UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% | UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% |

Benchmark

GCC Competitiveness Rankings: Global Index Comparison

A comparison of GCC states across major global competitiveness indices including the World Economic Forum, IMD, and Heritage Foundation rankings. The UAE's consistent top-tier positioning is analysed against regional peers.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Digital Readiness Index: Technology Adoption Comparison

A comparative assessment of digital readiness across the GCC, covering internet penetration, e-government maturity, digital infrastructure, and technology adoption rates. The UAE's digital leadership is measured against Gulf peers.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Ease of Doing Business: Regulatory Environment Comparison

A comparative assessment of business environment quality across the GCC, covering company formation, licensing, trade facilitation, and regulatory burden. The UAE's ease of business advantages are measured against Gulf peers pursuing rapid reform.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Economic Diversification Index: Non-Oil GDP Comparison

A structured comparison of economic diversification across the GCC, measuring non-oil GDP share, sectoral breadth, and revenue source diversity. The UAE's diversification lead is quantified against regional peers.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Education Quality Comparison: PISA Scores and University Rankings

A comparative assessment of education outcomes across the GCC, covering international test scores, university rankings, tertiary enrolment, and education spending. The UAE's education system is benchmarked against Gulf peers and global standards.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Energy Transition Comparison: Renewable Capacity and Net Zero Targets

A comparative analysis of energy transition progress across the GCC, covering renewable energy capacity, net zero commitments, carbon intensity, and clean energy investment. The UAE's COP28 legacy is assessed against regional peers.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC FDI Comparison: Foreign Investment Flows Across the Gulf

A comparative analysis of foreign direct investment across the GCC, tracking inflow volumes, sectoral allocation, and source country diversity. The UAE's position as the Gulf's primary FDI destination is benchmarked against regional competitors.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Financial Centre Comparison: DIFC, ADGM, QFC, and Bahrain

A comparative analysis of financial centres across the GCC, covering regulatory frameworks, registered entities, assets under management, and global rankings. DIFC and ADGM are benchmarked against QFC, Bahrain, and Riyadh's emerging financial district.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC GDP Comparison: UAE vs Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman

A comprehensive comparison of GDP figures across the six GCC member states. This benchmark tracks nominal GDP, GDP per capita, and real growth rates to position the UAE within its regional peer group.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Healthcare Comparison: Spending, Quality, and Infrastructure

A comparative analysis of healthcare systems across the GCC, covering health spending, hospital capacity, workforce density, and health outcomes. The UAE's healthcare infrastructure is assessed against regional peers and international benchmarks.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Infrastructure Quality Index: Transport, Digital, and Urban

A comparative assessment of infrastructure quality across the GCC, covering transport networks, digital connectivity, urban development, and utility systems. The UAE's infrastructure advantage is quantified across multiple dimensions.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Innovation Index Comparison: R&D Spending and Patent Activity

A comparative analysis of innovation performance across the GCC, covering R&D expenditure, patent filings, startup ecosystems, and global innovation rankings. The UAE's innovation trajectory is assessed against Gulf peers and global benchmarks.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Labour Market Comparison: Nationalisation Rates and Employment

A comparative analysis of labour markets across the GCC, covering nationalisation programme outcomes, employment rates, private sector participation, and workforce composition. The UAE's Emiratisation framework is benchmarked against Saudisation and peer programmes.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Real Estate Market Comparison: Prices, Yields, and Regulation

A cross-GCC comparison of real estate markets covering residential prices, rental yields, foreign ownership rules, and regulatory frameworks. This benchmark positions the UAE's property sector within the regional competitive landscape.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Sovereign Wealth Fund Comparison: Assets Under Management

A detailed comparison of sovereign wealth funds across the GCC, covering assets under management, investment strategies, governance standards, and transparency. The UAE's multi-fund model is benchmarked against regional peers.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Startup Ecosystem Comparison: Funding, Regulation, and Talent

