United Arab Emirates — Health spending
Health Spending (% of GDP) for United Arab Emirates, 2000–2023.
Health spending for United Arab Emirates was 4.97% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 24 years, from 2000 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 5.82% in 2020. The lowest was 2.32% in 2005 (about 2.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 3.23% per year.
United Arab Emirates ranks 125 of 189 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 66%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 5.57%, so United Arab Emirates sits below it. It peaked in 2020 and has fallen 15% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved up 42%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 14 of 23 economies; Kuwait (4.96%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 38% in 2009. That is 15% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 2000 level: doubled by 2020. Doubling roughly every 22 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 171st of 184 in 2000 → 149th of 188 in 2010 → 116th of 189 in 2020 → 124th of 188 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 2000 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4.97% | +0.4 pp |
| 2022 | 4.57% | -0.7 pp |
| 2021 | 5.3% | -0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 5.82% | +1.4 pp |
| 2019 | 4.4% | +0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 4.1% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 4.01% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 3.9% | +0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 3.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 3.53% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 3.5% | +0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 3.34% | -0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 3.57% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 3.74% | -0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 4.05% | +1.1 pp |
| 2008 | 2.93% | +0.4 pp |
| 2007 | 2.57% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 2.33% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 2.32% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 2.46% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 2.65% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 2.72% | +0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 2.48% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 2.4% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was United Arab Emirates’s Health spending in 2001?
2.48% (2001). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is United Arab Emirates’s Health spending growing or shrinking?
Between 2000 and 2023 the series was growing overall: +107.6% in total — about 3.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2023: 4.97%; 2022: 4.57%; 2021: 5.3%; 2020: 5.82%; 2019: 4.4%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Health Spending (% of GDP). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.