As per a recent IMF update on the UAE, the country holds a net external creditor position well in excess of 100 per cent of GDP, among the largest in the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) membership.

The report specified, "This position is overwhelmingly with Abu Dhabi, especially as concerns liquid unencumbered external assets, but several of Dubai's government-related entities also have accumulated substantial assets abroad."

The report specifies that International Investment Position (IIP) of UAE for 2009 stagnates at $437 billion (Dh1.6 trillion) in assets and $132bn in liabilities that leads in a net positive position of $305bn, or 132 per cent of gross domestic product.

This is prominently more than the comparative 2009 figures made available by the IMF for Norway ($238bn, 52 per cent of GDP), Singapore ($192bn, 105 per cent), Australia (-$497bn, -50 per cent), and Bahrain ($15bn, 83 per cent).