United Arab Emirates vs United Kingdom
United Arab Emirates vs United Kingdom: GDP growth
GDP growth in 2025: 6.2% a year in United Arab Emirates and 1.2% a year in United Kingdom, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Arab Emirates, by 5 percentage points, or 5.14 times that in United Kingdom.
% a year · IMF
What the numbers say
- United Arab Emirates has been higher since 2022, when it overtook United Kingdom.
- In 2025, United Arab Emirates ranked 23 and United Kingdom ranked 117 of 143 countries, counting from the highest.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts United Arab Emirates at 3.5% a year and United Kingdom at 1.4% a year in 2031.
Every year
% a year · IMF
| Year | United Arab Emirates | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6.2 | 1.2 |
| 2024 | 6.6 | 1.1 |
| 2023 | 4.3 | 0.4 |
| 2022 | 7.5 | 5 |
| 2021 | 4.6 | 8.5 |
| 2020 | -8.7 | -10.1 |
| 2019 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
| 2018 | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| 2017 | -1.1 | 3.3 |
| 2016 | 5.7 | 2.2 |
| 2015 | 7.1 | 2.2 |
| 2014 | 4.6 | 3.2 |
| 2013 | 4.9 | 1.9 |
| 2012 | 4.7 | 1.7 |
| 2011 | 6.7 | 1.1 |
| 2010 | 7.9 | 2.4 |
| 2009 | -5.2 | -4.5 |
| 2008 | 3.2 | 0 |
| 2007 | 3.2 | 3 |
| 2006 | 9.8 | 2.2 |
| 2005 | 4.9 | 2.7 |
| 2004 | 9.6 | 2.3 |
| 2003 | 8.8 | 3.2 |
| 2002 | 2.4 | 1.7 |
| 2001 | 1.4 | 2.4 |
| 2000 | 12.3 | 4.5 |
| 1999 | 3.8 | 2.9 |
| 1998 | 0.9 | 3.3 |
| 1997 | 8.6 | 4.9 |
| 1996 | 5.4 | 2.6 |
| 1995 | 6.6 | 2.4 |
| 1994 | 7.4 | 3.4 |
| 1993 | 0.3 | 2.3 |
| 1992 | 3.1 | 0.3 |
| 1991 | 2.2 | -1.4 |
| 1990 | 23.6 | 0.6 |
| 1989 | 15.7 | 2.4 |
| 1988 | -2.6 | 5.4 |
| 1987 | 5.3 | 5.5 |
| 1986 | -19.3 | 3.1 |
| 1985 | -2.5 | 4.1 |
| 1984 | 4.5 | 2.2 |
| 1983 | -5.3 | 4.2 |
| 1982 | -7.2 | 2 |
| 1981 | 8 | -0.6 |
| 1980 | -1.8 | -2.1 |
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | United Arab Emirates | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | -3.9 | 1.3 |
| 2027 | 7.7 | 1.2 |
| 2028 | 7 | 1.6 |
| 2029 | 5.9 | 1.5 |
| 2030 | 3.7 | 1.4 |
| 2031 | 3.5 | 1.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How much the economy grew or shrank in a year, after inflation.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 143 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
United Arab Emirates vs United Kingdom
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
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