Total factor productivity in Kuwait
Kuwait: Total factor productivity was 0.9009 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Total factor productivity in Kuwait, 1974–2023
Source: Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, total factor productivity in Kuwait stood at 0.9009. That is the lowest value across all 50 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.4% on the previous year and down 42.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total factor productivity in Kuwait peaked at 10.05 in 1974 and was at its lowest, 0.9009, in 2023.
Kuwait ranks 117th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total factor productivity in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 10.05 | — |
| 1975 | 7.49 | -25.5% |
| 1976 | 6.58 | -12.1% |
| 1977 | 5.04 | -23.4% |
| 1978 | 4.65 | -7.8% |
| 1979 | 4.76 | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 3.45 | -27.6% |
| 1981 | 2.54 | -26.2% |
| 1982 | 2.03 | -20.3% |
| 1983 | 1.96 | -3.5% |
| 1984 | 1.87 | -4.4% |
| 1985 | 1.66 | -11.0% |
| 1986 | 1.73 | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 1.79 | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 1.59 | -11.5% |
| 1989 | 1.97 | +23.9% |
| 1990 | 1.53 | -22.1% |
| 1991 | 0.9237 | -39.7% |
| 1992 | 1.59 | +72.6% |
| 1993 | 2.07 | +29.6% |
| 1994 | 2.2 | +6.6% |
| 1995 | 2.17 | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 2.15 | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 2.13 | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 2.09 | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 2.03 | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 2.14 | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 2.12 | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 2.09 | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 2.32 | +11.0% |
| 2004 | 2.41 | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 2.46 | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 2.36 | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 2.22 | -5.9% |
| 2008 | 2.03 | -8.5% |
| 2009 | 1.76 | -13.5% |
| 2010 | 1.59 | -9.9% |
| 2011 | 1.62 | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 1.63 | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 1.58 | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 1.47 | -6.5% |
| 2015 | 1.35 | -8.3% |
| 2016 | 1.24 | -8.5% |
| 2017 | 1.08 | -12.6% |
| 2018 | 1.03 | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 1.01 | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 0.9841 | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 1 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 0.984 | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 0.9009 | -8.4% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 0.9009 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.994, 91% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 0.9009 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.9889, 91% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total factor productivity in Kuwait changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +72.6% | 0.9237 | 1.59 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.43 | 4.65 | 10.05 | 6 |
| 1980s | 2.06 | 1.59 | 3.45 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.89 | 0.9237 | 2.2 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.19 | 1.76 | 2.46 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.36 | 1.01 | 1.63 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9672 | 0.9009 | 1 | 4 |
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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 2.99 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.019 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 614.43 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 413.09 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -32.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0026 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 84.91 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total factor productivity in Kuwait?
- Total factor productivity in Kuwait was 0.9009 in 2023, according to Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total factor productivity recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 10.05 in 1974.
- What is the lowest total factor productivity recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9009 in 2023.
- How does Kuwait rank for total factor productivity?
- Kuwait ranks 117th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total factor productivity rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Total factor productivity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This is the level of total factor productivity, relative to each country's value in 2021 (which is set to 1). This data is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.