Saudi Arabia and UAE Rank Among World’s Top 10 Most Influential Nations in 2024

This article was translated using artificial intelligence and the original language of the article is Arabic.

• UAE ranks 8th, Saudi Arabia 9th in US News & World Report’s annual ranking
• United States and China maintain top positions
• Survey covered 17,000 respondents globally

Methodology:
The ranking evaluates nations across four critical dimensions:

1. Military strength and defense capabilities
2. Diplomatic influence and international relations
3. Economic power and innovation
4. Cultural impact and global reach

Evaluation Criteria:
Responses from 8,100 “informed elites” who:

• Hold university degrees
• Identify as middle/upper class
• Consume news regularly (4+ days weekly)

Economic Analysis:

• Strong correlation between soft power and GDP size:
  • US ($26.24T GDP)
  • China ($19.37T GDP)
  • UAE ($509B GDP)
  • KSA ($1.06T GDP)
• Rankings reflect success of Saudi Vision 2030 and UAE 2071 strategies

Geopolitical Implications:

• Gulf states’ ascent signals:
  • Shift of economic gravity toward Asia
  • Growing role of emerging powers
  • Effective economic diplomacy

Top 10 Most Influential Countries:

1. United States
2. China
3. United Kingdom
4. Germany
5. France
6. Russia
7. Japan
8. UAE
9. Saudi Arabia
10. Italy