Fiatmap

MacroUnited Arab Emirates

Government debt in United Arab Emirates

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

United Arab Emirates's government debt is 33.90 % — #25 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

33.90%

Checked 24 Oct 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 0.3 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in United Arab Emirates over time

35.70 %19.20 %2.70 %35.70 % · 20212.70 % · 20011999: 4.70 %2000: 3.10 %2001: 2.70 %2002: 3.40 %2003: 3.30 %2004: 4.10 %2005: 4.50 %2006: 5.10 %2007: 8.90 %2008: 8.90 %2009: 21.10 %2010: 18.30 %2011: 20.40 %2012: 20.20 %2013: 15.30 %2014: 13.50 %2015: 15.60 %2016: 18.60 %2017: 21.20 %2018: 20.70 %2019: 25.80 %2020: 30.10 %2021: 35.70 %2022: 31.50 %2023: 31.90 %2024: 33.20 %2025: 33.90 %19992012202533.90 %
27 official observations, 1999 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#25 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
80 %
100 of 125 countries
Latest move
▲ 0.70 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
1.80 pp
peak 35.70 % in 2021
Full series
▲ 29.20 pp
since 1999

In Asia: #12 of 37vs median 54.70 %: −20.80 pp (better)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %United Arab Emirates: ahead of 80 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtUnited Arab Emirates 33.90 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. United Arab Emirates is ahead of 80 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs United Arab Emirates
23 Belarus31.30 %−2.60 pp
24 Saudi Arabia31.80 %−2.10 pp
25 United Arab Emirates33.90 %—
26 Botswana34.00 %+0.10 pp
27 Georgia34.30 %+0.40 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about United Arab Emirates

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare United Arab Emirates with another country →Everything about United Arab Emirates →
Did this answer your question?