Gateway
Logistics & supply chain
Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port and global air-cargo capacity make the UAE the base for regional distribution and bonded warehousing.
Country Profile — Arab-America International Expo 2027
Profile content in preparationUnited Arab Emirates
The gateway to the Gulf.
A federation of seven emirates that turned open trade, world-class logistics and free zones into one of the most business-friendly economies on earth.
Country at a glance
- GDP
- ≈ $545 billion (nominal)
- Population
- ≈ 10.7 million
- Currency
- UAE Dirham (AED), pegged to USD
- Capital
- Abu Dhabi
- Economic growth
- ≈ 3.8% real GDP growth
Statistics year: 2024 (latest full-year data)
Overview
Where the world does business in the Middle East
The UAE is the most diversified economy in the Gulf, with non-oil sectors driving the majority of GDP — trade, logistics, tourism, finance, real estate, manufacturing and technology.
Dubai's Jebel Ali port and the region's largest air-cargo network make the country the natural distribution base for American exporters serving the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
More than 40 free zones offer full foreign ownership, fast licensing and tax incentives, making market entry faster here than almost anywhere else in the region.
- Capital
- Abu Dhabi
- Population
- ~10 million
- Language
- Arabic (English is the business language)
- Currency
- UAE Dirham (AED), pegged to USD
- Major cities
- Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah
- Time zone
- GMT +4
- Free zones
- 40+ with 100% foreign ownership
- Membership
- GCC, WTO, OPEC, Arab League
Economy
Diversified, open and fast-moving
A high-income economy where non-oil activity leads growth, backed by two of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds.
$0B+
GDP (nominal)
Second-largest Arab economy
0%
Non-oil share of GDP
Trade, services and industry
$0B+
Sovereign fund assets
ADIA, Mubadala, ADQ and others
$0B+
Annual re-exports
Goods redistributed across MENA
Trade & re-exportRegional distribution hub
Logistics & aviationPorts, air cargo, cold chain
Finance & fintechDIFC and ADGM
Tourism & hospitalityGlobal visitor market
Manufacturing & industryOperation 300bn strategy
Technology & AINational AI and cloud programs
Priority sectors
Where UAE buyers are looking
Sectors where Emirati distributors, family groups and government buyers actively seek American suppliers.
Industry
Advanced manufacturing
Operation 300bn is scaling industrial output, with incentives for partners who assemble or localize production.
High growth
Technology & AI
Enterprise cloud, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and smart-government platforms across all seven emirates.
Growing
Healthcare & life sciences
Private hospital groups and public health authorities importing devices, diagnostics and digital health systems.
Food security
Food & agritech
A national food-security strategy driving imports, vertical farming and cold-chain investment.
Sustained demand
Real estate & construction
Continuous residential, hospitality and infrastructure delivery across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
We the UAE 2031
A national agenda with hard targets
The UAE plans in decades: doubling GDP, expanding non-oil exports and becoming a global hub for talent and technology.
- 2021
Projects of the 50
A package of economic, investment and residency reforms opening the market further to foreign business.
- 2022
CEPA trade agreements
Comprehensive economic partnership agreements signed with major markets to expand non-oil trade.
- 2023
COP28 and energy transition
Large-scale commitments to renewables, hydrogen and clean industry.
- 2027
Arab-America International Expo
Emirati companies meet American buyers, distributors and investors in Washington, D.C..
- 2031
We the UAE 2031
Targets to double GDP and raise non-oil exports substantially.
- 2050
Net-zero strategy
A long-term decarbonization plan across power, industry and transport.
Major development projects
What is being built
Infrastructure and industrial programs creating direct procurement demand.
Etihad Rail network
A national freight and passenger rail network linking ports, industrial zones and the wider GCC.
Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan
A long-term plan reshaping housing, green space and commercial districts across the emirate.
Operation 300bn
A ten-year industrial strategy to grow the manufacturing sector's contribution to GDP.
Masdar clean energy portfolio
Global and domestic solar, wind and green-hydrogen capacity build-out.
Al Maktoum International expansion
A multi-phase airport expansion designed to become one of the world's largest passenger and cargo hubs.
US – UAE trade
America's largest export market in the Arab world
The UAE has been the top destination for US exports in the Middle East for over a decade, with a large share re-exported onward across the region.
Top exports to the world
Re-exported goods
Crude oil & refined products
Aluminum & metals
Gold & jewelry
Petrochemicals & plastics
Top imports
Aircraft & parts
Machinery & equipment
Vehicles & transport
Electronics & IT
Food & agricultural goods
Leading products to the United States
- Aluminum
- Refined petroleum products
- Jewelry & precious metals
- Plastics & polymers
- Dates and processed foods
Leading products from the United States
- Aircraft and aviation parts
- Industrial and construction machinery
- Vehicles and spare parts
- Medical devices
- Electronics and IT hardware
- Food, beverages and agricultural products
- Dirham pegged to the US dollar — predictable pricing for long contracts
- No federal personal income tax; competitive 9% corporate tax with free-zone incentives
- 100% foreign ownership available onshore and in free zones
- Re-export access to more than two billion consumers within a four-hour flight
Bilateral goods trade — 2024
Trade with the United States
Verified full-year bilateral merchandise trade between United Arab Emirates and the United States, reported from United Arab Emirates's perspective.
