Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates: Compare Statistics
Side-by-side comparison of 110 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.
Summary
Comparing Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates: United Arab Emirates leads on Refined Petroleum Products Exports (817,700) against Saudi Arabia (1.78); United Arab Emirates leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (943,500) against Saudi Arabia (2.48); United Arab Emirates leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (896,000) against Saudi Arabia (3.29). Across 110 compared metrics, Saudi Arabia wins on 49 and United Arab Emirates wins on 41.
- Communications: 6 metrics compared
- Economy: 43 metrics compared
- Environment: 6 metrics compared
- Geography: 6 metrics compared
- Government: 4 metrics compared
- Health: 10 metrics compared
- Military and Security: 1 metric compared
- People and Society: 29 metrics compared
- Transportation: 5 metrics compared
Communications
6 metrics| Metric | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population) | 100 % | 100 % | |
| Internet Users | percent of population: 100% (2023 est.) | percent of population: 100% (2023 est.) | |
| Press Freedom Index Score | 27.94 points★ | 26.91 points | |
| Radios | 6.25 | 820,000★ | |
| Televisions | 5.1 | 310,000★ | |
| Waterways | none | none |
Economy
43 metricsEnvironment
6 metrics| Metric | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs) | 14.69M | 11.56M★ | |
| Carbon Dioxide Emissions | 656.51 | 271.7★ | |
| Continental Shelf | not specific; | defined by bilateral boundaries or equidistant line | |
| Population Distribution | historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since oil was discovered in the 1930s; most of the country's population is now concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, | population 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 Country | 2.2 Cubic meters per year★ | 0.12 Cubic meters per year | |
| Total Renewable Water Resources | 2.4 | 150★ |
Geography
6 metrics| Metric | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization | 0.52 % | 4.91 %★ | |
| Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha) | 26.61 | 74.43★ | |
| Agricultural land | 1.74M sq. km★ | 4,014.84 sq. km | |
| Coastline Length (km) | 2,640 km★ | 1,318 km | |
| Dam capacity per capita | 29.56 cubic meters per inhabitant★ | 5.49 cubic meters per inhabitant | |
| Irrigated Land | 7,575★ | 940 |
Government
4 metrics| Metric | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rule of Law Index by Country | 64.18 % | 79.62 %★ | |
| Administrative Divisions | 13★ | 7 | |
| Independence | 23★ | 2 | |
| Suffrage Participation Rate | 18 | limited 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
10 metrics| Metric | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std) | 67.94 | 14.38★ | |
| Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population) | 23.1★ | 20.7 | |
| Health Care Spending per Capita | 3,758.53 USD★ | 3,627.31 USD | |
| Health Expenditure (% of GDP) | 6 % of GDP★ | 5.3 % of GDP | |
| HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate | NA | NA | |
| Hospital Bed Density | 2.2 people/sq km★ | 2 people/sq km | |
| Maternal Mortality Ratio (%) | 7 % | 3 %★ | |
| Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%) | 35.4 % | 31.7 %★ | |
| People Living With HIV/AIDS | 12,000 | <1,000 (2020) | |
| Underweight Children Under 5 | 3.5 | NA |
Military and Security
1 metric| Metric | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP) | 282,000★ | 63,000 |
People and Society
29 metrics| Metric | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currently married (Percent) | 52.77 % | 69.02 %★ | |
| Human Capital Index | 0.6 | 0.71★ | |
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.13 years | 85.97 years★ | |
| Median age of population | 30.06 years | 31.86 years★ | |
| Population Change | 681,198 persons★ | 235,550.7 persons | |
| Population density | 16.53 per sq. km★ | 165.84 per sq. km | |
| Total population | 35.17M persons★ | 11.66M persons | |
| Academic Freedom Index | 0.07 | 0.2★ | |
| Birth Rate (%) | 13.41 %★ | 10.65 % | |
| Contraceptive Prevalence Rate | 27.9 % | NA | |
| Death Rate (%) | 3.51 % | 1.73 %★ | |
| Education Expenditure (% of GDP) | 5.1 % of GDP★ | 3.9 % of GDP | |
| Female population of reproductive age | 8.25M persons★ | 2.84M persons | |
| Labor Force Participation Rate | 17.17★ | 7.09 | |
| Learning-adjusted years of school | 8.41 years | 10.33 years★ | |
| Length of paid parental leave for mother | 0 days | 17.5 days★ | |
| Major Urban Areas Population | 7.68 people★ | 3.01 people | |
| Mean Male Height (cm) | 167.67 | 170.46★ | |
| Military Manpower at Military Age | 17 | 18★ | |
| Military Service Age and Obligation | voluntary military service for men (17-40) and women (typically 21-40, although maximum age may vary by role); no conscription (2025) | 18 | |
| Percentage of population by degree of urbanization | 84.78 % | 91.5 %★ | |
| Physician Density | 3.41 people/sq km★ | 2.99 people/sq km | |
| Population Growth Rate | 1.72 %★ | 0.62 % | |
| Population living in slums | 0.55 %★ | -0.04 % | |
| Total deaths | 78,615 persons | 9,956.5 persons★ | |
| Total demand for family planning (Percent) | 34.89 % | 48.76 %★ | |
| Total fertility rate | 2.36 per woman★ | 1.23 per woman | |
| Total net-migration | 166,821.2 persons★ | 125,185 persons | |
| Under-five mortality rate | 7.26 per live births | 5.88 per live births★ |
Transportation
5 metrics| Metric | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP) | 1.36 | 3★ | |
| Airports | 90★ | 42 | |
| Annual Human Space Visits (Total) | 0 | 0 | |
| Civil Air Travel | 104★ | 10 | |
| Heliports | 69 | 204★ |