Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) was 868.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
868.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
Change on year
down 20.1%
World rank
9th
of 174 countries
All-time high
2.32 billion SIPRI trend indicator values
in 2013
All-time low
12.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
in 1969
Years of data
58
1968–2025
Arms imports in United Arab Emirates, 1968–2025
Source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in SIPRI trend indicator values.
Analysis
In 2025, arms imports in United Arab Emirates stood at 868.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.1% on the previous year and down 48.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arms imports in United Arab Emirates peaked at 2.32 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 2013 and was at its lowest, 12.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, in 1969.
That places United Arab Emirates 9th out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | SIPRI trend indicator values | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | — |
| 1969 | 12.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -7.7% |
| 1970 | 67.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +458.3% |
| 1971 | 24.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -64.2% |
| 1972 | 28.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +16.7% |
| 1973 | 88.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +214.3% |
| 1974 | 100.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +13.6% |
| 1975 | 145.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +45.0% |
| 1976 | 275.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +89.7% |
| 1977 | 310.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +12.7% |
| 1978 | 230.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -25.8% |
| 1979 | 39.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -83.0% |
| 1980 | 213.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +446.2% |
| 1981 | 420.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +97.2% |
| 1982 | 155.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -63.1% |
| 1983 | 163.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +5.2% |
| 1984 | 310.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +90.2% |
| 1985 | 145.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -53.2% |
| 1986 | 132.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -9.0% |
| 1987 | 195.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +47.7% |
| 1988 | 45.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -76.9% |
| 1989 | 663.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +1373.3% |
| 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 | 441.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -41.7% |
| 2000 | 244.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -44.7% |
| 2001 | 186.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -23.8% |
| 2002 | 223.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +19.9% |
| 2003 | 676.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +203.1% |
| 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 | 819.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -57.5% |
| 2008 | 730.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -10.9% |
| 2009 | 604.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -17.3% |
| 2010 | 650.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +7.6% |
| 2011 | 1.22 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +87.2% |
| 2012 | 1.14 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 2.32 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +104.0% |
| 2014 | 736.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -68.3% |
| 2015 | 1.69 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +129.8% |
| 2016 | 1.49 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | -11.8% |
| 2017 | 909.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -39.0% |
| 2018 | 1.17 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +28.2% |
| 2019 | 750.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -35.6% |
| 2020 | 660.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -12.0% |
| 2021 | 577.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -12.6% |
| 2022 | 756.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +31.0% |
| 2023 | 918.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +21.4% |
| 2024 | 1.09 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +18.3% |
| 2025 | 868.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -20.1% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 868.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is above the median for high income countries, which is 141.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 6.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 868.00 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, 19.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) 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 | +1373.3% | 45.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 663.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 1970 | +458.3% | 12.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 67.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 1980 | +446.2% | 39.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 213.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.50 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 12.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2 |
| 1970s | 130.60 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 24.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 310.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1980s | 244.10 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 45.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 663.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1990s | 495.10 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 205.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 757.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2000s | 862.40 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 186.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2.07 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.21 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 650.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2.32 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2020s | 810.83 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 577.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.09 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 6 Germany 1.63 billion SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 7 Indonesia 1.28 billion SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 8 Qatar 1.05 billion SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 10 Philippines 846.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 11 Australia 826.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 12 Netherlands 824.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
More public sector data for United Arab Emirates
- 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)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 932.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 2,823 current USD per person (2014)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0535 current USD per US$ of GDP (2014)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate -3.42 % change on previous year (2014)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 22.76 billion current USD (2014)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 13,348 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per square kilometre 320,404 current USD per square kilometre (2014)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arms imports in United Arab Emirates?
- Arms imports in United Arab Emirates was 868.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2025, 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 2.32 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 2013.
- What is the lowest arms imports recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 1969.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for arms imports?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 9th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is arms imports rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.7%. 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 — 58 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.