If you lived in United Arab Emirates instead of Romania, you would:

Health

live 6.6 years longer

In Romania, the average life expectancy is 76 years (73 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2024. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 83 years (82 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 42.6% more spent on your healthcare

Romania spends $2,614 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). United Arab Emirates spends $3,727 as of 2023.

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be 82.2% less likely to die by suicide

Romania has a suicide rate of 9.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In United Arab Emirates, it is 1.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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have 17.5% fewer doctors per person

Romania has 36.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. United Arab Emirates has 29.9 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 63.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Romania, 6.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 2.2% as of 2025.

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make 2.2 times more money

Romania has a GDP per capita of $22,538 as of 2025, while in United Arab Emirates, the GDP per capita is $50,274 as of 2024.

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Life

be 75.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Romania, approximately 12.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In United Arab Emirates, 3.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 36.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Romania, approximately 6.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In United Arab Emirates, on the other hand, 3.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 30.9% more children

In Romania, there are approximately 7.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In United Arab Emirates, there are 9.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 13.0% less on healthcare

Romania spends 5.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 5.0% of GDP as of 2023.

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spend 18.6% more on education

Romania spends 3.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. United Arab Emirates spends 3.9% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

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Geography

see 5.9 times more coastline

Romania has a total of 225 km of coastline. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 1,318 km.

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Safety

be 37.8% less likely to be murdered

Romania has a homicide rate of 1.1 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 0.7 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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be 38.5% less likely to die in a road accident

In Romania, road accidents kill 9.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In United Arab Emirates, they kill 5.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 14.1% more home broadband

Romania has 35.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. United Arab Emirates has 40.8 as of 2024.

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use 5.9 times more electricity

Romania uses 2,585 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. United Arab Emirates uses 15,285 kWh as of 2023.

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live with 197.9 times more strain on fresh water

Romania withdraws 8% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. United Arab Emirates withdraws 1510% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 52.2% more likely to die from air pollution

In Romania, air pollution causes 46.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In United Arab Emirates, it causes 70.0 as of 2019.

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emit 4.9 times more CO2

Romania emits 3.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. United Arab Emirates emits 18.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

United Arab Emirates: At a glance

United Arab Emirates is a sovereign country in Middle East, with a total land area of approximately 83,600 sq km. The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Dhabi, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. Its high oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region. For more than three decades, oil and global finance drove the UAE's economy. However, in 2008-09, the confluence of falling oil prices, collapsing real estate prices, and the international banking crisis hit the UAE especially hard. The UAE has essentially avoided the "Arab Spring" unrest seen elsewhere in the Middle East, though in March 2011, political activists and intellectuals signed a petition calling for greater public participation in governance that was widely circulated on the Internet. In an effort to stem potential further unrest, the government announced a multi-year, $1.6-billion infrastructure investment plan for the poorer northern emirates and aggressively pursued advocates of political reform.
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