Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 05 of 18 · Country Index 2026
United Arab Emirates: Health & Wellbeing
How long, and how well fed, do people live?
United Arab Emirates is placed 13th of 200 countries on health & wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Life Expectancy at Birth 82.91 (2023); Under-Five Mortality Rate 4.789 (2024).
Share
Health & Wellbeing
13th
of 200 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
- 82.91Life Expectancy at Birth, 2023Years a newborn would live at current death rates
- 4.789Under-Five Mortality Rate, 2024Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
- —Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, 2024No reading for this country
- 0.9Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, 2024Population in severe food insecurity (%)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place United Arab Emirates on health & wellbeing — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Life Expectancy at Birth
UN DESA Population Division
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
82.91
Years a newborn would live at current death rates
Higher is better
United Arab Emirates: 82.91. Across the 222 countries in this edition, values run from 54.46 (Nigeria) to 86.37 (Monaco); the world median is 74.63.
- World median
- 74.63
- Best in Western Asia
- 82.91 United Arab Emirates
- Land neighbours
- Oman 80.03 · Saudi Arabia 78.73
Key 2 of 4
Under-Five Mortality Rate
UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
4.789
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
Lower is better
United Arab Emirates: 4.789. Across the 200 countries in this edition, values run from 1.26 (San Marino) to 115.65 (Nigeria); the world median is 14.54.
- World median
- 14.54
- Best in Western Asia
- 3.34 Israel
- Land neighbours
- Oman 10.28 · Saudi Arabia 5.958
Key 3 of 4
Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
No reading
Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
Lower is better
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) publishes no reading from 2014–2024 for United Arab Emirates, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 162 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0.518 (Latvia) to 52.8 (Burundi); the world median is 13.8.
- World median
- 13.8
- Best in Western Asia
- 3.205 Kuwait
- Land neighbours
- Oman 11.4 · Saudi Arabia 10.85
Key 4 of 4
Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
0.9
Population in severe food insecurity (%)
Lower is better
United Arab Emirates: 0.9. Across the 125 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Brazil) to 62.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 4.9.
- World median
- 4.9
- Best in Western Asia
- 0.7 Israel
02Over time
Which way United Arab Emirates is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Years a newborn would live at current death rates · higher is better
United Arab EmiratesWorld median
United Arab Emirates rose from 76.35 in 2000 to 82.91 in 2023; the world median went from 70.68 to 74.63.
Every year’s figures
Year United Arab Emirates World median 2023 82.91 74.630 2022 80.49 74.313 2021 79.08 72.433 2020 81.94 73.063 2019 82.60 74.196 2018 82.45 74.081 2017 82.39 74.029 2016 82.19 74.013 2015 82.08 73.783 2014 81.99 73.330 2013 81.95 73.386 2012 81.91 73.210 2011 81.90 73.003 2010 81.89 72.827 2009 81.68 72.426 2008 81.59 72.264 2007 81.44 72.113 2006 81.16 72.027 2005 80.78 71.876 2004 80.27 71.477 2003 79.60 71.409 2002 78.72 71.173 2001 77.62 70.926 2000 76.35 70.678 Under-Five Mortality Rate
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) · lower is better
United Arab EmiratesWorld median
United Arab Emirates fell from 10.74 in 2000 to 4.789 in 2024; the world median went from 30.43 to 14.54.
Every year’s figures
Year United Arab Emirates World median 2024 4.8 14.5 2023 5.0 15.2 2022 5.3 14.7 2021 5.6 15.1 2020 5.9 15.3 2019 6.3 15.7 2018 6.7 16.3 2017 7.0 16.8 2016 7.3 17.5 2015 7.6 17.9 2014 7.9 18.3 2013 8.2 18.7 2012 8.4 18.8 2011 8.6 19.0 2010 8.8 19.2 2009 9.0 20.8 2008 9.2 20.7 2007 9.4 21.8 2006 9.6 22.8 2005 9.8 24.0 2004 10.0 25.9 2003 10.2 26.9 2002 10.3 28.0 2001 10.5 29.1 2000 10.7 30.4
03In context
United Arab Emirates beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 200 countries on health & wellbeing, never a place within the region.
