Iran vs United Arab Emirates
Iran vs United Arab Emirates: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 2.35% of the labour force in Iran and 1.02% of the labour force in United Arab Emirates, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Iran, by 1.33 percentage points, or 2.3 times that in United Arab Emirates.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- Iran has been higher since 2002, when it overtook United Arab Emirates.
- In 2020, Iran ranked 21 and United Arab Emirates ranked 65 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.
Every year
% of the labour force · IISS
| Year | Iran | United Arab Emirates | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2.35 | 1.02 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 2.23 | 1.01 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 2.24 | 1.02 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 1.97 | 1.04 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 2.04 | 1.08 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 2.13 | 1.14 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 2.21 | 1.21 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 2.22 | 1.27 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 2.21 | 1.08 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 2.31 | 1.12 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 2.25 | 1.17 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 2.24 | 1.19 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 2.32 | 1.26 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 2.25 | 1.41 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 2.36 | 1.59 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 2.39 | 1.73 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 1.98 | 1.81 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 2.63 | 1.95 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 2.64 | 1.73 | 1 |
| 2001 | 2.71 | 2.96 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 3.87 | 3.2 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 4.22 | 3.45 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 4.61 | 3.74 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 5.1 | 4.07 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 5.27 | 4.43 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 4.75 | 5.17 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 3.34 | 4.64 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 3.33 | 4.52 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 3.31 | 4.83 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 2.95 | 6.19 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 2.86 | 6.64 | 1.11 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 168 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Iran vs United Arab Emirates
Health
- Life expectancyIran: 77.7 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 82.9 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIran: 1.1 per 100 live births in 2024United Arab Emirates: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIran: 9.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Arab Emirates: 4.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionIran: 5.12% in 2017United Arab Emirates: 2.88% in 2017
- Suicide rateIran: 5.4 per 100,000 people in 2017United Arab Emirates: 5.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIran: 90.6 million people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 10.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthIran: 1.12% a year in 2023United Arab Emirates: 3.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIran: 1.7 births per woman in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.2 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIran: 77.4% in 2025United Arab Emirates: 86% in 2025
- Median ageIran: 32.9 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 31.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIran: 7.9% in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateIran: 2.9 per 1,000 people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 28.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personIran: $5,617 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $41,610 in 2024
- GDP growthIran: -0.9% a year in 2025United Arab Emirates: 6.2% a year in 2025
- InflationIran: 50.6% a year in 2025United Arab Emirates: 1.3% a year in 2025
- Government debtIran: 31.2% of GDP in 2024United Arab Emirates: 33.9% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIran: 2.09% of GDP in 2025United Arab Emirates: 5.64% of GDP in 2014
- Military spending in US dollarsIran: $7.45B in 2025United Arab Emirates: $27.8B in 2014
- Military spending per personIran: $80 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $2,840 in 2014
- Military share of state spendingIran: 11.2% of government spending in 2025United Arab Emirates: 17% of government spending in 2014
- Armed forces personnelIran: 650,000 people in 2020United Arab Emirates: 63,000 people in 2020
- National powerIran: 1.64% of world capability in 2022United Arab Emirates: 0.47% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsIran: 42 million TIV in 2024United Arab Emirates: 868 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIran: 80 million TIV in 2025United Arab Emirates: 33 million TIV in 2025