Mining, manufacturing, and utilities contributed 39.4% to the gross value added (GVA) in 2024 This was followed by financial intermediation, real estate, and business activities (17.3%), and wholesale, retail, and hotels (14.3%). In nominal terms, the three sectors are forecast to grow by 4.5%, 5.2%, and 5.7%, respectively, in 2025.
The Emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah accounted for 92.3% of the UAE’s GDP and 86.3% of its population in 2024, according to the the analyst cities database.
The Emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah accounted for 92.3% of the UAE’s GDP and 86.3% of its population in 2024, according to the the analyst cities database.
Key Highlights
- DFMGI exhibited a volatile trend over the past year. As of September 1, 2025, the index stood at 6,063.6, compared to 4,325.5 on September 1, 2024.
Scope
- Macroeconomic Country Outlook Reports evaluate a country's investment potential through its political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental (PESTLE) framework.
- This comprehensive analysis offers a holistic view of the economy, serving as a strategic tool to understand market dynamics, business potential, and operational direction. Each PESTLE factor is examined based on four parameters: current strengths, current challenges, future prospects, and future risks.
- These insights support strategic planning by highlighting opportunities and risks within the economy, helping businesses and investors make informed decisions. The report aims to provide a detailed understanding of the country's macroeconomic environment to facilitate effective decision-making and strategy development.
Reasons to Buy
- Macroeconomic Outlook Report identifies the potentials of the country as an investment destination by analyzing the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental (PESTLE) structure.
- PESTLE Insights provides 360 degree view of the economy which can be used as a strategic tool to understand the market dynamics, business potentials and direction of operations
- Along with providing the country’s snapshot, the report captures the risk factors pertaining to the macroeconomic risks, political environment, legal environment, demographic and social structure effectiveness, technology & infrastructure and natural and geographic aspects that might impact business.
- This report also highlights key clusters/cities which contribute significantly to the country GDP and population along with major companies’ presence in these areas.
Table of Contents
- Did You Know?
- Country Highlights
- Key Economic Updates and US Tariff Impact
- Country Snapshot
- Political Landscape
- Economic Landscape
- Social Landscape
- Technological Landscape
- Legal Landscape
- Environmental Landscape
- Outlook
- Exhibit 1: UAE’s Performance in Terms of its Country Risk Analysis in Comparison to Middle East and Africa and the World
- Exhibit 2: Performance Overview (Score: 0-100)
- Exhibit 3: Broad Categories and Weights Behind the Index
- Exhibit 4: UAE’s Stock Exchange Index - DFM General Index (September 2024 - September 2025)
- Exhibit 5: Key Sectors’ Contribution to the Economy (2020-27f)
- Exhibit 6: FDI Flows and FDI Stock (2020-24)
- Exhibit 7: Greenfield FDI Projects and M&A Deals (2020-24)
- Exhibit 8: Key Infrastructure Indicators
- Exhibit 9: Real GDP and Household Consumption Growth Rate (2020-27f)
- Exhibit 10: Real GDP Growth Rate Comparison (2024)
- Exhibit 11: Volume of Exports and Imports Growth (2020-27f)
- Exhibit 12: Current Account Balance (2020-27f)
- Exhibit 13: Top Three Commodity Exports, % of Total Exports (2020-24)
- Exhibit 14: Mineral Fuels, Mineral Oils and Products of their Distillation, % of World Total (2024)
- Exhibit 15: Interest Rates (September 2020 - September 2025)
- Exhibit 16: Exchange Rate and Inflation Rate (2020-27f)
- Exhibit 17: Public Finance (2020-27f)
- Exhibit 18: General Government Debt (2020-27f)
- Exhibit 19: Unemployment Rate (2020-27f)
- Exhibit 20: Labor Force Participation Rate (2020-27f)
- Exhibit 21: Average Annual Wages (2020-27f)
- Exhibit 22: Rural/Urban Share of Total Population (2015, 2020, 2025f, 2030f)
- Exhibit 23: Age-group Share of Total Population (2015, 2020, 2025f, 2030f)
- Exhibit 24: Gender Split (2015, 2020, 2025f, 2030f)
- Exhibit 25: Internet Users as a % of Total Population, Mobile Penetration Rate, and Broadband Penetration Rate (2024)
- Exhibit 26: Number of Patents Granted per Million Population (2024)
- Exhibit 27: High-technology Exports, % of Manufactured Exports (2023)
- Exhibit 28: Rule of Law Index (Rankings) 2024
- Exhibit 29: Corruption Perceptions Index (Rankings) (2024)
- Exhibit 30: Renewable Electricity, Installed Capacity (2020-24)
- Exhibit 31: CO2e Emissions (2020-24)
Companies Mentioned (Partial List)
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- EMAAR
- Flydubai
- Vox
- Sharafco
