RIYADH: Dubai’s economy grew 4.4 percent in the first half of 2025 to 241 billion dirhams ($65.6 billion), driven by growth in healthcare, construction, and real estate, reinforcing its status as one of the world’s most competitive urban economies.
The second quarter was particularly strong, with gross domestic product rising 4.7 percent to 122 billion dirhams, the Emirates News Agency, also known as WAM, reported, citing Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment.
The broad-based expansion underscores Dubai’s resilience amid global uncertainty and the continued momentum of its economic diversification strategy.
Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the performance reflects the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE vice president, prime minister, and ruler of Dubai, adding: “Each percentage point of growth is also the outcome of strong collaboration between diverse stakeholders, disciplined execution of strategies, and the emirate’s ability to turn global challenges into new possibilities for progress.”
The results reaffirm progress under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which seeks to double the emirate’s economy over the next decade.
Healthcare and social work led all sectors with 20 percent growth in the first half, contributing 1.4 percent to total GDP and reaching 3.3 billion dirhams in value.
The construction sector also maintained growth momentum, rising 8.5 percent with a value added of 16 billion dirhams and contributing 6.7 percent to Dubai’s GDP in the first half.
Real estate grew 7 percent in the same period, contributing 8.2 percent to GDP with a total value of 19.8 billion dirhams, bolstered by a 40 percent surge in property sales.
The finance and insurance sector rose 6.7 percent to 30.2 billion dirhams, while wholesale and retail trade — Dubai’s largest economic component — expanded 4.4 percent to 57.4 billion dirhams, representing nearly a quarter of total output.
Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, highlighted the city’s ability to adapt to global dynamics while advancing the D33 objectives, noting the strength of Dubai’s public-private sector partnerships.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, director general of Digital Dubai, said the results “underscore the strength and dynamism” of the economy, showing progress toward D33’s goal of positioning Dubai among the world’s top three urban economies.
Younus Al-Nasser, CEO of the Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment, cited the effective collaboration between the government and the private sector, reaffirming his establishment’s commitment to providing reliable data.
Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation, noted that the robust expansion is a direct result of a business ecosystem built for agility and scale, and that the focus remains on broadening economic diversification.
