Arms imports in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Arms imports was 932.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
932.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
11th
of 173 countries
All-time high
2.30 billion SIPRI trend indicator values
in 2013
All-time low
13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
in 1968
Years of data
57
1968–2024
Arms imports in United Arab Emirates, 1968–2024
Source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in SIPRI trend indicator values.
Analysis
In 2024, arms imports in United Arab Emirates stood at 932.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% on the previous year and up 27.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arms imports in United Arab Emirates peaked at 2.30 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 2013 and was at its lowest, 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, in 1968.
That places United Arab Emirates 11th out of 173 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arms imports in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | SIPRI trend indicator values | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | — |
| 1969 | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 69.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +430.8% |
| 1971 | 24.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -65.2% |
| 1972 | 26.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +8.3% |
| 1973 | 88.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +238.5% |
| 1974 | 100.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +13.6% |
| 1975 | 153.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +53.0% |
| 1976 | 283.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +85.0% |
| 1977 | 304.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +7.4% |
| 1978 | 217.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -28.6% |
| 1979 | 18.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -91.7% |
| 1980 | 201.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +1016.7% |
| 1981 | 427.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +112.4% |
| 1982 | 160.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -62.5% |
| 1983 | 163.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 310.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +90.2% |
| 1985 | 144.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -53.5% |
| 1986 | 132.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -8.3% |
| 1987 | 191.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +44.7% |
| 1988 | 42.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -78.0% |
| 1989 | 663.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +1478.6% |
| 1990 | 561.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -15.4% |
| 1991 | 237.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -57.8% |
| 1992 | 205.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -13.5% |
| 1993 | 582.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +183.9% |
| 1994 | 571.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 426.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -25.4% |
| 1996 | 481.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +12.9% |
| 1997 | 690.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +43.5% |
| 1998 | 757.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +9.7% |
| 1999 | 437.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -42.3% |
| 2000 | 246.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -43.7% |
| 2001 | 183.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -25.6% |
| 2002 | 221.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +20.8% |
| 2003 | 676.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +205.9% |
| 2004 | 1.15 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +69.4% |
| 2005 | 2.07 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +81.0% |
| 2006 | 1.93 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -7.1% |
| 2007 | 821.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -57.4% |
| 2008 | 730.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -11.1% |
| 2009 | 604.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -17.3% |
| 2010 | 646.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 1.22 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +88.4% |
| 2012 | 1.14 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 2.30 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +102.1% |
| 2014 | 734.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -68.1% |
| 2015 | 1.18 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +61.0% |
| 2016 | 941.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -20.4% |
| 2017 | 820.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -12.9% |
| 2018 | 1.05 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +28.7% |
| 2019 | 703.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -33.4% |
| 2020 | 651.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 538.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -17.4% |
| 2022 | 714.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +32.7% |
| 2023 | 948.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +32.8% |
| 2024 | 932.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -1.7% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 932.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is above the median for high income countries, which is 148.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 6.3× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 932.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 45.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 20.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arms imports 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +1478.6% | 42.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 663.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 1980 | +1016.7% | 18.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 201.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 1970 | +430.8% | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 69.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2 |
| 1970s | 128.20 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 18.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 304.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1980s | 243.30 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 42.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 663.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1990s | 494.70 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 205.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 757.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2000s | 862.30 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 183.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2.07 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.07 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 646.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2.30 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2020s | 756.60 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 538.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 948.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 8 Australia 983.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 9 Pakistan 982.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 10 Japan 977.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 12 Bahrain 848.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 13 United Kingdom 643.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 14 Greece 623.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
More public sector data for United Arab Emirates
- Democracy 0 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 0 (2025)
- Elected parliament 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 0 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 0 (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice 0 (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 84.83 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0017 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -1.69 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arms imports in United Arab Emirates?
- Arms imports in United Arab Emirates was 932.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2024, according to Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest arms imports recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 2.30 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 2013.
- What is the lowest arms imports recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 1968.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for arms imports?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 11th out of 173 countries with data for 2024.
- Is arms imports rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 57 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Arms transfers (imports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.