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Business and economic intelligence for the Gulf and Iraq.

Countries

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi · AED

A federation of seven emirates and the region's most diversified large economy, combining Abu Dhabi's hydrocarbon and sovereign-fund base with Dubai's trade, logistics, finance and tourism platform.

Verified · updated 22 Sept 2026

What we watch this week

  • 4 OctThe UAE’s November output level with no OPEC+ quota, after it left the organisation on 1 May 2026.
  • 4 OctOPEC+ monthly meeting sets November output.Source ↗
  • 28 OctThe US Federal Reserve decision at its 28 October meeting; most Gulf currencies are pegged to the dollar.Source ↗
  • This weekEmaar's stake in Eagle Hills' $12bn Maldives project.Source ↗
  • This weekGulf container traffic after its 94% collapse with Hormuz shut, and the threat to Bab el-Mandeb.

Last updated 23 Sept 2026

Key indicators

$552 bn

GDP (nominal)

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2024·13 Jul 2026·About this indicator

4%

Real GDP growth

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2024·13 Jul 2026·About this indicator

1.3%

Inflation (CPI)

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2025·13 Jul 2026·About this indicator

11.51 mn

Population

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2025·13 Jul 2026·About this indicator

Oil and gas

113 bn bbl

Proven crude oil reserves

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025·About this indicator

2.92 mb/d

Crude oil production

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025·About this indicator

2.72 mb/d

Crude oil exports

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025·About this indicator

1.23 mb/d

Refining capacity

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025·About this indicator

8,210 bcm

Proven natural gas reserves

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025·About this indicator

57.8 bcm

Marketed natural gas production

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025·About this indicator

Labour snapshot

2.2%

Unemployment rate (total)

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2025(estimate)·13 Jul 2026·About this indicator

78.6%

Labour force participation (total)

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2025(estimate)·13 Jul 2026·About this indicator

Nationalisation programme

Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation

Emiratisation sets annual targets for the share of Emirati employees in skilled roles at private companies with 50 or more employees, with smaller firms in selected activities also covered; the Nafis programme provides salary support and training.

Official source ↗

Sovereign funds

Major companies

AI infrastructure

All verified values

Key indicatorsPeriodValueSource
Proven crude oil reserves2024113 bn bbl

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025

GDP (nominal)2024$552 bn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2024·13 Jul 2026

GDP (nominal)2023$523 bn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2023·13 Jul 2026

Proven crude oil reserves2023113 bn bbl

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2023·2 Jul 2025

GDP (nominal)2022$511 bn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2022·13 Jul 2026

GDP (nominal)2021$422 bn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2021·13 Jul 2026

GDP (nominal)2020$357 bn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2020·13 Jul 2026

GDP (nominal)2019$434 bn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2019·13 Jul 2026

GDP (nominal)2018$441 bn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2018·13 Jul 2026

GDP (nominal)2017$403 bn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2017·13 Jul 2026

GDP (nominal)2016$382 bn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2016·13 Jul 2026

GDP (nominal)2015$382 bn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2015·13 Jul 2026

Crude oil production20242.92 mb/d

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025

Real GDP growth20244%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2024·13 Jul 2026

Real GDP growth20234.3%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2023·13 Jul 2026

Crude oil production20232.94 mb/d

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2023·2 Jul 2025

Real GDP growth20227.5%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2022·13 Jul 2026

Real GDP growth20214.6%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2021·13 Jul 2026

Real GDP growth2020-8.7%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2020·13 Jul 2026

Real GDP growth20191.3%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2019·13 Jul 2026

Real GDP growth20181.5%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2018·13 Jul 2026

Real GDP growth2017-1.1%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2017·13 Jul 2026

Real GDP growth20165.7%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2016·13 Jul 2026

Real GDP growth20157.1%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2015·13 Jul 2026

Inflation (CPI)20251.3%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2025·13 Jul 2026

Crude oil exports20242.72 mb/d

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025

Inflation (CPI)20241.7%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2024·13 Jul 2026

Inflation (CPI)20231.6%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2023·13 Jul 2026

Crude oil exports20232.65 mb/d

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2023·2 Jul 2025

Inflation (CPI)20225.3%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2022·13 Jul 2026

Inflation (CPI)20210.2%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2021·13 Jul 2026

Inflation (CPI)2020-2.1%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2020·13 Jul 2026

Inflation (CPI)2019-1.9%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2019·13 Jul 2026

Inflation (CPI)20183.1%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2018·13 Jul 2026

Inflation (CPI)20172%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2017·13 Jul 2026

Inflation (CPI)20161.6%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2016·13 Jul 2026

Inflation (CPI)20154.1%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2015·13 Jul 2026

Population202511.51 mn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2025·13 Jul 2026

Refining capacity20241.23 mb/d

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025

Population202410.99 mn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2024·13 Jul 2026

Refining capacity20231.23 mb/d

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2023·2 Jul 2025

Population202310.48 mn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2023·13 Jul 2026

Population202210.07 mn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2022·13 Jul 2026

Population20219.58 mn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2021·13 Jul 2026

Population20209.4 mn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2020·13 Jul 2026

Population20199.45 mn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2019·13 Jul 2026

Population20189.35 mn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2018·13 Jul 2026

Population20179.22 mn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2017·13 Jul 2026

Population20168.94 mn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2016·13 Jul 2026

Population20158.51 mn

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2015·13 Jul 2026

Unemployment rate (total)2025 (estimate)2.2%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2025(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Proven natural gas reserves20248,210 bcm

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025

Unemployment rate (total)2024 (estimate)2.2%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2024(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Proven natural gas reserves20238,210 bcm

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2023·2 Jul 2025

Unemployment rate (total)2023 (estimate)2.2%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2023(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Unemployment rate (total)2022 (estimate)2.9%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2022(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Unemployment rate (total)2021 (estimate)3.1%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2021(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Unemployment rate (total)2020 (estimate)4.3%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2020(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Unemployment rate (total)2019 (estimate)2.3%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2019(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Unemployment rate (total)2018 (estimate)2.2%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2018(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Unemployment rate (total)2017 (estimate)2.5%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2017(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Unemployment rate (total)2016 (estimate)1.6%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2016(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Unemployment rate (total)2015 (estimate)1.8%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2015(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Labour force participation (total)2025 (estimate)78.6%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2025(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Marketed natural gas production202457.8 bcm

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2024·2 Jul 2025

Labour force participation (total)2024 (estimate)78.5%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2024(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Labour force participation (total)2023 (estimate)78.4%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2023(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Marketed natural gas production202356.7 bcm

OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin·2023·2 Jul 2025

Labour force participation (total)2022 (estimate)77.2%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2022(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Labour force participation (total)2021 (estimate)77.1%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2021(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Labour force participation (total)2020 (estimate)78.8%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2020(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Labour force participation (total)2019 (estimate)79.5%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2019(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Labour force participation (total)2018 (estimate)79.1%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2018(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Labour force participation (total)2017 (estimate)78.8%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2017(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Labour force participation (total)2016 (estimate)78.4%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2016(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Labour force participation (total)2015 (estimate)78%

World Bank, World Development Indicators·2015(estimate)·13 Jul 2026

Related news

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Sources

  1. OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin · opec.org
  2. World Bank, World Development Indicators · data.worldbank.org