Kuwait flag Kuwait: Visió econòmica i política

Xifres de comerç exterior de Kuwait

Foreign Trade in Figures

Kuwait is highly dependent on foreign trade, which represented 98 % of the GDP in 2021, the latest World Bank data available. As the fourth largest OPEC oil producer, Kuwait's exports earnings mainly come from mineral fuels, oils and  distillation products (over 95% of total exports and accounting for almost 50% of the GDP). On the other hand, the country depends particularly on imports of food products, consumer goods and semi-finished products. Imports have increased quickly in recent years due to the country’s undertaking of large projects and a high private consumption demand, and for 2022 they were led by motor cars, radio-telephony transmission tools, medicines, electronics equipments, and jewellery.

Kuwait exports to a wide number of countries, the main ones being United Arab Emirates (1.3%), Saudi Arabia, China,  India and Iraq. Kuwait’s largest suppliers are China (18%), the UAE (11.9%), the United States (8%), and Japan with 5.8% (Trading Economics, 2023). Imports from other Gulf countries have increased since joining the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council).

The county’s exports largely depend on its oil output and global oil prices. In 2021, export of goods increased from 40.11 billion USD in 2020 to 63.12 billion USD, while imports of goods increased from 27.73 billion USD in 2020 to 31.88 billion USD in 2021. This figure is low compared to 2013-14, when the country exported more than double this value. Kuwait has a structurally positive trade balance; however, the country is a net importer of services. In 2021, Kuwait's trade balance excluding services was USD 28.16 billion against USD 3.40 billion a year earlier. Kuwait has been recording trade surpluses since 1993 due to shipments of oil.

 
Foreign Trade Values 20172018201920202021
Imports of Goods (million USD) 33,57335,86433,57427,73831,889
Exports of Goods (million USD) 55,01571,93864,48340,11663,128
Imports of Services (million USD) 27,18035,38828,65017,46420,675
Exports of Services (million USD) 4,7227,5617,4806,70310,838

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20172018201920202021
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 97.8103.198.2n/an/a
Trade Balance (million USD) 25,64845,71135,36115,41240,550
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) 2,72716,99413,1803,40128,167
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 9.21.5-10.4n/an/a
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) -4.8-0.4-10.1n/an/a
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 46.645.644.9n/an/a
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 51.257.553.3n/an/a

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 20222023 (e)2024 (e)2025 (e)2026 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) 5.10.62.32.63.5
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) 19.56.01.21.82.6

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
Kuwait is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council alongside Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The country is also part of the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA), a pact of the Arab League entered into force in January 2005 which aims to form an Arabic free trade area.
 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2021
United Arab Emirates 1.3%
Saudi Arabia 1.2%
China 1.1%
India 1.1%
Iraq 0.8%
See More Countries 94.5%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2021
China 18.0%
United Arab Emirates 11.9%
United States 8.0%
Japan 5.8%
Saudi Arabia 5.3%
See More Countries 51.1%

Source: Comtrade, 2023. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

Main Products

63.1 bn USD of products exported in 2021
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 66.2%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 20.8%
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons 4.7%
Sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives of...Sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives of hydrocarbons, whether or not halogenated 1.6%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 1.2%
See More Products 5.5%
31.9 bn USD of products imported in 2021
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 9.3%
Telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular...Telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks; other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, incl. apparatus for communication in a wired or wireless network [such as a local or wide area network]; parts thereof (excl. than transmission or reception apparatus of heading 8443, 8525, 8527 or 8528) 4.3%
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 3.5%
Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought...Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought or not further worked than semi-manufactured or in powder form 3.2%
Motor vehicles for the transport of goods, incl....Motor vehicles for the transport of goods, incl. chassis with engine and cab 1.6%
See More Products 78.1%

Source: Comtrade, 2023. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

To go further, check out our service Import Export Flows.

 

Main Services

7.4 bn USD of services exported in 2020
57.56%
14.26%
9.84%
8.29%
7.49%
2.21%
0.36%
18.0 bn USD of services imported in 2020
31.95%
19.66%
18.55%
10.31%
8.67%
5.96%
3.59%
1.27%
0.04%

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, 2023. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

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Actualitzacions: November 2023

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