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Government debt in United Arab Emirates

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

United Arab Emirates's government debt is 34.30 % — #26 of 124 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

34.30%

Checked 8 Sept 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: 34.90 %2025: 34.30 %19992012202534.30 %
27 official observations, 1999 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#26 of 124
lower is better
Ranked behind
79 %
98 of 124 countries
Latest move
▼ 0.60 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
1.40 pp
peak 35.70 % in 2021
Full series
▲ 29.60 pp
since 1999

In Asia: #13 of 37vs median 54.55 %: −20.25 pp (better)

Among 124 countries

5 of 124 countries between 12.30 % and 17.86 %4 of 124 countries between 17.86 % and 23.42 %9 of 124 countries between 23.42 % and 28.97 %9 of 124 countries between 28.97 % and 34.53 %9 of 124 countries between 34.53 % and 40.09 %11 of 124 countries between 40.09 % and 45.65 %8 of 124 countries between 45.65 % and 51.21 %11 of 124 countries between 51.21 % and 56.77 %8 of 124 countries between 56.77 % and 62.32 %7 of 124 countries between 62.32 % and 67.88 %6 of 124 countries between 67.88 % and 73.44 %5 of 124 countries between 73.44 % and 79.00 %6 of 124 countries between 79.00 % and 84.56 %7 of 124 countries between 84.56 % and 90.12 %2 of 124 countries between 90.12 % and 95.67 %3 of 124 countries between 95.67 % and 101.23 %4 of 124 countries between 101.23 % and 106.79 %1 of 124 countries between 106.79 % and 112.35 %2 of 124 countries between 112.35 % and 117.91 %1 of 124 countries between 123.47 % and 129.02 %2 of 124 countries between 134.58 % and 140.14 %4 of 124 countries between 140.14 % and 145.70 %median 54.40 %United Arab Emirates: ahead of 78 % of the 124 countries with a published government debtUnited Arab Emirates 34.30 %12.30 %145.70 %
Half of all 124 countries sit between 36.00 % and 80.30 %. United Arab Emirates is ahead of 78 % 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
24 Ireland32.90 %−1.40 pp
25 Belarus33.10 %−1.20 pp
26 United Arab Emirates34.30 %—
27 Georgia34.30 %—
28 Nicaragua34.80 %+0.50 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 →
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