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Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Kuwait economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Kuwait best banks and safest banks are also available.
Abdulaziz B. Al Loughani is co-founder and managing partner of Faith Capital, a Kuwait-based regional VC fund; and CEO of Floward, an online flower and gift retailer. He was previously vice chairman of Kuwait’s National Fund for SME Development and a co-founder of Talabat, the Middle East’s largest online food-ordering platform. He talks about opportunities and the growth of entrepreneurship in the region.
USD 28.4 billion (2015)
International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved January 2017
USD 124.9 billion (2017, estimate)
Intl$ 315.6 billion (2017, estimate)
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
| 7.5% | 6% | 2.5% | -7.1% | -2.4% | 10.9% | 7.9% |
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015* | 2016* | 2017* | ||
| 0.4% | 0.6% | 1.1% | 2.5% | 2.6% |
*Estimate
USD 28,756.2 (2017, estimate)
| 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2017* |
| 0.36% | 0.20% | 0.23% | 0.25% | 0.3% |
*Estimate
(2016 estimate)
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
| 2.7% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 3.4% | 3.8% |
*Estimate
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* |
| 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
*Estimate
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015* | 2016* | 2017* |
| 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.2% | 18.3% | 22.4% |
*Estimate
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015* | 2016* | 2017* |
| 34.3% | 28.1% | 1.7% | -3.5% | 3.2% |
*Estimate
Standard & Poor's: AA
Moody's: Aa2
Standard & Poor's / Moody's (Updated January 2017)
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
National Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait Finance House, Kuwait Projects, Zain.
8.4% (2017 estimate)
54.4% (2015)
0.3% (2015)
0.1% (2015)
Oil and refined products, fertilizers
Food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
South Korea 14.5%, China 12.1%, India 12.1%, Japan 10.4%, US 7.6%, Pakistan 5.9%, Singapore 4.3% (2015)
China 13.2%, US 9.6%, Saudi Arabia 7.7%, Japan 6.5%, Germany 5.1%, France 4.3%, India 4.2% (2015)
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 1,434 million | USD 953 million | USD 293 million |
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 16,648 million | USD -10,468 million | USD 5,407 million |
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 375.5 million | USD 258.1 million | USD 1414.1 million | USD 731.4 million |
N/A
N/A
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.
Overall ranking: 102 out of 190 countries (2017)
Subcategories:
Starting a business: 173 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 66 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 67 out of 190 countries
Getting Credit: 118 out of 190 countries
Protecting Minority Investors: 81 out of 190 countries
Trading Across Borders: 157 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 6 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 144 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 115 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 108 out of 190 countries
38 out of 138 countries
(2016-2017)
Ranking: 74 / Score: 62.69 (Moderately free) (2016)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
Muslim (official) 76.7%, Christian 17.3%, other and unspecified 5.9%
(2013 est.)
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2016* | 2021* |
| 2.13 million | 2.217 million | 3.582 million | 4.225 million | 4.847 million |
*Estimate
| 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2015 |
| 75% | 95% | 98% | 98% |
Total population: 96.3%
Male: 96.5%
Female: 95.8% (2015 est.)
(age 15 and over can read and write)
Political Rights: 5
Civil Liberties: 5 (2017)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Fixed 13.40% Mobile 231.76% (2015)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)