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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.
Sheikh Meshaal Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah, director general of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority, speaks with Global Finance about the emirate’s post-pandemic development plans.
USD 40.3 billion (2018)
International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019
USD 141.1 billion (2018, estimate)
Intl$ 306.4 billion (2018, estimate)
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| 6% | 2.5% | -7.1% | -2.4% | 9.6% | 6.6% | 1.2% |
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* | ||
| 0.5% | 0.6% | 2.9% | -3.5% | 1.7% |
*Estimate
USD 30,839.2 (2018, estimate)
| 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2019* |
| 0.36% | 0.20% | 0.23% | 0.25% | 0.23% |
*Estimate
(2017 estimate)
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| 3.7% | 3.5% | 1.5% | 0.6% | 1.5% |
*Estimate
| 2015* | 2016* | 2017* | 2018* | 2019* |
| 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% |
*Estimate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* | 2019* |
| 4.7% | 10% | 20.7% | 14.7% | 15.2% |
*Estimate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* | 2019* |
| 5.6% | 0.3% | 6.3% | 8.7% | 6.7% |
*Estimate
Standard & Poor's: AA
Moody's: Aa2
Standard & Poor's / Moody's
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
National Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait Finance House, Zain, Kuwait Projects
14.4 % (2018 estimate)
50.4% (2017)
0.37% (2018)
0.13% (2018)
Oil and refined products, fertilizers
Food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
South Korea 18.3%, China 17.4%, Japan 11.5%, India 11.2%, Singapore 6.3%, US 5.7%(2017)
China 13.5%, US 13.3%, UAE 9.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.8%, Germany 5.4%, Japan 5%, India 4.7%, Italy 4.5% (2017)
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 149 million | USD 348 million | USD 346 million |
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 4,528 million | USD 9,013 million | USD 3,751 million |
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD 729.3 million | USD 376.3 million | USD 145.5 million | USD -4.5 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:
83 out of 190 countries
Subcategories:
Starting a Business: 82 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 68 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 66 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 45 out of 190 countries
Getting Credit: 119 out of 190 countries
Protecting Minority Investors: 51 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 6 out of 190 countries
Trading across Borders: 162 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 74 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 115 out of 190 countries
46 out of 141 countries
(2019)
Ranking: 90 / Score: 60.8 (Moderately free)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
Muslim (official) 74.6%, Christian 18.2%, other and unspecified 7.2% (2013 est.)
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020* |
| 2.13 million | 2.22 million | 3.58 million | 4.18 million | 4.83 million |
*Estimate
| 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2015 |
| 74.9% | 94.8% | 99% | 100% |
Total population: 96%
Male: 96.7%
Female: 94.8%
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2017 est.)
Partly Free
Political Rights: 5
Civil Liberties: 5 (2019)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Fixed: 12.5% Mobile: 178.6% (2018)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)