Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Kuwait
Kuwait: Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP was 1.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Kuwait, 1975–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Kuwait is 1.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 70.4% on the previous year and down 59.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Kuwait peaked at 13.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, -10.4%, in 2003.
Kuwait ranks 32nd of 189 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 0.8% | — |
| 1976 | 0.8% | +7.6% |
| 1977 | 0.4% | -55.6% |
| 1978 | 0.6% | +64.7% |
| 1979 | -0.8% | -224.7% |
| 1980 | 1.4% | -286.9% |
| 1981 | -0.6% | -142.3% |
| 1982 | 0.5% | -183.0% |
| 1983 | 1.2% | +130.6% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | -62.1% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | -25.3% |
| 1986 | 1.4% | +325.0% |
| 1987 | 3.5% | +150.4% |
| 1988 | 2.3% | -33.5% |
| 1989 | 4.1% | +77.4% |
| 1990 | -1.3% | -131.8% |
| 1991 | -1.7% | +30.4% |
| 1992 | 6.1% | -460.1% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | -56.2% |
| 1994 | -6.1% | -328.9% |
| 1995 | -3.8% | -38.5% |
| 1996 | 5.5% | -247.0% |
| 1997 | -3.2% | -157.8% |
| 1998 | -7.2% | +125.4% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | -101.1% |
| 2000 | -0.8% | -1152.9% |
| 2001 | -5.5% | +582.4% |
| 2002 | -0.2% | -96.3% |
| 2003 | -10.4% | +5053.4% |
| 2004 | 4.3% | -141.9% |
| 2005 | 6.4% | +46.5% |
| 2006 | 8.1% | +27.0% |
| 2007 | 8.5% | +5.6% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | -27.7% |
| 2009 | 8.1% | +31.3% |
| 2010 | 5.1% | -37.0% |
| 2011 | 7.0% | +37.0% |
| 2012 | 3.9% | -44.6% |
| 2013 | 9.6% | +146.8% |
| 2014 | 8.1% | -15.7% |
| 2015 | 4.7% | -41.1% |
| 2016 | 5.9% | +23.3% |
| 2017 | 5.8% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | -63.2% |
| 2019 | 3.3% | +55.0% |
| 2020 | 2.8% | -14.5% |
| 2021 | -1.5% | -153.2% |
| 2022 | 13.4% | -985.6% |
| 2023 | 6.8% | -49.4% |
| 2024 | 6.4% | -5.2% |
| 2025 | 1.9% | -70.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.4% | -0.8% | 0.8% | 5 |
| 1980s | 1.4% | -0.6% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.9% | -7.2% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.5% | -10.4% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.5% | 2.1% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | -1.5% | 13.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
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)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 2.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.3969 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 12,824 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), annual 2.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 0.1663 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 5,373 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 4.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.5962 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Kuwait?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp in Kuwait was 1.9% in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 13.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was -10.4% in 2003.
- How does Kuwait rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp?
- Kuwait ranks 32nd out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of gdp rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (Balance of Payments), UNCTAD, and national sources, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net outflows of foreign direct investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world.