A cross-GCC comparison of startup ecosystems covering venture capital flows, regulatory sandboxes, accelerator programmes, and talent pipelines. This benchmark positions the UAE as the region's primary startup hub while tracking emerging competition.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Sustainability and Climate Comparison: Net Zero Targets and Renewable Energy

A comparative analysis of sustainability commitments across the GCC, covering net zero targets, renewable energy deployment, carbon capture, and green finance frameworks. This benchmark tracks how Gulf states are positioning for the energy transition.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Tax Regime Comparison: Corporate Tax, VAT, and Fiscal Policy

A comprehensive comparison of tax regimes across the GCC, covering corporate tax, VAT, excise duties, and fiscal policy direction. This benchmark tracks the evolving taxation landscape as Gulf states build post-hydrocarbon revenue frameworks.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Tourism Comparison: Visitor Numbers, Revenue, and Infrastructure

A comparative analysis of tourism performance across the GCC, covering international arrivals, tourism revenue, hotel capacity, and strategic development plans. The UAE's dominant position as the Gulf's tourism hub is quantified against emerging competitors.

Feb 22, 2026

GCC Visa and Residency Comparison: Golden Visa, Premium Residency, and Work Permits

A comparative analysis of visa and residency programmes across the GCC, covering long-term visas, investment residency, work permits, and talent attraction frameworks. This benchmark evaluates the competitiveness of each country's immigration regime.

Feb 22, 2026

UAE vs Bahrain: Financial Centre and Regulatory Comparison

A comparative analysis of the UAE and Bahrain across financial services, regulatory frameworks, and economic diversification. This benchmark examines how two GCC states compete for financial hub status despite significant differences in scale.

Feb 22, 2026

UAE vs Hong Kong: Strategic Comparison of Financial Hub Competition

A strategic comparison of the UAE and Hong Kong examining financial centre positioning, regulatory frameworks, and competing models for global capital hub status.

Feb 22, 2026

UAE vs Ireland: Strategic Comparison of FDI Attraction and Tax Policy

A strategic comparison of the UAE and Ireland examining foreign direct investment models, corporate tax policy, and competing approaches to becoming a global business hub.

Feb 22, 2026

UAE vs Kuwait: Economic Comparison and Diversification Progress

A comparative analysis of the UAE and Kuwait on economic output, diversification, sovereign wealth, and reform momentum. This benchmark highlights the diverging trajectories of two GCC economies with shared hydrocarbon origins.

Feb 22, 2026

UAE vs Oman: Trade, Energy, and Diversification Comparison

A bilateral comparison of the UAE and Oman across trade infrastructure, energy policy, and economic diversification. This benchmark analyses how two neighbouring GCC economies pursue distinct development models despite shared borders and historical ties.

Feb 22, 2026

UAE vs Qatar: Economic and Strategic Comparison 2025

A bilateral comparison of the UAE and Qatar across economic output, LNG dominance, sovereign wealth, and strategic positioning. This benchmark examines how two high-income GCC states pursue different models of global influence.

Feb 22, 2026

UAE vs Saudi Arabia: Comprehensive Economic Comparison 2025

A head-to-head comparison of the UAE and Saudi Arabia across GDP, diversification, investment climate, and strategic priorities. This benchmark evaluates the two largest GCC economies on the metrics that define long-term competitiveness.

Feb 22, 2026

UAE vs Saudi Arabia: Strategic Comparison of Economic Diversification

A strategic comparison of the UAE and Saudi Arabia examining diversification progress, investment climate, and competing visions for a post-oil Gulf economy.

Feb 22, 2026

UAE vs Singapore: Strategic Comparison of Two Global Hub Economies

A structured comparison of the UAE and Singapore across economic model, governance, competitiveness, and development strategy.

Feb 22, 2026

UAE vs Switzerland: Strategic Comparison of Wealth Management and Innovation

A strategic comparison of the UAE and Switzerland examining wealth management, innovation ecosystems, and competing models for attracting global capital and talent.

Feb 22, 2026
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