According to the latest Global Built Asset Wealth Index published by Arcadis, Qatar has taken over from Singapore as the world’s richest built asset population, with a built asset wealth of €174,127 ($198,000) per capita compared to €168,850 ($192,000) in Singapore.
The index estimates the distribution of the world’s wealth in terms of buildings and infrastructure that contribute to economic productivity in 32 countries – collectively making up 87% of the global GDP.
Qatar has the fasted growing construction and infrastructure market in the GCC region, as reported by BMI Research, expanding at an annual average growth rate of 11.4% between 2015 and 2022. The 2022 FIFA World Cup and the country’s 2030 Vision development plan is expected to see Qatar’s spending on infrastructure reach over €132 bln ($150 bln) over the next decade.
Julien Cayet, Global Leader of Business Advisory at Arcadis commented: “The health and wealth of a nation can be measured in many different ways and while factors such as GDP or employment have great value, a prosperous society is underpinned by a well-developed built environment that meets the needs of its people and economy.”
The report also sees the UAE as the fifth richest built asset population, with a built asset wealth of €123,483 ($140,290) per capita, following Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan consecutively.
Source: Arcadis
