Trade (% of GDP) in Kuwait
Kuwait: Trade (% of GDP) was 94.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Trade in Kuwait, 1965–2024
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Kuwait recorded 94.0% for trade in 2024.
The figure is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade in Kuwait peaked at 142.6% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 81.2%, in 2002.
Kuwait ranks 77th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 60 years of available data.
Trade (% of GDP) in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 90.8% | — |
| 1966 | 90.0% | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 88.0% | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 87.8% | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 92.4% | +5.3% |
| 1970 | 83.9% | -9.2% |
| 1971 | 85.0% | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 89.3% | +5.0% |
| 1973 | 94.1% | +5.4% |
| 1974 | 98.8% | +5.0% |
| 1975 | 106.5% | +7.8% |
| 1976 | 110.5% | +3.8% |
| 1977 | 115.5% | +4.5% |
| 1978 | 110.4% | -4.4% |
| 1979 | 106.8% | -3.3% |
| 1980 | 112.6% | +5.5% |
| 1981 | 108.0% | -4.1% |
| 1982 | 106.9% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 108.5% | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 104.8% | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 96.4% | -8.0% |
| 1986 | 94.2% | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 89.7% | -4.8% |
| 1988 | 90.5% | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 93.8% | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 103.0% | +9.9% |
| 1991 | 142.6% | +38.4% |
| 1992 | 94.7% | -33.6% |
| 1993 | 92.1% | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 93.2% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 94.3% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 91.5% | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 92.4% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 95.0% | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 85.4% | -10.1% |
| 2000 | 86.6% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 86.9% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 81.2% | -6.5% |
| 2003 | 86.6% | +6.6% |
| 2004 | 89.3% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 92.2% | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 89.7% | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 91.7% | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 92.7% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 88.8% | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 97.0% | +9.3% |
| 2011 | 99.1% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 101.0% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 97.6% | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 100.0% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 98.7% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 96.2% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 97.8% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 102.8% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 91.7% | -10.8% |
| 2020 | 82.0% | -10.6% |
| 2021 | 82.0% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 90.9% | +10.9% |
| 2023 | 96.0% | +5.6% |
| 2024 | 94.0% | -2.1% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 94.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 101.8%, 92% of the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 94.0% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 83.8%, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Trade (% of GDP) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +38.4% | 103.0% | 142.6% |
| 1992 | -33.6% | 142.6% | 94.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 89.8% | 87.8% | 92.4% | 5 |
| 1970s | 100.1% | 83.9% | 115.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 100.5% | 89.7% | 112.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 98.4% | 85.4% | 142.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 88.6% | 81.2% | 92.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 98.2% | 91.7% | 102.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.0% | 82.0% | 96.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
- 74 Cape Verde 95.3% compare
- 75 Bosnia and Herzegovina 95.1% compare
- 76 Mauritania 94.0% compare
- 78 Northern Mariana Islands 93.2% compare
- 79 Morocco 93.1% compare
- 80 Micronesia (country) 93.1% 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)
- 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)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0124 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is trade in Kuwait?
- Trade in Kuwait was 94.0% in 2024, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest trade recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 142.6% in 1991.
- What is the lowest trade recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 81.2% in 2002.
- How does Kuwait rank for trade?
- Kuwait ranks 77th out of 193 countries with data for 2024.
- Is trade rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of Trade (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Trade is the sum of exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.