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

Health

live 13.6 years longer

In Yemen, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 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 22.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Yemen spends $169 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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have 30.5 times more doctors per person

Yemen has 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. United Arab Emirates has 29.9 as of 2023.

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have 95.2% more access to essential health services

Yemen scores 42 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. United Arab Emirates scores 82 as of 2021.

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be 59.4% less likely to die by suicide

Yemen has a suicide rate of 4.2 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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be 2.4 times more likely to be obese

In Yemen, 13.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 31.6% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 87.5% less likely to be unemployed

In Yemen, 17.3% 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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Life

be 97.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Yemen, approximately 118.0 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 88.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Yemen, approximately 33.8 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 71.4% fewer children

In Yemen, there are approximately 34.4 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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Basic Needs

be 19.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In Yemen, approximately 84% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 75% in rural areas) as of 2023. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 5.7 times more likely to have internet access

In Yemen, approximately 17.7% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In United Arab Emirates, about 100.0% do as of 2024.

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be 33.3% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Yemen, approximately 75% of people have access to drinking water (89% in urban areas, and 66% in rural areas) as of 2024. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 48.8% less on healthcare

Yemen spends 9.7% 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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Geography

see 30.8% less coastline

Yemen has a total of 1,906 km of coastline. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 1,318 km.

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Safety

be 80.2% less likely to die in a road accident

In Yemen, road accidents kill 29.8 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 32.2 times more home broadband

Yemen has 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. United Arab Emirates has 40.8 as of 2024.

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use 170.3 times more electricity

Yemen uses 90 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 8.9 times more strain on fresh water

Yemen withdraws 170% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. United Arab Emirates withdraws 1510% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 35.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Yemen, air pollution causes 109.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In United Arab Emirates, it causes 70.0 as of 2019.

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emit 70.2 times more CO2

Yemen emits 0.3 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 (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), 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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