Compare
United Arab Emirates vs United Kingdom
How United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom compare on 37 measures, from 1789 to 2025. The main differences:
- Life expectancy · In 2023, United Arab Emirates was higher: 82.9 years against 81.3 years
- GDP per person · In 2024, United Kingdom was higher: $47,900 against $41,610
- Population · In 2023, United Kingdom was higher: 68.7 million people against 10.6 million people
- Military spending · In 2014, United Arab Emirates was higher: 5.64% of GDP against 2.17% of GDP
- CO₂ per person · In 2024, United Arab Emirates was higher: 18.26 tonnes against 4.22 tonnes
- Life expectancyUnited Arab Emirates: 82.9 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- PopulationUnited Arab Emirates: 10.6 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- GDP per personUnited Arab Emirates: $41,610 in 2024United Kingdom: $48,420 in 2025
- TemperatureUnited Arab Emirates: 28.9 °C in 2025United Kingdom: 10.4 °C in 2025
Every measure
Health
- Life expectancyUnited Arab Emirates: 82.9 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityUnited Arab Emirates: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityUnited Arab Emirates: 4.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionUnited Arab Emirates: 2.88% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateUnited Arab Emirates: 5.1 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationUnited Arab Emirates: 10.6 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthUnited Arab Emirates: 3.7% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateUnited Arab Emirates: 1.2 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationUnited Arab Emirates: 86% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageUnited Arab Emirates: 31.2 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overUnited Arab Emirates: 1.7% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateUnited Arab Emirates: 28.2 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personUnited Arab Emirates: $41,610 in 2024United Kingdom: $48,420 in 2025
- GDP growthUnited Arab Emirates: 6.2% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 1.2% a year in 2025
- InflationUnited Arab Emirates: 1.3% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 3.4% a year in 2025
- Government debtUnited Arab Emirates: 33.9% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 102.1% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingUnited Arab Emirates: 5.64% of GDP in 2014United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsUnited Arab Emirates: $27.8B in 2014United Kingdom: $88B in 2025
- Military spending per personUnited Arab Emirates: $2,840 in 2014United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingUnited Arab Emirates: 17% of government spending in 2014United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelUnited Arab Emirates: 63,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerUnited Arab Emirates: 0.47% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersUnited Arab Emirates: 1.02% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsUnited Arab Emirates: 868 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsUnited Arab Emirates: 33 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
- CO₂ per personUnited Arab Emirates: 18.26 tonnes in 2024United Kingdom: 4.22 tonnes in 2024
- Internet usersUnited Arab Emirates: 100% in 2024United Kingdom: 95.5% in 2024
- Access to electricityUnited Arab Emirates: 100% in 2024United Kingdom: 100% in 2024
- Forest areaUnited Arab Emirates: 4.6% in 2024United Kingdom: 13.5% in 2024
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Sources: UN, Gapminder and UN IGME, IHME, World Bank, IMF, 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