Summary
- United Arab Emirates → United Kingdom
- $3.5billion
- United Kingdom → United Arab Emirates
- $12.2billion
- The United Arab Emirates’ balance
- -$8.7billion
Balance
The United Arab Emirates’ trade balance with the United Kingdom
Trade between the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom grew 7.6-fold since 1995
USD billions (current). The United Arab Emirates’ exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).
- Exports 3.5
- Imports 12.2
- Balance -8.7
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Year | Exports | Imports | Trade balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | $407 million | $1.7 billion | -$1.3 billion |
| 1996 | $557 million | $2 billion | -$1.4 billion |
| 1997 | $793 million | $2.2 billion | -$1.4 billion |
| 1998 | $871 million | $2.2 billion | -$1.3 billion |
| 1999 | $977 million | $2.2 billion | -$1.2 billion |
| 2000 | $713 million | $2.2 billion | -$1.5 billion |
| 2001 | $789 million | $2.1 billion | -$1.3 billion |
| 2002 | $869 million | $2.3 billion | -$1.5 billion |
| 2003 | $1.6 billion | $3.3 billion | -$1.7 billion |
| 2004 | $1.5 billion | $4.8 billion | -$3.3 billion |
| 2005 | $1.8 billion | $5.7 billion | -$3.9 billion |
| 2006 | $1.3 billion | $6.6 billion | -$5.3 billion |
| 2007 | $1.8 billion | $5.1 billion | -$3.3 billion |
| 2008 | $1.3 billion | $8.3 billion | -$7.1 billion |
| 2009 | $824 million | $4.8 billion | -$4 billion |
| 2010 | $1.4 billion | $5.9 billion | -$4.5 billion |
| 2011 | $1.7 billion | $7.3 billion | -$5.6 billion |
| 2012 | $2.4 billion | $7.3 billion | -$4.9 billion |
| 2013 | $3.2 billion | $10.6 billion | -$7.4 billion |
| 2014 | $1.8 billion | $7.1 billion | -$5.3 billion |
| 2015 | $2 billion | $7 billion | -$5 billion |
| 2016 | $2.7 billion | $5.5 billion | -$2.9 billion |
| 2017 | $2.7 billion | $6.9 billion | -$4.2 billion |
| 2018 | $2.4 billion | $7.8 billion | -$5.3 billion |
| 2019 | $2.3 billion | $7.5 billion | -$5.3 billion |
| 2020 | $2 billion | $5.9 billion | -$3.9 billion |
| 2021 | $2.6 billion | $5.9 billion | -$3.3 billion |
| 2022 | $4.4 billion | $8.4 billion | -$4 billion |
| 2023 | $3.3 billion | $8.8 billion | -$5.6 billion |
| 2024 | $3.5 billion | $12.2 billion | -$8.7 billion |
What they sell each other
What the United Arab Emirates sells to the United Kingdom
The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.
What the United Kingdom sells to the United Arab Emirates
The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.
How it travels
The estimated sea route between Jebel Ali and Felixstowe is 11,296 nautical miles (20,921 km) long: ≈ 26–33.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).
Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Strait of Hormuz, the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Dover (11,296 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Suez Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Strait of Dover (6,370 nautical miles).
Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.
Split by transport mode
Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.
How much each matters to the other
The United Kingdom was the United Arab Emirates’ 11th largest trading partner (3% of its trade), and the United Arab Emirates was the United Kingdom’s 18th (1%).
- The United Kingdom in the United Arab Emirates’ trade
- 2.5%
- The United Kingdom’s rank among the United Arab Emirates’ partners
- 11th
- The United Arab Emirates in the United Kingdom’s trade
- 1.4%
- The United Arab Emirates’ rank among the United Kingdom’s partners
- 18th
Compare with
Other partners of the United Arab Emirates
Other partners of the United Kingdom
Sources and methodology
Sources and licenses
- CEPII BACI · Licence Ouverte Etalab 2.0
- World Bank, Global Shipping Traffic Density · CC BY 4.0 (route network derived by this site)
- World Port Index (NGA) · Public domain (US Government work)
- Natural Earth · Public domain
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.