Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Kuwait
Kuwait: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region was 11.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Kuwait, 1973–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
Kuwait recorded 11.9% for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in 2023.
The figure is down 4.7% on the previous year and down 27.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Kuwait peaked at 21.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1994.
Kuwait ranks 109th of 203 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 1.4% | — |
| 1974 | 1.1% | -21.6% |
| 1975 | 5.2% | +382.8% |
| 1976 | 2.0% | -61.8% |
| 1977 | 1.9% | -3.4% |
| 1978 | 2.5% | +29.3% |
| 1979 | 3.3% | +32.4% |
| 1980 | 4.2% | +29.2% |
| 1981 | 9.1% | +115.4% |
| 1982 | 11.5% | +27.1% |
| 1983 | 7.0% | -39.1% |
| 1984 | 6.4% | -8.4% |
| 1985 | 7.0% | +8.7% |
| 1986 | 6.8% | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 5.5% | -18.9% |
| 1988 | 7.7% | +40.2% |
| 1989 | 5.9% | -23.9% |
| 1990 | 6.0% | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 21.3% | +255.5% |
| 1992 | 2.2% | -89.5% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | -49.3% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -65.6% |
| 1995 | 12.9% | +3212.6% |
| 1996 | 0.4% | -96.9% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | +103.9% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | +6.2% |
| 1999 | 1.3% | +50.9% |
| 2000 | 7.5% | +476.2% |
| 2001 | 16.4% | +120.2% |
| 2002 | 16.4% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 16.4% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 16.4% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 16.4% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 16.4% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 16.4% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 16.4% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 16.4% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 16.4% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 16.4% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 16.4% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 16.4% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 16.4% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 14.0% | -14.8% |
| 2016 | 12.3% | -12.2% |
| 2017 | 18.1% | +47.1% |
| 2018 | 15.0% | -17.2% |
| 2019 | 19.7% | +31.4% |
| 2020 | 13.4% | -31.8% |
| 2021 | 14.8% | +10.4% |
| 2022 | 12.5% | -15.4% |
| 2023 | 11.9% | -4.7% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 11.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.7%, 2.1× the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 11.9% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 6.9%, 1.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +3212.6% | 0.4% | 12.9% |
| 2000 | +476.2% | 1.3% | 7.5% |
| 1975 | +382.8% | 1.1% | 5.2% |
| 1991 | +255.5% | 6.0% | 21.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.5% | 1.1% | 5.2% | 7 |
| 1980s | 7.1% | 4.2% | 11.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.7% | 0.4% | 21.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.5% | 7.5% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.1% | 12.3% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.2% | 11.9% | 14.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More private sector data for Kuwait
- Merchandise trade 72.3% (2025)
- Food imports 17.5% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 73.2% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 41.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.6% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 8.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 72.07 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 14,814 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4585 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -4.09 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Kuwait?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Kuwait was 11.9% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 21.3% in 1991.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1994.
- How does Kuwait rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region?
- Kuwait ranks 109th out of 203 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to other low- and middle-income economies in the same World Bank region as a percentage of total merchandise exports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data. No figures are shown for high-income economies, because they are a separate category in the World Bank classification of economies.