Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates: Military spending
Military spending: 6.48% of GDP in Saudi Arabia in 2025 and 5.64% of GDP in United Arab Emirates in 2014, by SIPRI estimates. In 2014 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 4.62 percentage points, or 1.82 times that in United Arab Emirates.
% of GDP · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1997.
Every year
% of GDP · SIPRI
| Year | Saudi Arabia | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6.48 | – |
| 2024 | 6.41 | – |
| 2023 | 6.38 | – |
| 2022 | 5.72 | – |
| 2021 | 6.43 | – |
| 2020 | 8.41 | – |
| 2019 | 7.35 | – |
| 2018 | 8.42 | – |
| 2017 | 9.5 | – |
| 2016 | 9.24 | – |
| 2015 | 12.57 | – |
| 2014 | 10.26 | 5.64 |
| 2013 | 8.71 | 6.04 |
| 2012 | 7.51 | 5.08 |
| 2011 | 7.13 | 5.47 |
| 2010 | 8.57 | 6.04 |
| 2009 | 9.62 | 5.46 |
| 2008 | 7.35 | 3.67 |
| 2007 | 8.53 | 3.28 |
| 2006 | 7.85 | 3.23 |
| 2005 | 7.73 | 3.66 |
| 2004 | 8.08 | 4.61 |
| 2003 | 8.69 | 4.69 |
| 2002 | 9.76 | 4.88 |
| 2001 | 11.42 | 5.61 |
| 2000 | 10.53 | 8.32 |
| 1999 | 11.38 | 7.67 |
| 1998 | 14.31 | 8.63 |
| 1997 | 11 | 6.76 |
| 1996 | 8.47 | – |
| 1995 | 9.28 | – |
| 1994 | 10.64 | – |
| 1993 | 12.47 | – |
| 1992 | 11.28 | – |
| 1991 | 12.47 | – |
| 1990 | 14.02 | – |
| 1989 | 13.39 | – |
| 1988 | 15.15 | – |
| 1987 | 16.9 | – |
| 1985 | 17 | – |
| 1984 | 19 | – |
| 1983 | 16.97 | – |
| 1982 | 17.72 | – |
| 1981 | 13.27 | – |
| 1980 | 12.61 | – |
| 1979 | 15.77 | – |
| 1978 | 16.74 | – |
| 1977 | 15.65 | – |
| 1973 | 10.84 | – |
| 1972 | 10.08 | – |
| 1971 | 8.64 | – |
| 1970 | 9.4 | – |
| 1969 | 9.57 | – |
| 1968 | 8.09 | – |
| 1967 | 11.51 | – |
| 1966 | 11.32 | – |
| 1965 | 7.69 | – |
| 1964 | 5.97 | – |
| 1963 | 5.9 | – |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, as a share of its economy, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates
Health
- Life expectancySaudi Arabia: 78.7 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 82.9 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySaudi Arabia: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024United Arab Emirates: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySaudi Arabia: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Arab Emirates: 4.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSaudi Arabia: 3.54% in 2017United Arab Emirates: 2.88% in 2017
- Suicide rateSaudi Arabia: 2.9 per 100,000 people in 2017United Arab Emirates: 5.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSaudi Arabia: 33.3 million people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 10.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthSaudi Arabia: 2.39% a year in 2023United Arab Emirates: 3.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSaudi Arabia: 2.28 births per woman in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.2 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSaudi Arabia: 84.6% in 2025United Arab Emirates: 86% in 2025
- Median ageSaudi Arabia: 29.3 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 31.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSaudi Arabia: 2.8% in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateSaudi Arabia: 9.8 per 1,000 people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 28.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSaudi Arabia: $25,070 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $41,610 in 2024
- GDP growthSaudi Arabia: 4.6% a year in 2025United Arab Emirates: 6.2% a year in 2025
- InflationSaudi Arabia: 2% a year in 2025United Arab Emirates: 1.3% a year in 2025
- Government debtSaudi Arabia: 31.8% of GDP in 2025United Arab Emirates: 33.9% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending in US dollarsSaudi Arabia: $81.5B in 2025United Arab Emirates: $27.8B in 2014
- Military spending per personSaudi Arabia: $2,428 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $2,840 in 2014
- Military share of state spendingSaudi Arabia: 23.5% of government spending in 2025United Arab Emirates: 17% of government spending in 2014
- Armed forces personnelSaudi Arabia: 282,000 people in 2020United Arab Emirates: 63,000 people in 2020
- National powerSaudi Arabia: 1.34% of world capability in 2022United Arab Emirates: 0.47% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSaudi Arabia: 1.92% of the labour force in 2020United Arab Emirates: 1.02% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSaudi Arabia: 3.04 billion TIV in 2025United Arab Emirates: 868 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSaudi Arabia: 3 million TIV in 2023United Arab Emirates: 33 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
- CO₂ per personSaudi Arabia: 18.48 tonnes in 2024United Arab Emirates: 18.26 tonnes in 2024
- Internet usersSaudi Arabia: 100% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 100% in 2024
- Access to electricitySaudi Arabia: 100% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 100% in 2024
- Forest areaSaudi Arabia: 1.3% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 4.6% in 2024