Living standards in the UAE are among the best in the Arab world thanks to robust state spending and a strong economy that has withstood the regional turmoil, a new report said.
UAE residents rate their lives as ‘thriving’ are increasingly happy with their area of residence and cite the Gulf state as one of the best places to raise their children, Abu Dhabi’s Gallup said.
“The high wellbeing seen among so many UAE residents is a distinct advantage for the country – something that could keep it politically stable at a time of regional upheaval and help it attract the outside talent it needs for economic development,” said Gallup.
More than half of UAE residents (57 percent) consider their life to be thriving, including 64 percent of Emiratis and 52 percent of expatriates, making them the most content in the Gulf.
“These percentages are greater than the percentages who are thriving elsewhere in the GCC or in other high-income countries, and are many times greater than the percentage who are thriving in the rest of the countries in the Arab League,” noted Gallup.
But satisfaction levels for schools and the limited supply of affordable housing remain concerns. Residents reported an eight percent decline in satisfaction levels for education between 2009 and 2011 while less than half of the population (48 percent) says it is satisfied with the availability of good, affordable housing.
“The UAE has made heavy investments in the educational system, driving up enrollment rates across the region. However, the slight decline in satisfaction with UAE schools could reflect the UAE’s educational system is still not producing graduated with the skills to compete in a knowledge-based global economy,” said the report.
Overall, the Gulf state’s continued investment in transportation, healthcare and accommodation, has served it well. The introduction of Dubai’s metro system coupled with Abu Dhabi’s investment in public transport and its roads and highways has significantly increased UAE residents’ level of satisfaction.
The majority of residents (90 percent) say they are satisfied with the current transport system compared to 66 percent in 2009. Increasing investment in the Gulf country’s transport will continue to attract highly skilled foreign workers, noted Gallup.
Article continues on next page…
Residents also rate their access to healthcare, approaches to the environment, and the quality of air in the UAE amongst the highest. Overall, 89 percent of the population says it is happy with its access to healthcare while only 14 percent suffer from health problems.
Emirati nationals are the most satisfied (85 percent) with their healthcare compared to 75 percent of non-nationals, largely due to their access to medical treatment abroad, said Gallup.
Measures to control air and water quality have also been stepped up and are being recognised by residents. The majority of residents (87 percent) rate current air levels as satisfactory compared to 73 percent in 2009 while 83 percent say they are satisfied with the water quality compared to 73 percent two years ago.
Emiratis and non-nationals rate the UAE equally (90 percent) as a good place to raise a family.
Follow us on
