Current account balance (credit less debit), Percent of GDP in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Current account balance (credit less debit), Percent of GDP was 9.04 in 2031. ◆ Volatile
Current account balance (credit less debit), Percent of GDP in United Arab Emirates, 1980–2031
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
The most recent figure for current account balance (credit less debit), percent of gdp in United Arab Emirates is 9.04, measured in 2031.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 20.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current account balance (credit less debit), percent of gdp in United Arab Emirates peaked at 24.18 in 1980 and was at its lowest, 0.05, in 1994.
That places United Arab Emirates 5th out of 26 countries with data for 2031, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Current account balance (credit less debit), Percent of GDP in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 24.18 | — |
| 1981 | 23.17 | -4.2% |
| 1982 | 16.2 | -30.1% |
| 1983 | 13.28 | -18.0% |
| 1984 | 19.02 | +43.2% |
| 1985 | 17.95 | -5.6% |
| 1986 | 7.79 | -56.6% |
| 1987 | 11.09 | +42.4% |
| 1988 | 7.42 | -33.2% |
| 1989 | 10 | +34.9% |
| 1990 | 15.67 | +56.7% |
| 1991 | 2.75 | -82.4% |
| 1992 | 4.38 | +58.9% |
| 1993 | 5.84 | +33.5% |
| 1994 | 0.05 | -99.1% |
| 1995 | 0.1696 | +239.3% |
| 1996 | 5.97 | +3421.0% |
| 1997 | 11.26 | +88.5% |
| 1998 | 3.94 | -65.0% |
| 1999 | 6.45 | +63.5% |
| 2000 | 16.31 | +152.9% |
| 2001 | 9.07 | -44.4% |
| 2002 | 3.32 | -63.4% |
| 2003 | 5.78 | +74.4% |
| 2004 | 6.43 | +11.2% |
| 2005 | 13.17 | +104.7% |
| 2006 | 17.31 | +31.5% |
| 2007 | 7.63 | -55.9% |
| 2008 | 7.06 | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 3.1 | -56.1% |
| 2010 | 3.96 | +28.0% |
| 2011 | 11.8 | +197.7% |
| 2012 | 18.61 | +57.8% |
| 2013 | 17.87 | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 12.82 | -28.3% |
| 2015 | 4.59 | -64.2% |
| 2016 | 3.46 | -24.7% |
| 2017 | 6.82 | +97.2% |
| 2018 | 9.36 | +37.3% |
| 2019 | 8.6 | -8.1% |
| 2020 | 5.91 | -31.3% |
| 2021 | 11.35 | +92.1% |
| 2022 | 13 | +14.5% |
| 2023 | 14.13 | +8.7% |
| 2024 | 15.38 | +8.9% |
| 2025 | 15.26 | -0.8% |
| 2026 | 11.41 | -25.2% |
| 2027 | 11.37 | -0.4% |
| 2028 | 9.77 | -14.1% |
| 2029 | 9.26 | -5.3% |
| 2030 | 9.08 | -2.0% |
| 2031 | 9.04 | -0.4% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 9.04 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.65, 5.5× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Current account balance (credit less debit), Percent of GDP in United Arab Emirates changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +3421.0% | 0.1696 | 5.97 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15.01 | 7.42 | 24.18 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.65 | 0.05 | 15.67 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.92 | 3.1 | 17.31 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.79 | 3.46 | 18.61 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.69 | 5.91 | 15.38 | 10 |
| 2030s | 9.06 | 9.04 | 9.08 | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 2 Brunei Darussalam 15.92 compare
- 3 Chinese Taipei 15.38 compare
- 4 Hong Kong, China 11.42 compare
- 6 Korea 5.46 compare
- 7 Ghana 4.93 compare
- 8 Japan 4.05 compare
More financial sector data for United Arab Emirates
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0014 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 69.02 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate -1.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0011 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 50.4 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0014 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 69.02 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate -1.84 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current account balance (credit less debit), percent of gdp in United Arab Emirates?
- Current account balance (credit less debit), percent of gdp in United Arab Emirates was 9.04 in 2031, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest current account balance (credit less debit), percent of gdp recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 24.18 in 1980.
- What is the lowest current account balance (credit less debit), percent of gdp recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.05 in 1994.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for current account balance (credit less debit), percent of gdp?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 5th out of 26 countries with data for 2031.
- Is current account balance (credit less debit), percent of gdp rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Current account balance (credit less debit), Percent of GDP (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.