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Trade between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates

In 2024, Saudi Arabia exported $18.7 billion to the United Arab Emirates and imported $12.4 billion. Saudi Arabia ran a surplus of $6.3 billion with the United Arab Emirates, compared with a deficit of $2.8 billion in 2019. The United Arab Emirates was Saudi Arabia’s 5th largest trading partner (6% of its trade), and Saudi Arabia was the United Arab Emirates’ 5th (5%).

Summary

Saudi Arabia → United Arab Emirates
$18.7billion
United Arab Emirates → Saudi Arabia
$12.4billion
Saudi Arabia’s balance
$6.3billion

Balance

Saudi Arabia’s trade balance with the United Arab Emirates

Trade between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates grew 30.1-fold since 1995

USD billions (current). Saudi Arabia’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 18.7
  • Imports 12.4
  • Balance +6.3

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$672 million$363 million$309 million
1996$733 million$403 million$330 million
1997$0$0$0
1998$806 million$492 million$314 million
1999$0$591 million-$591 million
2000$829 million$549 million$280 million
2001$858 million$595 million$263 million
2002$885 million$777 million$108 million
2003$1.6 billion$925 million$651 million
2004$2 billion$1.2 billion$811 million
2005$2.7 billion$1.9 billion$859 million
2006$3.3 billion$1.9 billion$1.4 billion
2007$4.9 billion$2.8 billion$2.1 billion
2008$5.2 billion$3.2 billion$2 billion
2009$4.7 billion$2.8 billion$1.8 billion
2010$3.9 billion$3.7 billion$150 million
2011$5.1 billion$5.4 billion-$254 million
2012$6.2 billion$8.5 billion-$2.4 billion
2013$5.9 billion$9.1 billion-$3.1 billion
2014$6 billion$9 billion-$3 billion
2015$6.5 billion$10 billion-$3.5 billion
2016$6.3 billion$8.1 billion-$1.8 billion
2017$8.9 billion$10.4 billion-$1.5 billion
2018$9.6 billion$12.5 billion-$2.9 billion
2019$10.1 billion$12.9 billion-$2.8 billion
2020$9.3 billion$10.8 billion-$1.5 billion
2021$9.8 billion$14 billion-$4.2 billion
2022$12.7 billion$13.9 billion-$1.3 billion
2023$11.5 billion$15.9 billion-$4.4 billion
2024$18.7 billion$12.4 billion$6.3 billion

What they sell each other

What Saudi Arabia sells to the United Arab Emirates

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Cameras and broadcast equipment$6.4 billion · 34.4%
    4 thousand tonnes
  2. Warships and other vessels$2 billion · 10.6%
    113 thousand tonnes
  3. Tugboats$907 million · 4.9%
    57 thousand tonnes
  4. Dredgers and floating cranes$790 million · 4.2%
    49 thousand tonnes
  5. Polyethylene$622 million · 3.3%
    590 thousand tonnes · Saudi Arabia’s destinations
  6. Jewelry$445 million · 2.4%
    14 tonnes · the United Arab Emirates’ sources
  7. Gold$430 million · 2.3%
    6 tonnes · Saudi Arabia’s destinations
  8. Ethers and organic peroxides$403 million · 2.2%
    439 thousand tonnes
  9. Cargo and cruise ships$397 million · 2.1%
    115 thousand tonnes
  10. Cars$371 million · 2%
    23 thousand tonnes · the United Arab Emirates’ sources

What the United Arab Emirates sells to Saudi Arabia

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Gold$2.8 billion · 22.8%
    39 tonnes · the United Arab Emirates’ destinations
  2. Refined petroleum$1.9 billion · 15%
    2.5 million tonnes · the United Arab Emirates’ destinations
  3. Parts for cranes and excavators$815 million · 6.6%
    79 thousand tonnes
  4. Jewelry$436 million · 3.5%
    10 tonnes · the United Arab Emirates’ destinations
  5. Steel structures$276 million · 2.2%
    159 thousand tonnes
  6. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$199 million · 1.6%
    5 thousand tonnes · Saudi Arabia’s sources
  7. Prefabricated buildings$181 million · 1.5%
    98 thousand tonnes
  8. Seamless steel pipes$169 million · 1.4%
    62 thousand tonnes
  9. Bread, biscuits and pastries$160 million · 1.3%
    36 thousand tonnes
  10. Plastic building fittings$147 million · 1.2%
    7 thousand tonnes

How it travels

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates traded $31.1 billion in 2024 (both directions together). They trade mostly over land: 85% of the value travels by truck, rail or pipeline.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$4.6 billion · 14.8%
  2. Land$26.5 billion · 85.2%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

The United Arab Emirates was Saudi Arabia’s 5th largest trading partner (6% of its trade), and Saudi Arabia was the United Arab Emirates’ 5th (5%).

The United Arab Emirates in Saudi Arabia’s trade
5.9%
The United Arab Emirates’ rank among Saudi Arabia’s partners
5th
Saudi Arabia in the United Arab Emirates’ trade
5%
Saudi Arabia’s rank among the United Arab Emirates’ partners
5th

Compare with

Other partners of Saudi Arabia

Other partners of the United Arab Emirates

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.