United Arab Emirates and the countries it borders
Standing among all 200; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Life Expectancy at BirthYears a newborn would live at current death rates | Under-Five Mortality RateDeaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) | Stunting Prevalence in Children Under FiveChildren under 5 who are stunted (%) | Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityPopulation in severe food insecurity (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | 13th | 82.91 | 4.789 | — | 0.9 |
 Saudi Arabiacompare | 58th | 78.73 | 5.958 | 10.85 | — |
 Oman | 69th | 80.03 | 10.28 | 11.4 | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Western Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 200.
Placed either side on health & wellbeing
The countries immediately above and below United Arab Emirates in the topic’s list.
Israel10th
Germany11th
Switzerland12th- United Arab Emirates13th
Spain14th
Iceland15th
Estonia16th
04Context, no vote
Where United Arab Emirates is ahead of the world, and behind
36 more statistics filed under health & wellbeing, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median21
Statistics on which United Arab Emirates does better than the middle country measured.
Adult Mortality (Probability of Dying Between 15 and 60)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 133.730.5133.7No real change since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 30.5 · world median 133.7 · Deaths before age 60 per 1,000 people alive at 15, at that year's death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 25.15 to 415.44; lower is better.
Position 221st of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Maternal Mortality RatioMMEIG · 2023 · world median 46.652.5446.65No real change since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 2.54 · world median 46.65 · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.11 to 992.83; lower is better.
Position 189th of 195 · derived, 1st = worst.
Institutional DeliveriesUNICEF · 2025 · world median 96.999.996.9No earlier reading
United Arab Emirates: 99.9 · world median 96.9 · Live births delivered in a health facility (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.5 to 100; higher is better.
Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.040.351▲ Improved since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 0.04 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.
Ranked 13th of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.94.220.9No real change since 2023
United Arab Emirates: 4.2 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.
Position 125th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.
Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.7620.940.762▲ Improved since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 0.94 · world median 0.762 · HDI score (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.388 to 0.972; higher is better.
Ranked 15th of 193 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.463.10327.46▲ Improved since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 3.103 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.
Position 204th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 26.41.926.4▲ Improved since 2017
United Arab Emirates: 1.9 · world median 26.4 · Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 93.9; lower is better.
Position 132nd of 145 · derived, 1st = worst.
Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 PandemicAriel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset) · 2026 · world median 272.3582.2272.35No earlier reading
United Arab Emirates: 82.2 · world median 272.35 · Excess deaths per 100,000 people, March 2020 to the end of each country's data (at most December 2023). Ariel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from -264.9 to 1,013; lower is better.
Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1)WUENIC · 2025 · world median 909890▼ Worsened since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 98 · world median 90 · Infants given a first dose of measles vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 13 to 99; higher is better.
Immunisation Coverage, DTP3WUENIC · 2025 · world median 919891▼ Worsened since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 98 · world median 91 · Infants given a third dose of DTP vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 39 to 99; higher is better.
Neonatal Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 8.1342.3618.134▲ Improved since 2014
United Arab Emirates: 2.361 · world median 8.134 · Deaths in the first 28 days (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.544 to 39.47; lower is better.
Position 170th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Infant Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 12.263.78112.26▲ Improved since 2014
United Arab Emirates: 3.781 · world median 12.26 · Deaths before age one (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.214 to 71.87; lower is better.
Position 164th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Life Expectancy at Age 65UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 16.3920.0116.39▼ Worsened since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 20.01 · world median 16.39 · Further years a 65-year-old would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 12.13 to 23.21; higher is better.
Position 42nd of 222 · derived.
Prevalence of UndernourishmentFAO · 2023 · world median 5.22.55.2▲ Improved since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 2.5 · world median 5.2 · Population undernourished (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 54.2; lower is better.
Position 104th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 2024 · world median 2.8581.2222.858▲ Improved since 2014
United Arab Emirates: 1.222 · world median 2.858 · Deaths between ages 5 and 14 (per 1,000 children aged 5). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.392 to 59.04; lower is better.
Position 160th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Stillbirth RateUN IGME · 2023 · world median 8.1633.9138.163▲ Improved since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 3.913 · world median 8.163 · Stillbirths (per 1,000 total births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.18 to 34.9; lower is better.