Total U.S. goods trade
$34.5B
2024
Exports to the United States
$7.5B
2024
Imports from the United States
$27.0B
2024
Trade balance
$19.5B
Deficit for United Arab Emirates
2024
Exports vs. imports — 2024
United Arab Emirates exports to the United States$7.5B
United Arab Emirates imports from the United States$27.0B
Exports to the US Imports from the US
The UAE is the largest single market for American goods in the Middle East and North Africa, and the relationship is strongly in the United States' favour — meaning a sizeable goods deficit for the UAE, driven by aerospace, machinery and consumer imports feeding both domestic demand and regional re-export flows.
Scope of these figures
These figures represent merchandise trade only and do not include services.
Data source
- U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division — country trade data (full year 2024)
- Office of the United States Trade Representative — country trade fact sheets
Statistical year: 2024
Leading exports to the United States
- Aluminium and articles thereof
- Refined petroleum products
- Precious metals and jewellery
- Organic chemicals and plastics
- Machinery and re-exported equipment
- Cables and electrical apparatus
Leading imports from the United States
- Aircraft, engines and parts
- Precious metals and stones
- Vehicles and automotive parts
- Industrial machinery
- Electronics and computer equipment
- Medical devices
- Agricultural and food products
Culture & tourism
One of the world's most visited destinations
Beaches, desert, heritage districts and world-class retail, hospitality and museums.
Dubai
Downtown Dubai
Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and the Opera District — the commercial and tourism heart of the city.
Abu Dhabi
Saadiyat Cultural District
Louvre Abu Dhabi and a growing cluster of world-class museums on the coast.
Dubai
Al Fahidi & Dubai Creek
Wind-tower houses, souks and the trading creek where the modern city began.
Al Dhafra
Liwa & the Empty Quarter
Vast dunes at the edge of the Rub' al Khali, with desert resorts and heritage festivals.
Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah mountains
Jebel Jais peaks, adventure tourism and coastal resorts north of Dubai.
Sharjah
Sharjah heritage area
Museums, calligraphy and Islamic art in the UAE's designated cultural capital.
Why invest
The case for the UAE
Speed of setup, connectivity and a genuinely international business culture.
01
Fastest market entry in the region
Company formation in free zones can be completed in days, with full foreign ownership.
02
Unmatched connectivity
Two global airline hubs and the region's busiest container ports, serving Africa, Asia and Europe.
03
English-first business culture
Contracts, banking and negotiation are conducted in English across most sectors.
04
Deep pools of capital
Sovereign funds, family offices and family conglomerates actively seek international partners.
05
Tax efficiency
No personal income tax and free-zone regimes designed for exporters and regional HQs.
06
Safe, stable and predictable
Political stability, strong rule of law for commercial matters and world-class infrastructure.
At the Expo
The UAE at AAIX 2027
The Emirati pavilion will bring trading houses, free-zone authorities, manufacturers and technology firms directly to American partners in Washington, D.C..
- A national pavilion led by chambers, free zones and export councils
- Distribution and re-export partnerships for American manufacturers
- Free-zone and licensing clinics for companies planning a UAE base
- Investment briefings from sovereign and private capital
- Tourism and hospitality showcase for US travel trade
World heritage
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in United Arab Emirates
Sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a core part of the country's cultural and tourism offer.
Cultural Sites of Al Ain
Hafit-period tombs, oases and falaj irrigation systems in the eastern emirate.
Business opportunities
Opportunities for Arab and American companies
How companies from different markets can engage with United Arab Emirates through the Expo.
For American companies
Establish a regional headquarters or distribution hub with duty-free re-export across MENA, Africa and South Asia.
For Arab companies
Use UAE free zones for financing, trading and logistics operations across the region.
For international investors
Real estate, logistics assets, technology ventures and sovereign co-investment through ADQ, Mubadala and others.
Represent United Arab Emirates at Arab-America International Expo 2027
Present your country's economy, industries, products, investment opportunities, tourism destinations and culture to the American and North American markets.
Reserve space in the Emirati pavilion, or register as an American buyer to meet UAE distributors, investors and manufacturers.
Sources & data
- UAE Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre
- UAE Ministry of Economy
- Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Abu Dhabi Chamber
- World Bank & IMF country data
- U.S. Census Bureau / USTR trade statistics
Last updated: August 2026