Flag of united arab emirates United Arab Emirates vs Flag of afghanistan Afghanistan

International relations comparison · updated Sep 2026
5.21 / 10
Neutral

The relation between United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan is NEUTRAL, with an overall score of 5.21 out of 10.

Chance of conflict between both countries: rare

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Head to head: who leads each category

Population
United Arab Emirates 9.9M
Afghanistan 38.9M Leads
GDP
United Arab Emirates $552.3B Leads
Afghanistan $17.8B
Military expenditure
United Arab Emirates $22.8B Leads
Afghanistan $278.3M
Global influence rank
United Arab Emirates #67
Afghanistan #57 Leads

About this relationship

Afghanistan and United Arab Emirates are the geopolitical equivalent of two people who might recognize each other's flag but have never actually met. Scarce data, minimal history — about as low-key as international relations get.

·
9.9M
Population
38.9MLeads
83.6K km²
Land area
652.9K km²Leads
Abu Dhabi
Capital
Kabul
Islam
Main religion
Islam
77 years
Life expectancy
65 years

Strengths & comparison

Population Afghanistan is 3.94x larger
Land area Afghanistan is 7.81x larger

The position in the international influence ranking of Afghanistan is 57, while United Arab Emirates is situated 10 places below in the ranking (position 67). United Arab Emirates maintains contact with 59 countries, while Afghanistan maintains contact with 34 countries. United Arab Emirates maintains an excellent relation with 10 countries, while in the case of Afghanistan, this figure drops to 6.

About United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates located in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia, on the eastern coast of the Arabian Gulf. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the west and south, and Oman to the east and north. The UAE has a diverse economy that is heavily reliant on oil exports, but it has also diversified into other sectors such as tourism, finance, and construction.

The UAE is a major player in the Middle East and has strong ties with the United States and other Western countries. It is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a regional organization that promotes economic, cultural, and political cooperation among its member states. The UAE is also a member of the United Nations and has a seat on the Security Council.

The UAE has a population of about 9.9 million people, the majority of whom are expatriates. The official language is Arabic, but English is widely spoken and used in business. The country is known for its modern infrastructure and high standard of living, and it is a popular tourist destination, with attractions such as the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, and the Palm Jumeirah, an artificial island shaped like a palm tree.

Geography & terrain

Almost entirely flat desert and arid plains, with the Hajar Mountains rising along the eastern border toward Oman. Hot, arid climate with very low rainfall. Coastline on the Persian Gulf to the west and a short stretch of the Gulf of Oman to the east. The open desert offers little natural defense, though the harsh climate and scarcity of fresh water have historically discouraged sustained overland invasion.

About Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a country located in South and Central Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the south and east, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to the north, and China to the far northeast. The country has a complex history and has been a battleground for various powers throughout its history.

In recent times, Afghanistan has been embroiled in conflict for several decades, starting with the Soviet invasion in 1979 and continuing with the civil war that followed. The country has also been a major theater of operations in the War on Terror, with the United States and other countries intervening in the country after the September 11th attacks in 2001.

Since then, Afghanistan has seen significant political and social upheaval, including the rise and fall of the Taliban, the establishment of a new government, and ongoing violence and conflict with various militant groups. The country has also struggled with issues such as corruption, poverty, and a lack of infrastructure and development.

Despite these challenges, Afghanistan has made some progress in recent years, including holding successful elections and making progress on issues such as women's rights and education. However, the country still faces many challenges and will likely continue to be a focus of international attention for the foreseeable future.

Geography & terrain

Landlocked, no coastline. Rugged and mountainous, dominated by the Hindu Kush range, with arid plains and deserts in the south and west. Climate is arid to semiarid, with harsh winters at altitude. Famously difficult to conquer and hold: the high passes and compartmentalized valleys favor local defenders and have worn down successive outside armies over centuries.

Source: World Bank Open Data. Most recent available data
United Arab Emirates Afghanistan
Government type Federal absolute monarchy Islamic emirate
GDP $552.3BLeads $17.8B
GDP per capita $50.3KLeads $417
Military expenditure $22.8BLeads $278.3M
Military expenditure per capita $2.3KLeads $7
Land military expenditure (estimation) $8.0BLeads $222.6M
Air military expenditure (estimation) $9.1BLeads $55.7M
Naval military expenditure (estimation) $5.7B n/a
Nuclear power No No
European Union Not a member Not a member
NATO Not a member Not a member

Strengths & comparison

Military expenditure United Arab Emirates is 81.78x larger
Land (estimation)
$8.0B$222.6M
Air (estimation)
$9.1B$55.7M
Naval (estimation)
$5.7Bn/a

The capitals of United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan are approximately 1 819 km apart (straight-line distance). There is a standard time difference of about 0.5 hours between them.

Based on shared language, currency, economic profile, borders and international groups, United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan score a 0/100 similarity index. This is a fun, approximate metric — not a scientific one.

Excellent relation (7+/10) with both countries

United States Turkey Russia Germany Indonesia

Which side is each country closer to?

Map legend
Closer to United Arab Emirates Closer to Afghanistan

Comparing United Arab Emirates's and Afghanistan's scores against the same third countries shows where each one has a clear edge. United Arab Emirates scores noticeably higher with: Pakistan, India, Israel, Canada, Syria. Afghanistan scores noticeably higher with: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Germany, Indonesia, Bangladesh.

The relation between United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan hasn't changed recently, and it remains at 5.2.

Score history

Feb 2022: 8.4/10 May 2022: 6.1/10 Jul 2022: 5.8/10 Sep 2022: 5.8/10 Oct 2022: 5.8/10 Nov 2022: 5.8/10 Dec 2022: 5.8/10 Jan 2023: 5.8/10 Jun 2023: 5.2/10 Oct 2023: 5.2/10 Nov 2023: 5.2/10 Jan 2024: 5.2/10 Feb 2024: 5.2/10 Mar 2024: 5.2/10 May 2024: 5.2/10 Aug 2024: 5.2/10 Apr 2025: 5.2/10 Aug 2025: 5.2/10 Aug 2026: 5.2/10
2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
8.4 5.2

Let's suppose a hypothetical conflict occurs between both countries:

Solo scenario: United Arab Emirates vs Afghanistan
United Arab Emirates 62.3%Winner Afghanistan 37.7%
Allies scenario: Team United Arab Emirates vs Team Afghanistan

In a hypothetical conflict between United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan, probably, India and Pakistan will participate helping United Arab Emirates.
No country will participate helping Afghanistan.

United Arab Emirates 86.4%Winner Afghanistan 13.6%
Map legend
United Arab Emirates & allies Afghanistan & allies

Want to build your own teams? Try the War Simulator.

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