North Korea vs United Arab Emirates: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 93 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

Comparing North Korea and United Arab Emirates: United Arab Emirates leads on Televisions (310,000) against North Korea (1.20); United Arab Emirates leads on Radios (820,000) against North Korea (3.36); United Arab Emirates leads on Internet Users (337,804) against North Korea (8). Across 93 compared metrics, North Korea wins on 29 and United Arab Emirates wins on 48.

  • Communications: 6 metrics compared
  • Economy: 34 metrics compared
  • Environment: 5 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 4 metrics compared
  • Health: 8 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 26 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared

Communications

6 metrics
Metric🇰🇵 North Korea🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesShare
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)0 %85 %
Internet Users8337,804
Press Freedom Index Score12.64 points26.91 points
Radios3.36820,000
Televisions1.2310,000
Waterways2,253none

Economy

34 metrics
Metric🇰🇵 North Korea🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country3.34B $5.37B $
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)NA4.2 % of GDP
Electricity Consumption13.89113.2
Electricity Exports00
Electricity from Fossil Fuels4599
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants550
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables01
Electricity Imports01.14
Electricity Installed Capacity10.0128.91
Electricity Production16.57121.8
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)23.83 USD per capita450.43 USD per capita
Gross National SavingNA28.5
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.3 %8.49 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)NA-2.08 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)defense spending is a regime priority; between 2010 and 2020, military expenditures accounted for an estimated 20-30% of North Korea's GDP annually; spending estimates ranged from $7 billion to $11 billion annually; in 2024, North Korea announced that it 4 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption074.48
Natural Gas Exports07.5
Natural Gas Imports020.22
Natural Gas Production062.01
Natural Gas Proved Reserves06.09
Oil Consumption13,000545,000
Oil Exports02.4
Oil Imports15,810235,300
Oil Production1182.81
Oil Proved Reserves097.8
Population Below Poverty LineNA19.5 people
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)-1.1 USD3.4 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption18,000896,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0817,700
Refined Petroleum Products Imports8,260392,000
Refined Petroleum Products Production11,270943,500
Taxes and Other Revenues11.40.68
Unemployment Rate2.9 %2.2 %

Environment

5 metrics
Metric🇰🇵 North Korea🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)525,27611.56M
Carbon Dioxide Emissions55.74271.7
Population Distributionpopulation concentrated in the plains and lowlands; least-populated regions are the mountainous provinces adjacent to the Chinese border; largest concentrations are in the western provinces, particularly the municipal district of Pyongyang, and around Hunpopulation is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates -- Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah -- are home to nearly 85% of the population
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country13 Cubic meters per year0.12 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources77.15150

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇰🇵 North Korea🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization4.47 %4.91 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)62.374.43
Agricultural land25,933.8 sq. km4,014.84 sq. km
Coastline Length (km)2,495 km1,318 km
Dam capacity per capita793.79 cubic meters per inhabitant5.49 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land14,600940

Government

4 metrics
Metric🇰🇵 North Korea🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesShare
Rule of Law Index by Country5.81 %79.62 %
Administrative Divisions97
Independence152
Suffrage Participation Rate17limited note: rulers of the seven emirates each select a proportion of voters for the Federal National Council (FNC) that accounts for about 12 percent of Emirati citizens

Health

8 metrics
Metric🇰🇵 North Korea🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesShare
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)9.920.7
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)2 % of GDP2.8 % of GDP
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNANA
Hospital Bed Density13.2 people/sq km1.4 people/sq km
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)67 %3 %
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)6.8 %31.7 %
People Living With HIV/AIDSNA<1,000 (2020)
Underweight Children Under 59.3NA

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇰🇵 North Korea🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)1.47M63,000

People and Society

26 metrics
Metric🇰🇵 North Korea🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesShare
Currently married (Percent)71.23 %69.02 %
Life expectancy at birth76.14 years85.97 years
Median age of population36.78 years31.86 years
Population Change60,580.4 persons235,550.7 persons
Population density221.44 per sq. km165.84 per sq. km
Total population26.64M persons11.66M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.040.2
Birth Rate (%)12.99 %10.65 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate70.2 %NA
Death Rate (%)9.01 %1.73 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)14.6 % of GDP3.9 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age6.08M persons2.84M persons
Labor Force Participation Rate17.647.09
Major Urban Areas Population3.16 people3.01 people
Mean Male Height (cm)171.99170.46
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligationcompulsory military service for men (17-30 years of age) and women (17-23 years of age); service obligation is reportedly up to 10 years for men and up to 7 years for women (2025)18
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization86.47 %91.5 %
Physician Density3.63 people/sq km2.99 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.4 %0.62 %
Population living in slums23.04 %-0.04 %
Total deaths269,232.3 persons9,956.5 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)68.61 %48.76 %
Total fertility rate1.76 per woman1.23 per woman
Total net-migration-3,031.8 persons125,185 persons
Under-five mortality rate16.3 per live births5.88 per live births

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇰🇵 North Korea🇦🇪 United Arab EmiratesShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)03
Airports8142
Heliports8204

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