Israel vs United Arab Emirates
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
Israel and the UAE normalized diplomatic relations through the Abraham Accords in 2020, opening new economic corridors between two of the Middle East's most dynamic economies. Israel's GDP per capita is among the world's highest, driven by a world-class technology sector (often called "Startup Nation" — more startups per capita than any other country). The UAE's economy is more diversified across oil, finance, logistics, and tourism. Trade between the two countries has grown rapidly since normalization, particularly in technology, cybersecurity, and financial services.
Israel has a GDP of $719.85B compared to United Arab Emirates's $621.55B, making it 1.2x larger. Israel's population is 10.1M vs United Arab Emirates's 11.5M. Across 12 key indicators, Israel leads in 7 categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Israel |  United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $719.85B✓ | $621.55B |
| GDP per Capita | $69,804✓ | $54,214 |
| GDP Growth (%) | 3.5%✓ | 3.1% |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $59,095 | $87,774✓ |
| Population | 10.1M | 11.5M✓ |
| Life Expectancy | 83.2 years✓ | 83.1 years |
| Inflation (%) | 2.3%✓ | 2.5% |
| Unemployment (%) | 3.2% | N/A |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 69.8% | 31.4%✓ |
| Fertility Rate | 2.9✓ | 1.2 |
| Gini Index | 38.3 | N/A |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 5.8✓ | 18.3 |
Summary
Israel has a GDP of $719.85B compared to United Arab Emirates's $621.55B, making the former economy 1.2x larger. In terms of population, Israel has 10.1M people while United Arab Emirates has 11.5M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Israel leads in 7 and United Arab Emirates leads in 3.
Why sources report different numbers
The IMF, World Bank and United Nations each publish these series on their own release schedule. Where their figures differ, the reason is usually visible in the reference year rather than in the methodology.
| Source | Israel | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $719.85B2026 | $621.55B2026 |
| World Bank | $610.78B2025 | $552.32B2024 |
| United Nations | $542.29B2024 | $552.32B2024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Israel spans about 33% across 2 years, wide enough that a rebasing or currency revaluation is likely involved as well; United Arab Emirates spans about 13% across 2 years.
| Source | Israel | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $69,8042026 | $54,2142026 |
| World Bank | $60,3372025 | $50,2742024 |
| United Nations | $57,7702024 | $50,0882024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Israel spans about 21% across 2 years; United Arab Emirates spans about 8% across 2 years.
Figures are reproduced as published by each source, converted to a common unit, with each publisher's own reference year shown. Differences are described, not adjudicated — no source is presented as more correct than another.
IsraelUnited Arab Emirates