United Arab Emirates Economy — GDP, Growth & Key Data
IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank readings. Each figure below retains its own reference year, source and unit.
- Nominal GDP
- $621.55B
- Reference year 2026
- current US dollars
- International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook)
- Series and history →
Unrounded value
621546000000 current US dollars
- Real GDP growth
- 3.1%
- Reference year 2026
- annual percent change in real GDP
- International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook)
- Series and history →
Unrounded value
3.1 annual percent change in real GDP
- Inflation (annual-average CPI)
- 2.5%
- Reference year 2026
- annual percent change in average consumer prices
- International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook)
- Series and history →
Unrounded value
2.5 annual percent change in average consumer prices
- Unemployment
- Not reported
- Reference year not reported
- percent of labor force
- International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook)
- Series and history →
- GDP per person
- $54,214
- Reference year 2026
- current US dollars per person
- International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook)
- Series and history →
Unrounded value
54214.399 current US dollars per person
- Population
- 11.5M
- Reference year 2025
- people
- World Bank (World Development Indicators)
- Series and history →
Unrounded value
11513149 people
- General government gross debt
- 31.4%
- Reference year 2026
- percent of GDP
- International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook)
- Series and history →
Unrounded value
31.4 percent of GDP
- Life expectancy at birth
- 83.1 years
- Reference year 2024
- years
- World Bank (World Development Indicators)
- Series and history →
Unrounded value
83.069 years
Nominal GDP: Rank 29 among 188 covered IMF economies for reference year 2026. This is a ranking of covered positive readings with the same reference-year label.
Each figure retains its own reference year, unit and source. Missing values are not zero. IMF readings can include estimates or projections; their stored release vintage, observation status and country-specific fiscal-year mapping are unavailable. A shared year label does not establish identical calendar periods.
Population follows the World Bank’s midyear-estimate definition. Nominal GDP is converted from stored billions of US dollars to US dollars. GDP per person is output per person, not a typical income; general-government gross debt is broader than central-government debt.
UAE Economic Overview
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates — Abu Dhabi and Dubai being by far the most economically significant — that has transformed from a desert trading post to one of the world's wealthiest and most connected economies in just five decades. Abu Dhabi holds the vast majority of the UAE's oil reserves and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) is one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds. Dubai has built a fundamentally different model based on tourism, aviation, logistics, real estate, and finance.
Dubai's diversification is genuinely remarkable: oil now accounts for less than 5% of its GDP. Emirates airline connects Dubai to over 150 destinations, making Dubai International the world's busiest airport for international passengers. Jebel Ali is the Middle East's largest container port. The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) hosts over 4,000 firms. Tourism exceeds 25 million visitors annually. This model has made Dubai a global city on par with Singapore, Hong Kong, and London in connectivity.
The UAE population is roughly 90% expatriate — one of the highest foreign-born ratios in the world — reflecting a labor market model dependent on imported talent and workers at all skill levels. GDP per capita at $54,214 (reference year 2026) is high but unevenly distributed between Emirati citizens and the large migrant workforce. The UAE is a member of BRICS (joined 2024) and increasingly positions itself as a neutral ground between Western and non-Western economic blocs.
Questions about United Arab Emirates’s figures
What nominal gdp does SOTW report for United Arab Emirates in reference year 2026?
United Arab Emirates: nominal gdp is $621.55B (current US dollars; reference year 2026). Source: International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook). Rank 29 among 188 covered IMF economies for reference year 2026.
What real gdp growth does SOTW report for United Arab Emirates in reference year 2026?
United Arab Emirates: real gdp growth is 3.1% (annual percent change in real GDP; reference year 2026). Source: International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook).
What population does SOTW report for United Arab Emirates in reference year 2025?
United Arab Emirates: population is 11.5M (people; reference year 2025). Source: World Bank (World Development Indicators). The World Bank definition describes midyear population estimates.
What life expectancy at birth does SOTW report for United Arab Emirates in reference year 2024?
United Arab Emirates: life expectancy at birth is 83.1 years (years; reference year 2024). Source: World Bank (World Development Indicators).