Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kuwait
Kuwait: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within was 3.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kuwait, 1963–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kuwait stood at 3.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.3% on the previous year and up 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kuwait peaked at 10.9% in 1968 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1990.
Kuwait ranks 163rd of 203 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 7.7% | — |
| 1964 | 10.4% | +35.1% |
| 1966 | 8.4% | -19.2% |
| 1967 | 8.7% | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 10.9% | +25.8% |
| 1969 | 9.2% | -15.5% |
| 1970 | 10.1% | +9.2% |
| 1971 | 9.8% | -2.3% |
| 1972 | 10.5% | +6.3% |
| 1973 | 9.2% | -11.7% |
| 1974 | 7.3% | -21.4% |
| 1975 | 4.5% | -38.3% |
| 1976 | 2.9% | -36.1% |
| 1977 | 2.6% | -7.4% |
| 1978 | 3.7% | +40.5% |
| 1979 | 3.4% | -9.1% |
| 1980 | 2.7% | -19.8% |
| 1981 | 2.6% | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 2.5% | -5.4% |
| 1983 | 3.4% | +34.6% |
| 1984 | 3.3% | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 3.7% | +11.6% |
| 1986 | 3.8% | +3.9% |
| 1987 | 5.5% | +45.0% |
| 1988 | 6.2% | +13.1% |
| 1989 | 5.7% | -9.0% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | -92.8% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | +28.8% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | +29.1% |
| 1993 | 2.5% | +263.9% |
| 1994 | 4.3% | +71.5% |
| 1995 | 3.6% | -14.9% |
| 1996 | 3.6% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 3.4% | -5.4% |
| 1998 | 3.6% | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 4.2% | +17.0% |
| 2000 | 4.5% | +7.2% |
| 2001 | 4.4% | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 4.5% | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 4.2% | -7.1% |
| 2004 | 4.6% | +10.3% |
| 2005 | 5.0% | +9.1% |
| 2006 | 5.4% | +6.6% |
| 2007 | 4.2% | -21.2% |
| 2008 | 3.8% | -9.6% |
| 2009 | 3.0% | -21.9% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 2.8% | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 3.2% | +9.1% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | +8.4% |
| 2016 | 3.2% | -8.4% |
| 2017 | 3.1% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 3.3% | +6.4% |
| 2019 | 3.3% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 3.3% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 3.9% | +17.5% |
| 2022 | 3.4% | -13.6% |
| 2023 | 3.3% | -2.3% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 3.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.5%, 74% of the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 3.3% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.3%, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +263.9% | 0.7% | 2.5% |
| 1990 | -92.8% | 5.7% | 0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9.2% | 7.7% | 10.9% | 6 |
| 1970s | 6.4% | 2.6% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.9% | 2.5% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 0.4% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.4% | 3.0% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.5% | 3.3% | 3.9% | 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kuwait?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Kuwait was 3.3% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 10.9% in 1968.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1990.
- How does Kuwait rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within?
- Kuwait ranks 163rd out of 203 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.6%. 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies within region (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within region are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from other low- and middle-income economies in the same World Bank region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are as a percentage of total merchandise imports 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.