Government spending as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Government spending as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita was 21.4% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Government spending as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in United Arab Emirates, 1991–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, government spending as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in United Arab Emirates stood at 21.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.5% on the previous year and down 31.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in United Arab Emirates peaked at 36.0% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 15.6%, in 2006.
United Arab Emirates ranks 113th of 151 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Government spending as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 36.0% | — |
| 1992 | 29.6% | -17.8% |
| 1993 | 31.5% | +6.5% |
| 1994 | 30.1% | -4.3% |
| 1995 | 26.1% | -13.2% |
| 1996 | 27.6% | +5.6% |
| 1997 | 22.6% | -18.3% |
| 1998 | 25.8% | +14.5% |
| 1999 | 24.3% | -6.0% |
| 2000 | 21.8% | -10.3% |
| 2001 | 25.2% | +15.8% |
| 2002 | 21.3% | -15.4% |
| 2003 | 20.1% | -6.0% |
| 2004 | 17.7% | -11.7% |
| 2005 | 15.7% | -11.1% |
| 2006 | 15.6% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 17.7% | +13.0% |
| 2008 | 22.0% | +24.3% |
| 2009 | 35.0% | +59.4% |
| 2010 | 30.4% | -13.3% |
| 2011 | 29.6% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 27.8% | -6.2% |
| 2013 | 28.9% | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 31.4% | +8.8% |
| 2015 | 26.4% | -16.0% |
| 2016 | 31.7% | +20.1% |
| 2017 | 27.2% | -14.1% |
| 2018 | 25.9% | -5.0% |
| 2019 | 27.4% | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 30.5% | +11.2% |
| 2021 | 25.9% | -14.9% |
| 2022 | 22.7% | -12.3% |
| 2023 | 22.7% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 21.4% | -5.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 28.2% | 22.6% | 36.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 21.2% | 15.6% | 35.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.7% | 25.9% | 31.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.6% | 21.4% | 30.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More economy & growth data for United Arab Emirates
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.85 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.54 Percent per annum (2029)
- Services, value added (constant LCU), per capita 85,997 constant LCU per person (2024)
- GDP deflator (base year varies by country), annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 5.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 1 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 50,274 current US$ per person (2024)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 5.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 3.67 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 184,629 current LCU per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in United Arab Emirates?
- Government spending as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita in United Arab Emirates was 21.4% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 36.0% in 1991.
- What is the lowest government spending as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.6% in 2006.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for government spending as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 113th out of 151 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government spending as share of gdp vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending as share of GDP vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Sum of all the money spent by the government on goods and services, as a percentage of GDP. It includes interest paid on government debt.