IMD World Competitiveness Ranking

The IMD World Competitiveness Centre analysed and ranked 69 countries on economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure. The UAE was ranked 5th globally in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2025, issued by the World Competitiveness Centre of the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).

U.Ask

The UAE’s performance

The UAE was ranked 5th globally in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2025, issued by the World Competitiveness Centre of the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).

 

Its global ranking in the various factors is as follows:

 

  • 2nd in economic performance
  • 4th in government efficiency
  • 3rd in business efficiency
  • 23rd in infrastructure.

 

Its global ranking in the various sub-factors is as follows:

 

  • 1st in employment
  • 1st in labour market
  • 2nd in international trade
  • 3rd in tax policy
  • 3rd  in basic infrastructure
  • 5th in attitudes and values
  • 10th in domestic economy
  • 12th in business legislation.

Read related news coverage.

the uae performance En.png

Methodology

The IMD World Competitiveness Centre ranking analysed and ranked the capacities of 69 countries to create and maintain an environment, which sustains the competitiveness of enterprises.

Ranking divides the national environment into 4 main factors:

  1. economic performance
  2. government efficiency
  3. business efficiency
  4. infrastructure.

Each of these factors is divided into 5 sub-factors, which highlight every facet of the areas analysed. These 20 sub-factors comprise 341 criteria. The results of the 20 sub-factors is aggregated to get the total consolidation, leading to the overall ranking of the IMD World Competitiveness ranking.

 

View the UAE's profile in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2025 (PDF, 2 MB).

 

Updated On :

12 Nov 2025