The Gulf economy grew 5.2 per cent year-on-year in the third quarter of 2025, underpinned by a balance between the oil and non-oil sectors, new figures have shown.
Real gross domestic product, which is adjusted for inflation, in the six-nation bloc hit $474 billion in the three months ended October, UAE state news agency Wam reported, quoting data from the Statistical Centre for the Co-operation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat).
Nominal GDP, which takes into account current dollar values, grew 2.2 per cent annually to $595 billion, the report said.
Real GDP represents a more accurate measure of economic performance and is used to compare over time periods and between countries.
"This reflects a genuine improvement in GCC economic activity, beyond the effects of price changes alone," the report said.
The oil and gas sector continued to be the largest contributor to the economy, with extraction activities accounting for about 22 per cent of nominal GDP, the report said.
The oil sector's "continued prominence ... underscores that the ongoing [economic] transformation is gradual and balanced, aiming to maximise returns from traditional resources while expanding the non-oil economic base," the report said.
Non-oil sectors, meanwhile, continued to gain momentum, with manufacturing contributing 12.4 per cent, followed by wholesale and retail trade (9.7 per cent), construction (8.4 per cent), public administration and defence (7.5 per cent), financial and insurance activities (7 per cent) and real estate (5.8 per cent).
These strong contributions "indicate tangible progress in building alternative and complementary growth drivers alongside the oil sector" and shows the Gulf's "sustained ability to balance the role of the oil sector while enhancing the contribution of non-oil activities to gross domestic product", the report said.
"The data highlighted that economic diversification in Gulf countries is no longer merely a stated strategic objective, but is increasingly being translated into the actual structure of GDP," it added.
The Gulf region - comprised of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - is emerging as one of the world’s most dynamic financial regions, driven by economic diversification and innovation, heavily backed by government initiatives.
The war between US-Israeli forces and Iran has resulted in a number of disruptions in the region, but analysts have expressed confidence that the Gulf's dynamics and strong fundamentals will help it weather any challenge.
