South Africa vs United Arab Emirates: Net foreign assets
Net foreign assets over time
- South Africa
- United Arab Emirates
How they compare
United Arab Emirates currently reports 1.80 trillion current LCU against 1.43 trillion current LCU in South Africa, a difference of 372.64 billion current LCU.
That makes United Arab Emirates's figure about 1.3 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 52 shared years of data; in 1973 it was United Arab Emirates ahead.
South Africa ranks 51st and United Arab Emirates ranks 49th of 186 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 3 and United Arab Emirates in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | United Arab Emirates | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 843.60 million current LCU | 5.60 billion current LCU | 4.75 billion current LCU | United Arab Emirates |
| 1980s | 803.34 million current LCU | 34.70 billion current LCU | 33.89 billion current LCU | United Arab Emirates |
| 1990s | -16.50 billion current LCU | 61.85 billion current LCU | 78.35 billion current LCU | United Arab Emirates |
| 2000s | 191.63 billion current LCU | 117.63 billion current LCU | 74.00 billion current LCU | South Africa |
| 2010s | 667.20 billion current LCU | 259.94 billion current LCU | 407.26 billion current LCU | South Africa |
| 2020s | 1.37 trillion current LCU | 1.07 trillion current LCU | 301.86 billion current LCU | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher net foreign assets, South Africa or United Arab Emirates?
- United Arab Emirates, at 1.80 trillion current LCU against 1.43 trillion current LCU in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in net foreign assets between South Africa and United Arab Emirates?
- 372.64 billion current LCU, with United Arab Emirates ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Arab Emirates?
- 52 years are reported by both, from 1973 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and United Arab Emirates rank globally for net foreign assets?
- South Africa ranks 51st and United Arab Emirates ranks 49th of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as Net foreign assets (current LCU). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
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About this data
Net foreign assets are the sum of foreign assets held by monetary authorities and deposit money banks, less their foreign liabilities. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.