Position 152nd of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Human Capital IndexWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 0.5640.6730.564▲ Improved since 2010
United Arab Emirates: 0.673 · world median 0.564 · HCI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.292 to 0.879; higher is better.
Position 43rd of 172 · derived.
Agreement That Vaccines Are SafeWellcome Trust · 2018 · world median 77.6583.5877.65No earlier reading
United Arab Emirates: 83.58 · world median 77.65 · People aged 15+ who agree that vaccines are safe (% of those who had heard of vaccines). Wellcome Trust, 2018 edition, data for 2018.
Published values in that edition run from 29.29 to 97.91; higher is better.
Position 51st of 144 · derived.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.230.25No real change since 2014
United Arab Emirates: 0.23 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and TubersFAO · 2022 · world median 413841▼ Worsened since 2012
United Arab Emirates: 38 · world median 41 · Share of dietary energy supply from cereals, roots and tubers (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 21 to 82; lower is better.
Behind the world median8
Statistics on which United Arab Emirates does worse than the middle country measured.
Vegetable Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 102.6970.94102.69▼ Worsened since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 70.94 · world median 102.69 · Vegetables available as food (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.89 to 412.72; higher is better.
Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern MethodsUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 71.2560.871.25No real change since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 60.8 · world median 71.25 · Share of women aged 15–49 wanting to avoid pregnancy who use a modern method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 8.4 to 92.4; higher is better.
Position 128th of 196 · derived.
Fruit Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 84.8364.1384.83▼ Worsened since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 64.13 · world median 84.83 · Fruit available as food, excluding wine (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.27 to 379.63; higher is better.
Low Birthweight PrevalenceUNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates) · 2020 · world median 10.2113.9410.21No real change since 2010
United Arab Emirates: 13.94 · world median 10.21 · Live births weighing under 2,500 g (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 3.993 to 27.44; lower is better.
Position 41st of 158 · derived, 1st = worst.
HPV Vaccination Coverage, GirlsWUENIC · 2025 · world median 65.53465.5▲ Improved since 2018
United Arab Emirates: 34 · world median 65.5 · Girls in the target group given the final dose of HPV vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 99; higher is better.
PM2.5 Air Pollution ExposureAtmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis · 2023 · world median 14.4543.514.45No real change since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 43.5 · world median 14.45 · Population-weighted PM2.5 concentration (µg/m³). Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 68.2; lower is better.
Position 12th of 220 · derived, 1st = worst.
Early Initiation of BreastfeedingUNICEF · 2024 · world median 52.9523.252.95No earlier reading
United Arab Emirates: 23.2 · world median 52.95 · Newborns put to the breast within one hour of birth (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 7.749 to 93.1; higher is better.
Position 131st of 136 · derived.
Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.48189.123.48No real change since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 189.12 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.
No better end7
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8948.2938.89Moved since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 48.29 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 6th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Fish and Seafood Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 16.1723.1116.17Moved since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 23.11 · world median 16.17 · Fish and seafood available as food (kg per person per year, live-weight equivalent). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.38 to 83.81.
Meat Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 57.8367.8457.83Moved since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 67.84 · world median 57.83 · Meat available as food (kg per person per year, carcass weight). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.49 to 156.95.
Modern Contraceptive PrevalenceUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 35.428.735.4No real change since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 28.7 · world median 35.4 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using a modern contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2 to 73.8.
Contraceptive Prevalence (Any Method)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 41.253641.25Moved since 2013
United Arab Emirates: 36 · world median 41.25 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using any contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.6 to 78.7.
Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry OnWellcome Trust · 2020 · world median 20.0517.4220.05No earlier reading
United Arab Emirates: 17.42 · world median 20.05 · People aged 15+ who have ever been too anxious or depressed to continue their usual activities for two weeks or more (%). Wellcome Trust, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 2.934 to 49.35.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.553.274.55Moved since 2017
United Arab Emirates: 3.27 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
No current reading for United Arab Emirates
Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four Visits, Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff (last 2022), Caesarean Section Rate, Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Children with Functional Difficulties, Dietary Energy Supply, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Overweight Prevalence in Children Under Five, Pesticide Use per Hectare, Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, Violent Discipline of Children and Wasting Prevalence in Children Under Five. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Health & Wellbeing among United Arab Emirates’s 14 topics
Health & Wellbeing is United Arab Emirates’s 4th best-placed topic of 14. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Education & Knowledge1st of 1982/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequalityjoint 3rd of 1593/3 keys
- Work & Labour10th of 1824/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing13th of 2003/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade14th of 1774/4 keys
- Digital & Technology26th of 1984/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 34th of 1773/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 37th of 1843/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions58th of 1944/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital64th of 1963/3 keys
- Risk & Resilience75th of 1934/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties148th of 1983/4 keys
- Gender & Equality143rd of 1832/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability173rd of 1863/4 keys
No standing on Economy & Innovation, Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on health & wellbeing
The three countries placed highest of 200, and the leaders United Arab Emirates can most readily be measured against.
1
San MarinoSouthern Europe
1st of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Matl derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
MonacoWestern Europe
2nd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
AndorraSouthern Europe
3rd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest placed on all 4 keys
South Korea5th4/4 keysHighest in Western Asia
Israel10th3/4 keysThis page
United Arab Emirates13th3/4 keys
Positions out of 200 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about United Arab Emirates and health & wellbeing
On health & wellbeing
Global Hunger Index 2025: Countries with the Most Alarming Hunger Crisis
Thirteen countries scored across four editions — 2000, 2008, 2016 and 2025 — and five the report could not score at all. DR Congo and South Sudan share 121st place on 37.5.
On health & wellbeing
World Happiness Report 2025: Finland Leads Again as the US and UK Face Major Declines
The ten highest life evaluations of 2025, drawn on a world map, and the six things the report uses to explain them. Costa Rica and Mexico are the only two outside Europe and the Middle East.
08Questions
United Arab Emirates on health & wellbeing: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does United Arab Emirates rank on health & wellbeing?
United Arab Emirates is placed 13th of 200 countries on Health & Wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics (Life Expectancy at Birth, Under-Five Mortality Rate and Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Life Expectancy at Birth figure for United Arab Emirates?
82.91 in 2023 (years a newborn would live at current death rates), according to UN DESA Population Division. The world median in the same edition was 74.63.
What is the latest Under-Five Mortality Rate figure for United Arab Emirates?
4.789 in 2024 (deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)), according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). The world median in the same edition was 14.54.
How does United Arab Emirates compare with Saudi Arabia on health & wellbeing?
Saudi Arabia is placed 58th of 200, and United Arab Emirates 13th. Life Expectancy at Birth: Saudi Arabia 78.73, United Arab Emirates 82.91; Under-Five Mortality Rate: Saudi Arabia 5.958, United Arab Emirates 4.789.
How have United Arab Emirates’s health & wellbeing figures changed?
Life Expectancy at Birth rose from 76.35 in 2000 to 82.91 in 2023; Under-Five Mortality Rate fell from 10.74 in 2000 to 4.789 in 2024.
Which health & wellbeing statistics are missing for United Arab Emirates?
No current reading is published for United Arab Emirates on Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four Visits, Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff, Caesarean Section Rate, Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Children with Functional Difficulties, Dietary Energy Supply, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Overweight Prevalence in Children Under Five, Pesticide Use per Hectare, Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, Violent Discipline of Children and Wasting Prevalence in Children Under Five. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Health spending, hospital beds and doctors per person are not measured, because more of any of them does not guarantee better outcomes. Mental health and self-reported happiness are not part of this topic. Food supply per person is measured under Food & Agriculture. Maternal mortality and many other indicators are published here as context; maternal mortality is a key in Development & Human Capital instead.
How the Health & Wellbeing standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The health & wellbeing method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Life Expectancy at Birth — UN DESA Population Division, CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Under-Five Mortality Rate — UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five — UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 36 statistics on this page come from 14 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
United Arab Emirates’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- United Arab Emirates (banner) — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- San Marino — Matl derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monaco — Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Andorra — Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). United Arab Emirates: Health & Wellbeing — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/united-arab-emirates/health