vs United Arab Emirates
How China and United Arab Emirates compare on 38 measures, from 1789 to 2025. The main differences:
- Life expectancy · In 2023, United Arab Emirates was higher: 82.9 years against 78 years
- GDP per person · In 2024, United Arab Emirates was higher: $41,610 against $13,120
- Population · In 2023, China was higher: 1.42 billion people against 10.6 million people
- Military spending · In 2014, United Arab Emirates was higher: 5.64% of GDP against 1.71% of GDP
- CO₂ per person · In 2024, United Arab Emirates was higher: 18.26 tonnes against 9.32 tonnes
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 82.9 years in 2023
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 10.6 million people in 2023
- GDP per personChina: $13,790 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $41,610 in 2024
- TemperatureChina: 8.3 °C in 2025United Arab Emirates: 28.9 °C in 2025
Every measure
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 82.9 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024United Arab Emirates: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Arab Emirates: 4.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017United Arab Emirates: 2.88% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017United Arab Emirates: 5.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 10.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023United Arab Emirates: 3.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.2 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025United Arab Emirates: 86% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 31.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 28.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personChina: $13,790 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $41,610 in 2024
- GDP growthChina: 5% a year in 2025United Arab Emirates: 6.2% a year in 2025
- InflationChina: 0.1% a year in 2025United Arab Emirates: 1.3% a year in 2025
- Government debtChina: 98.6% of GDP in 2025United Arab Emirates: 33.9% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025United Arab Emirates: 5.64% of GDP in 2014
- Military spending in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025United Arab Emirates: $27.8B in 2014
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $2,840 in 2014
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025United Arab Emirates: 17% of government spending in 2014
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020United Arab Emirates: 63,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022United Arab Emirates: 0.47% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020United Arab Emirates: 1.02% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025United Arab Emirates: 868 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025United Arab Emirates: 33 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Sources: UN, Gapminder and UN IGME, IHME, World Bank, IMF, UNESCO, Our World in Data, V-Dem, UCDP, SIPRI, IISS, Correlates of War, ERA5, CMIP6, EDGAR, ITU and FAO. Each measure’s page names its own and what it counts.
- Values are drawn on today’s borders. Years without a published value are left empty, never filled in.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time