The duel
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The United Arab Emirates fits inside South Sudan 6.6 times.
South Sudan: 646,883 km² (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 98,648 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
South Sudan: 0 km (2026 edition) · United Arab Emirates: 1,318 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
South Sudan’s highest peak towers 1,282 m above the United Arab Emirates’.
South Sudan: 3,187 m (2026 edition) · United Arab Emirates: 1,905 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
South Sudan has 6% more people than the United Arab Emirates.
South Sudan: 12.2 million (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 11.5 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The United Arab Emirates is 8.4 times as densely populated as South Sudan.
South Sudan: 19 per km² (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 162 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
South Sudan: no data · United Arab Emirates: 174.1 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
South Sudan: no data · United Arab Emirates: 160.5 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in the United Arab Emirates is 13 years older than in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 18 years (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 31.2 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in South Sudan have 2.6 more children on average than in the United Arab Emirates.
South Sudan: 3.79 children per woman (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 1.21 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
3.1% of people in South Sudan are 65 or older, versus 1.8% in the United Arab Emirates.
South Sudan: 3.1% (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 1.8% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
South Sudan and the United Arab Emirates are practically level.
South Sudan: 0 (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 0 (2025)
How many official languages?
South Sudan and the United Arab Emirates are practically level.
South Sudan: 1 (2026) · United Arab Emirates: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The United Arab Emirates’ economy is 46 times the size of South Sudan’s.
South Sudan: $12 billion (2015) · United Arab Emirates: $552 billion (2024)
How much is produced per person?
The United Arab Emirates produces 69 times as much per person as South Sudan.
South Sudan: Int$1,155 (2015) · United Arab Emirates: Int$79,344 (2024)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in South Sudan than in the United Arab Emirates (Gini 17.6 points higher).
South Sudan: 44 (2016) · United Arab Emirates: 26.4 (2018)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 12% in South Sudan, versus 2.2% in the United Arab Emirates.
South Sudan: 12.4% (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 2.2% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
The United Arab Emirates spends 5.6% of its GDP on the military, South Sudan 2.0%.
South Sudan: 2% (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 5.6% (2014)
How expensive is it?
South Sudan’s price level (US = 100) is 1.5× the United Arab Emirates’.
South Sudan: 94% (2015) · United Arab Emirates: 63% (2024)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The United Arab Emirates spends 33 times as much on health per person as South Sudan.
South Sudan: $73 (2023) · United Arab Emirates: $2,402 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in the United Arab Emirates live 25 years longer than in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 57.7 years (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 83.1 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in South Sudan is 19 times as likely to die before turning one as in the United Arab Emirates.
South Sudan: 71.9 per 1,000 (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 3.8 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
The United Arab Emirates has 73 times as many doctors per person as South Sudan.
South Sudan: 0.041 per 1,000 (2022) · United Arab Emirates: 3 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is obesity?
30% of adults in the United Arab Emirates are obese, versus 8.2% in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 8.2% (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 30.3% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
South Sudan: no data · United Arab Emirates: 9% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the United Arab Emirates rate their lives 4.00 points higher than in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 2.82 (2019) · United Arab Emirates: 6.82 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in the United Arab Emirates drink 56% more alcohol than in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 0.4 litres (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 0.6 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The United Arab Emirates has 3.2 times as much meat per person as South Sudan.
South Sudan: 21.4 kg (2022) · United Arab Emirates: 67.8 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
The United Arab Emirates has 734 kcal more food per person per day than South Sudan.
South Sudan: 2,391 kcal (2022) · United Arab Emirates: 3,125 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
South Sudan: no data · United Arab Emirates: 2,514 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the United Arab Emirates went to school 7.3 years longer than in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 5.7 years (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 13 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
South Sudan: no data · United Arab Emirates: 2.28 (2019)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
100% of people in the United Arab Emirates are online, versus 6.7% in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 7% (2019) · United Arab Emirates: 100% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
100% of people in the United Arab Emirates have electricity, versus 5.4% in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 5.4% (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
86% of people in the United Arab Emirates live in cities, versus 22% in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 22% (2025) · United Arab Emirates: 86% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The United Arab Emirates has 203 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, South Sudan 47.
South Sudan: 47 (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 203 (2024)
How much railway is there?
The United Arab Emirates’ railway network is 13% longer than South Sudan’s.
South Sudan: 248 km (2018) · United Arab Emirates: 279 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
South Sudan: no data · United Arab Emirates: 7.91 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 11% of South Sudan, but only 4.5% of the United Arab Emirates.
South Sudan: 11.3% (2023) · United Arab Emirates: 4.5% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in the United Arab Emirates emits 142 times as much CO₂ as someone in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 0.1 t (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 20.1 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
8.8% of the United Arab Emirates’ electricity is renewable, versus 1.8% in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 1.8% (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 8.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in the United Arab Emirates carries 2.3 times as much fine dust as in South Sudan.
South Sudan: 24.1 µg/m³ (2024) · United Arab Emirates: 55.7 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
South Sudan: no data · United Arab Emirates: 0.7 per 100k (2022)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in South Sudan are 3.9 times as deadly as in the United Arab Emirates.
South Sudan: 23.3 per 100k (2021) · United Arab Emirates: 5.9 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The United Arab Emirates is on average 0.2 °C warmer than South Sudan.
South Sudan: 28.6°C (2016–2025 avg) · United Arab Emirates: 28.8°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
South Sudan gets 17 times as much rain as the United Arab Emirates.
South Sudan: 785 mm (2016–2025 avg) · United Arab Emirates: 47 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is South Sudan bigger than the United Arab Emirates?
South Sudan is larger. The United Arab Emirates fits inside South Sudan 6.6 times.
Which has more people, South Sudan or the United Arab Emirates?
South Sudan has 6% more people than the United Arab Emirates (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, South Sudan or the United Arab Emirates?
People in the United Arab Emirates live 25 years longer than in South Sudan. Life expectancy at birth is 57.7 years in South Sudan and 83.1 in the United Arab Emirates.
