Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in Kuwait
Kuwait: Transport services (% of commercial service imports) was 21.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Transport services in Kuwait, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service imports.
Analysis
In 2025, transport services in Kuwait stood at 21.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.7% on the previous year and down 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Kuwait peaked at 67.0% in 1977 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 2018.
Kuwait ranks 135th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 60.5% | — |
| 1976 | 61.5% | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 67.0% | +8.8% |
| 1978 | 62.2% | -7.1% |
| 1979 | 49.4% | -20.6% |
| 1980 | 45.2% | -8.5% |
| 1981 | 45.5% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 46.3% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 45.1% | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 40.3% | -10.8% |
| 1985 | 36.6% | -9.0% |
| 1986 | 34.7% | -5.2% |
| 1987 | 31.0% | -10.7% |
| 1988 | 32.6% | +5.1% |
| 1989 | 33.3% | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 42.0% | +26.2% |
| 1993 | 43.6% | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 39.1% | -10.3% |
| 1995 | 39.4% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 38.9% | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 38.8% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 38.3% | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 38.8% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 37.3% | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 34.8% | -6.7% |
| 2002 | 35.8% | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 36.6% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 35.6% | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 35.5% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 33.6% | -5.5% |
| 2007 | 33.9% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 37.6% | +10.9% |
| 2009 | 35.2% | -6.4% |
| 2010 | 28.1% | -20.2% |
| 2011 | 34.6% | +23.4% |
| 2012 | 32.2% | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 26.0% | -19.1% |
| 2014 | 24.8% | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 23.3% | -6.1% |
| 2016 | 20.1% | -13.6% |
| 2017 | 20.0% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 12.7% | -36.3% |
| 2019 | 14.3% | +12.2% |
| 2020 | 19.3% | +35.0% |
| 2021 | 20.8% | +7.9% |
| 2022 | 19.4% | -6.6% |
| 2023 | 19.9% | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 20.8% | +4.6% |
| 2025 | 21.8% | +4.7% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 21.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 20.2%, 1.1× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 21.8% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 43.6%, 50% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 60.1% | 49.4% | 67.0% | 5 |
| 1980s | 39.1% | 31.0% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 39.9% | 38.3% | 43.6% | 8 |
| 2000s | 35.6% | 33.6% | 37.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.6% | 12.7% | 34.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.3% | 19.3% | 21.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More private sector data for Kuwait
- Merchandise trade 72.3% (2025)
- Food imports 16.0% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 75.4% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 41.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 28.64 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.6% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 5.7% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 72.07 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 12.14 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 14,814 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in Kuwait?
- Transport services in Kuwait was 21.8% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 67.0% in 1977.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 2018.
- How does Kuwait rank for transport services?
- Kuwait ranks 135th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Transport services (% of commercial service imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Transport is the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.