Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Kuwait
Kuwait: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Kuwait, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows in Kuwait is 0.3%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 31.2% on the previous year and up 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Kuwait peaked at 6.1% in 1994 and was at its lowest, -0.5%, in 2020.
Kuwait ranks 170th of 200 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.9% | — |
| 1971 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1972 | 0.0% | -12.8% |
| 1973 | 0.0% | +2368.5% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | -83.4% |
| 1975 | 0.0% | +125.4% |
| 1976 | -0.0% | -286.8% |
| 1977 | 0.0% | -342.2% |
| 1978 | 0.0% | -47.9% |
| 1979 | 0.0% | +5.5% |
| 1980 | 0.0% | -44.0% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | +66.6% |
| 1982 | -0.0% | -108.6% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | -145.9% |
| 1984 | -0.0% | -14599.1% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -221.7% |
| 1986 | -0.1% | -340.1% |
| 1987 | -0.0% | -65.2% |
| 1988 | 0.1% | -379.2% |
| 1989 | 0.0% | -80.9% |
| 1990 | 0.0% | +101.9% |
| 1991 | 0.0% | -76.1% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | +2346.4% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | -68.9% |
| 1994 | 6.1% | +10945.2% |
| 1995 | 0.0% | -99.6% |
| 1996 | 1.1% | +4374.7% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | -94.1% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | +249.3% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | +5.4% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | -82.0% |
| 2001 | -0.3% | -839.6% |
| 2002 | 0.0% | -103.0% |
| 2003 | -0.1% | -1577.0% |
| 2004 | 0.0% | -128.5% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | +624.4% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | -58.7% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | -18.5% |
| 2008 | -0.0% | -104.2% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | -26122.1% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | +7.6% |
| 2011 | 2.1% | +87.2% |
| 2012 | 1.7% | -22.0% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | -50.1% |
| 2014 | 0.3% | -63.7% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | -16.8% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | +7.4% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -64.9% |
| 2018 | -0.0% | -116.5% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | -2474.1% |
| 2020 | -0.5% | -237.3% |
| 2021 | -0.2% | -63.5% |
| 2022 | 0.4% | -323.3% |
| 2023 | 1.3% | +211.7% |
| 2024 | 0.4% | -70.1% |
| 2025 | 0.3% | -31.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1% | -0.0% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.0% | -0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8% | 0.0% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | -0.3% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7% | -0.0% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3% | -0.5% | 1.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
- 167 Bangladesh 0.4% compare
- 168 Kenya 0.4% compare
- 169 Iran, Islamic Republic of 0.3% compare
- 171 Samoa 0.2% compare
- 172 Afghanistan 0.1% compare
- 173 Nepal 0.1% compare
More economy & growth data for Kuwait
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.82 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.61 Percent per annum (2029)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate -7.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.3247 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 10,669 constant 2015 US$ per person (2024)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth -12.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth -12.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 5.51 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 0.0016 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 52.53 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Kuwait?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Kuwait was 0.3% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 6.1% in 1994.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.5% in 2020.
- How does Kuwait rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Kuwait ranks 170th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.