South Korea vs United Arab Emirates
South Korea vs United Arab Emirates: Military spending per person
Military spending per person: $924 in South Korea in 2025 and $2,840 in United Arab Emirates in 2014, by SIPRI estimates. In 2014 the value was higher in United Arab Emirates, by $2,094, or 3.8 times that in South Korea.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Arab Emirates has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1997.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | South Korea | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $924 | – |
| 2024 | $920 | – |
| 2023 | $924 | – |
| 2022 | $895 | – |
| 2021 | $980 | – |
| 2020 | $890 | – |
| 2019 | $853 | – |
| 2018 | $835 | – |
| 2017 | $762 | – |
| 2016 | $721 | – |
| 2015 | $720 | – |
| 2014 | $747 | $2,840 |
| 2013 | $689 | $3,080 |
| 2012 | $647 | $2,590 |
| 2011 | $634 | $2,719 |
| 2010 | $579 | $2,566 |
| 2009 | $507 | $2,099 |
| 2008 | $540 | $1,924 |
| 2007 | $577 | $1,616 |
| 2006 | $525 | $1,498 |
| 2005 | $464 | $1,452 |
| 2004 | $375 | $1,581 |
| 2003 | $334 | $1,432 |
| 2002 | $299 | $1,395 |
| 2001 | $276 | $1,607 |
| 2000 | $296 | $1,739 |
| 1999 | $261 | $1,343 |
| 1998 | $227 | $1,370 |
| 1997 | $324 | $1,232 |
| 1996 | $361 | – |
| 1995 | $356 | – |
| 1994 | $300 | – |
| 1993 | $277 | – |
| 1992 | $261 | – |
| 1991 | $247 | – |
| 1990 | $231 | – |
| 1989 | $219 | – |
| 1988 | $181 | – |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- 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
South Korea vs United Arab Emirates
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 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