Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) in Kuwait
Kuwait: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) was 27.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
27.1%
Change on year
up 14.5%
World rank
117th
of 201 countries
All-time high
33.2%
in 1998
All-time low
10.3%
in 1974
Years of data
62
1963–2025
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Kuwait, 1963–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund (2026); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Kuwait recorded 27.1% for value of imported goods as a share of gdp in 2025.
The figure is up 14.5% on the previous year and up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Kuwait peaked at 33.2% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 10.3%, in 1974.
Kuwait ranks 117th of 201 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 12.9% | — |
| 1964 | 12.6% | -2.1% |
| 1966 | 17.4% | +38.3% |
| 1967 | 21.6% | +24.2% |
| 1968 | 20.5% | -5.3% |
| 1969 | 20.6% | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 19.5% | -5.2% |
| 1971 | 15.2% | -22.1% |
| 1972 | 16.2% | +6.4% |
| 1973 | 17.6% | +8.7% |
| 1974 | 10.3% | -41.5% |
| 1975 | 17.1% | +65.5% |
| 1976 | 21.9% | +28.5% |
| 1977 | 30.1% | +37.3% |
| 1978 | 26.2% | -12.9% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | -28.9% |
| 1980 | 20.3% | +8.8% |
| 1981 | 24.0% | +18.2% |
| 1982 | 32.1% | +33.9% |
| 1983 | 30.8% | -4.2% |
| 1984 | 28.1% | -8.6% |
| 1985 | 24.7% | -12.2% |
| 1986 | 28.5% | +15.3% |
| 1987 | 22.3% | -21.7% |
| 1988 | 27.0% | +21.3% |
| 1989 | 23.5% | -13.1% |
| 1990 | 17.9% | -24.0% |
| 1991 | 27.9% | +56.0% |
| 1992 | 29.9% | +7.3% |
| 1993 | 29.0% | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 26.6% | -8.3% |
| 1995 | 28.3% | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 25.9% | -8.5% |
| 1997 | 27.0% | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 33.2% | +22.8% |
| 1999 | 25.3% | -23.9% |
| 2000 | 19.0% | -24.9% |
| 2001 | 22.6% | +18.9% |
| 2002 | 23.6% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 22.9% | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 23.3% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 19.9% | -14.5% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | -14.8% |
| 2007 | 18.6% | +9.7% |
| 2008 | 16.6% | -10.6% |
| 2009 | 16.2% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 19.6% | +20.9% |
| 2011 | 24.9% | +26.7% |
| 2012 | 20.7% | -16.8% |
| 2013 | 17.0% | -17.9% |
| 2014 | 19.3% | +13.7% |
| 2015 | 27.0% | +39.5% |
| 2016 | 28.0% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 27.8% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 25.6% | -7.6% |
| 2019 | 23.7% | -7.4% |
| 2020 | 18.9% | -20.4% |
| 2021 | 21.5% | +13.6% |
| 2022 | 19.6% | -8.9% |
| 2023 | 22.6% | +15.7% |
| 2024 | 23.6% | +4.5% |
| 2025 | 27.1% | +14.5% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 27.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.4%, 89% of the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 27.1% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 27.2%, 100% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.6% | 12.6% | 21.6% | 6 |
| 1970s | 19.3% | 10.3% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 26.1% | 20.3% | 32.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.1% | 17.9% | 33.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.0% | 16.2% | 23.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.4% | 17.0% | 28.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.2% | 18.9% | 27.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More economy & growth data for Kuwait
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 10.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0284 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 916.14 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.517 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0207 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 668.96 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 2.97 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Kuwait?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Kuwait was 27.1% in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund (2026); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 33.2% in 1998.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.3% in 1974.
- How does Kuwait rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- Kuwait ranks 117th out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2026); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Value of a country’s total goods imports, including freight and insurance costs, as a percentage of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP).