Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 99.5% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 0.1% of people as of 2020.

live 14.2 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 80 years (78 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022.

be 12.0% more likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 31.7% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 5.3 times more money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $14,300 as of 2023, while in United Arab Emirates, the GDP per capita is $75,600 as of 2023.

be 90.3% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 2.7% as of 2023.

be 17.5% more likely to live below the poverty line

In South Africa, 16.6% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In United Arab Emirates, however, that number is 19.5% as of 2003.

Life

be 92.9% less likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 127.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In United Arab Emirates, 9.0 women do as of 2020.

be 80.1% less likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 25.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In United Arab Emirates, on the other hand, 5.1 children do as of 2022.

have 39.5% fewer children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In United Arab Emirates, there are 10.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 15.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 86% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In United Arab Emirates, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 38.9% more likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In United Arab Emirates, about 100.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 40.9% less on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. United Arab Emirates spends 3.9% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 36.0% less on healthcare

South Africa spends 8.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 5.5% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 52.9% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In United Arab Emirates, that number is 1,318 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

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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How big is United Arab Emirates compared to South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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