Argentina and United Arab Emirates Economies: A Side-by-Side Table Comparison

In comparing Argentina and the United Arab Emirates, Argentina’s population is nearly five times larger, while its land area is almost 28 times greater. Economically, Argentina’s GDP is slightly larger, but its per capita income is significantly lower. The UAE invests heavily in defense, spending about eight times more.

Basic Indicators

Indicator	Argentina	United Arab Emirates	Comparison
Population source (2022 data), updated 2024	46.23 million (32nd)	9.44 million (94th)	Argentina’s population is approximately 4.9 times larger than that of the United Arab Emirates.
Surface area (sq. km) source (2022 data), updated 2024	2.78 million sq. km (8th)	0.10 million sq. km (104th)	Argentina is 27.8 times larger than the United Arab Emirates.
GDP source (2022 data), updated 2024	631.13B USD (22nd)	507.06B USD (28th)	Argentina’s total GDP is 1.24 times larger than the United Arab Emirates.
GDP per capita source (2022 data), updated 2024	$13,651 (64th)	53,708 USD (19th)	Argentina’s GDP per capita is roughly 74.6% lower than the United Arab Emirates’, with Argentinians producing about $40,057.38 less per person annually.

Economic Indexes

Index	Argentina	United Arab Emirates	Comparison
HDI (Human Development Index) source (2022 data), updated 2024	0.849 (48th)	0.937 (17th)	Argentina’s HDI is 0.849 (high), while the United Arab Emirates’ is 0.937 (very high). The UAE’s score is 0.088 higher, indicating significantly better human development overall.
Index of Economic Freedom source (2024 data)	49.9 (132nd)	71.1 (21st)	Argentina’s Index of Economic Freedom is 30.2% lower than the United Arab Emirates’, 21.2 points less.
GINI source (2022 data), updated 2024	42 (2021 est.)	26 (2018 est.)	With a 38% higher Gini coefficient, Argentina has a higher degree of income inequality than the United Arab Emirates.

International trade _{source(2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	United Arab Emirates
Total imports	92.57B USD	246.89B
Imports % of GDP	15.35%	0.07%
Main import partners	China 21%, Brazil 20%, US 14%, Germany 3%, Paraguay 2%	China 18%, India 10%, US 6%, UK 4%, Saudi Arabia 3%
Main import items	refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas, fertilizers, cars	gold, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, diamonds, cars
Total exports	83.36B USD	335.24B
Exports % of GDP	16.30%	79.28%
Main export Partners	Brazil 15%, China 9%, US 8%, Chile 6%, India 5%	India 13%, Japan 10%, China 8%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Iraq 5%
Main export items	soybean meal, corn, soybean oil, wheat, trucks	crude petroleum, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, natural gas

Argentina’s imports are about 37% of the UAE’s, and Argentina imports 15.28% more of its GDP compared to the UAE’s tiny 0.07%. Argentina’s exports are just 25% of the UAE’s, focusing on agriculture, while the UAE exports mainly petroleum and gold.

Military Power _{source (2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	United Arab Emirates
Military expenditure	3.1B USD	25.0B USD
Military expenditure (% of GDP)	0.41%	4.93%
Active military	72k	63k
Active military per 1,000 capita	2.3	19.9

Argentina’s military expenditure is significantly lower at $3.12 billion, constituting only 0.41% of its GDP, while the United Arab Emirates allocates $25 billion, representing 4.93% of its GDP, highlighting a stark contrast in defense investment and prioritization.