Compare
South Korea vs United Arab Emirates
How South Korea and United Arab Emirates compare on 38 measures, from 1789 to 2025. The main differences:
- Life expectancy · In 2023, South Korea was higher: 84.3 years against 82.9 years
- GDP per person · In 2024, United Arab Emirates was higher: $41,610 against $37,050
- Population · In 2023, South Korea was higher: 51.8 million people against 10.6 million people
- Military spending · In 2014, United Arab Emirates was higher: 5.64% of GDP against 2.41% of GDP
- CO₂ per person · In 2024, United Arab Emirates was higher: 18.26 tonnes against 11.36 tonnes
- Life expectancySouth Korea: 84.3 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 82.9 years in 2023
- PopulationSouth Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 10.6 million people in 2023
- GDP per personSouth Korea: $37,470 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $41,610 in 2024
- TemperatureSouth Korea: 13.5 °C in 2025United Arab Emirates: 28.9 °C in 2025
Every measure
Health
- Life expectancySouth Korea: 84.3 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 82.9 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024United Arab Emirates: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Arab Emirates: 4.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Korea: 3.17% in 2017United Arab Emirates: 2.88% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017United Arab Emirates: 5.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 10.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023United Arab Emirates: 3.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.2 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Korea: 81.2% in 2025United Arab Emirates: 86% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Korea: 44.5 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 31.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Korea: 18.3% in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 28.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSouth Korea: $37,470 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $41,610 in 2024
- GDP growthSouth Korea: 1.1% a year in 2025United Arab Emirates: 6.2% a year in 2025
- InflationSouth Korea: 2.1% a year in 2025United Arab Emirates: 1.3% a year in 2025
- Government debtSouth Korea: 49.6% of GDP in 2024United Arab Emirates: 33.9% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025United Arab Emirates: 5.64% of GDP in 2014
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Korea: $48.9B in 2025United Arab Emirates: $27.8B in 2014
- Military spending per personSouth Korea: $924 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $2,840 in 2014
- Military share of state spendingSouth Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025United Arab Emirates: 17% of government spending in 2014
- Armed forces personnelSouth Korea: 569,000 people in 2020United Arab Emirates: 63,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022United Arab Emirates: 0.47% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020United Arab Emirates: 1.02% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025United Arab Emirates: 868 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSouth Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025United Arab Emirates: 33 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
- CO₂ per personSouth Korea: 11.36 tonnes in 2024United Arab Emirates: 18.26 tonnes in 2024
- Internet usersSouth Korea: 97.9% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 100% in 2024
- Access to electricitySouth Korea: 100% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 100% in 2024
- Forest areaSouth Korea: 64.4% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 4.6% in 2024
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