Military spending per armed forces personnel in Kuwait
Kuwait: Military spending per armed forces personnel was 318,743 constant 2024 US$ in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Kuwait, 1985–2020
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
In 2020, military spending per armed forces personnel in Kuwait stood at 318,743 constant 2024 US$.
That represents a change of down 6.9% on the previous year and up 19.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per armed forces personnel in Kuwait peaked at 3.20 million constant 2024 US$ in 1990 and was at its lowest, 241,245 constant 2024 US$, in 1999.
That places Kuwait 14th out of 160 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 351,008 constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1989 | 290,527 constant 2024 US$ | -17.2% |
| 1990 | 3.20 million constant 2024 US$ | +1002.4% |
| 1991 | 2.92 million constant 2024 US$ | -8.8% |
| 1992 | 1.23 million constant 2024 US$ | -57.8% |
| 1993 | 597,076 constant 2024 US$ | -51.6% |
| 1994 | 506,769 constant 2024 US$ | -15.1% |
| 1995 | 385,970 constant 2024 US$ | -23.8% |
| 1996 | 340,872 constant 2024 US$ | -11.7% |
| 1997 | 266,119 constant 2024 US$ | -21.9% |
| 1998 | 248,282 constant 2024 US$ | -6.7% |
| 1999 | 241,245 constant 2024 US$ | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 281,661 constant 2024 US$ | +16.8% |
| 2001 | 274,114 constant 2024 US$ | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 262,382 constant 2024 US$ | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 282,765 constant 2024 US$ | +7.8% |
| 2004 | 320,289 constant 2024 US$ | +13.3% |
| 2005 | 283,014 constant 2024 US$ | -11.6% |
| 2006 | 279,777 constant 2024 US$ | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 297,177 constant 2024 US$ | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 273,619 constant 2024 US$ | -7.9% |
| 2009 | 270,717 constant 2024 US$ | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 265,753 constant 2024 US$ | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 303,672 constant 2024 US$ | +14.3% |
| 2012 | 328,626 constant 2024 US$ | +8.2% |
| 2013 | 310,926 constant 2024 US$ | -5.4% |
| 2014 | 310,317 constant 2024 US$ | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 312,554 constant 2024 US$ | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 341,794 constant 2024 US$ | +9.4% |
| 2017 | 318,678 constant 2024 US$ | -6.8% |
| 2018 | 341,271 constant 2024 US$ | +7.1% |
| 2019 | 342,341 constant 2024 US$ | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 318,743 constant 2024 US$ | -6.9% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 318,743 constant 2024 US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 131,220 constant 2024 US$, 2.4× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 318,743 constant 2024 US$ is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 42,323 constant 2024 US$, 7.5× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending per armed forces personnel in Kuwait changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +1002.4% | 290,527 constant 2024 US$ | 3.20 million constant 2024 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 320,768 constant 2024 US$ | 290,527 constant 2024 US$ | 351,008 constant 2024 US$ | 2 |
| 1990s | 994,473 constant 2024 US$ | 241,245 constant 2024 US$ | 3.20 million constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 282,552 constant 2024 US$ | 262,382 constant 2024 US$ | 320,289 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 317,593 constant 2024 US$ | 265,753 constant 2024 US$ | 342,341 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 318,743 constant 2024 US$ | 318,743 constant 2024 US$ | 318,743 constant 2024 US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More reference data data for Kuwait
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.092 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2888 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.385 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.385 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3086 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1086 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0052 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending per armed forces personnel in Kuwait?
- Military spending per armed forces personnel in Kuwait was 318,743 constant 2024 US$ in 2020, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 3.20 million constant 2024 US$ in 1990.
- What is the lowest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 241,245 constant 2024 US$ in 1999.
- How does Kuwait rank for military spending per armed forces personnel?
- Kuwait ranks 14th out of 160 countries with data for 2020.
- Is military spending per armed forces personnel rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per armed forces personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total military expenditure divided by armed forces personnel. This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.