United Arab Emirates: ICT goods imports (% total goods imports)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, United Arab Emirates' ICT goods imports (% total goods imports) rose 0.32 percentage points on 2023 (from 13.3% to 13.62%).

Across the 12 yearly changes before that (2008 to 2023), the average change was +0.16 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.49 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 11.62 percentage points in 2017 and the biggest yearly fall was 7.68 percentage points in 2013. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 25% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, United Arab Emirates had the 11th highest value of the 120 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to United Arab Emirates in the 2024 ranking

• Korea, Rep. — 8th of 120: 16.4%
• Paraguay — 9th of 120: 16.12%
• Mexico — 10th of 120: 15.8%
• United States — 12th of 120: 13.45%
• Macao SAR, China — 13th of 120: 12.5%
• Ireland — 14th of 120: 12.45%

What this measures

Information and communication technology goods imports include computers and peripheral equipment, communication equipment, consumer electronic equipment, electronic components, and other information and technology goods (miscellaneous).

Limitations: Detailed trade data are widely available from country trade statistics. These are collected by the UNSD and published in their UN COMTRADE database. The ICT goods trade indicators are usually compiled by interested international and national agencies using COMTRADE data. Concepts are therefore consistent with those applying to the COMTRADE database. The main statistical issue associated with this indicator appears to be the different treatment of re-exports and re-imports by countries, depending on whether the Special or General Trade System is used.2 Re-imports are separately reported for some countries and the value of ICT re-imports (which is included in the value of ICT imports for those…

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 16 values

ICT goods imports (% total goods imports) in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 1.02% (2019)
• Algeria — 4.83% (2017)
• Bahrain — 5.19% (2023)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 3.2% (2024)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 6.09% (2022)
• Israel — 10.3% (2024)
• Jordan — 3.45% (2023)
• Kuwait — 6.84% (2023)
• Lebanon — 2.04% (2024)
• Malta — 9.98% (2024)

More infrastructure data for United Arab Emirates

• Air transport, freight (million ton-km) — 13,566 (2023)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 2.29 million (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 20.8 (2024)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 435,257 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 91.06 million (2023)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 22.41 million (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 203.21 (2024)
• Medium and high-tech exports (% manufactured exports) — 11.68% (2024)
• Individuals using the Internet (% of population)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is United Arab Emirates's ICT goods imports (% total goods imports)?

13.62% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2005?

It is up 5.54 percentage points from 8.08% in 2005. The highest value was 17.09% in 2017 and the lowest 3.29% in 2013.

How does United Arab Emirates rank?

11th highest of 120 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in ICT goods imports (% total goods imports) unusual for United Arab Emirates?

In 2024, United Arab Emirates' ICT goods imports (% total goods imports) rose 0.32 percentage points on 2023 (from 13.3% to 13.62%). Across the 12 yearly changes before that (2008 to 2023), the average change was +0.16 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.49 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator TM.VAL.ICTG.ZS.UN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: UNCTADstat database, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), uri: http://unctadstat.unctad.org/ReportFolders/reportFolders.aspx Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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