Military spending per military personnel in Kuwait
Kuwait: Military spending per military personnel was 525,210 constant 2022 US$ in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
525,210 constant 2022 US$
Change on year
down 5.5%
World rank
8th
of 170 countries
All-time high
2.92 million constant 2022 US$
in 1990
All-time low
29,153 constant 2022 US$
in 1965
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Military spending per military personnel in Kuwait, 1961–2022
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
Kuwait recorded 525,210 constant 2022 US$ for military spending per military personnel in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.5% on the previous year and up 44.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per military personnel in Kuwait peaked at 2.92 million constant 2022 US$ in 1990 and was at its lowest, 29,153 constant 2022 US$, in 1965.
That places Kuwait 8th out of 170 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending per military personnel in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 116,565 constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1962 | 137,962 constant 2022 US$ | +18.4% |
| 1963 | 75,862 constant 2022 US$ | -45.0% |
| 1964 | 100,936 constant 2022 US$ | +33.1% |
| 1965 | 29,153 constant 2022 US$ | -71.1% |
| 1966 | 33,374 constant 2022 US$ | +14.5% |
| 1967 | 68,120 constant 2022 US$ | +104.1% |
| 1968 | 68,302 constant 2022 US$ | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 79,227 constant 2022 US$ | +16.0% |
| 1970 | 75,679 constant 2022 US$ | -4.5% |
| 1971 | 62,218 constant 2022 US$ | -17.8% |
| 1972 | 78,056 constant 2022 US$ | +25.5% |
| 1973 | 79,544 constant 2022 US$ | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 113,986 constant 2022 US$ | +43.3% |
| 1975 | 79,770 constant 2022 US$ | -30.0% |
| 1976 | 106,535 constant 2022 US$ | +33.6% |
| 1977 | 308,776 constant 2022 US$ | +189.8% |
| 1978 | 293,868 constant 2022 US$ | -4.8% |
| 1979 | 280,780 constant 2022 US$ | -4.5% |
| 1980 | 255,410 constant 2022 US$ | -9.0% |
| 1981 | 256,820 constant 2022 US$ | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 233,469 constant 2022 US$ | -9.1% |
| 1983 | 255,779 constant 2022 US$ | +9.6% |
| 1984 | 227,475 constant 2022 US$ | -11.1% |
| 1985 | 210,124 constant 2022 US$ | -7.6% |
| 1986 | 175,310 constant 2022 US$ | -16.6% |
| 1987 | 148,517 constant 2022 US$ | -15.3% |
| 1988 | 199,551 constant 2022 US$ | +34.4% |
| 1989 | 165,091 constant 2022 US$ | -17.3% |
| 1990 | 2.92 million constant 2022 US$ | +1666.5% |
| 1991 | 2.60 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.9% |
| 1992 | 2.10 million constant 2022 US$ | -19.1% |
| 1993 | 519,020 constant 2022 US$ | -75.3% |
| 1994 | 392,843 constant 2022 US$ | -24.3% |
| 1995 | 311,691 constant 2022 US$ | -20.7% |
| 1996 | 259,937 constant 2022 US$ | -16.6% |
| 1997 | 184,050 constant 2022 US$ | -29.2% |
| 1998 | 234,245 constant 2022 US$ | +27.3% |
| 1999 | 234,294 constant 2022 US$ | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 344,845 constant 2022 US$ | +47.2% |
| 2001 | 343,154 constant 2022 US$ | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 327,761 constant 2022 US$ | -4.5% |
| 2003 | 335,293 constant 2022 US$ | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 346,308 constant 2022 US$ | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 317,318 constant 2022 US$ | -8.4% |
| 2006 | 337,066 constant 2022 US$ | +6.2% |
| 2007 | 349,164 constant 2022 US$ | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 404,028 constant 2022 US$ | +15.7% |
| 2009 | 354,312 constant 2022 US$ | -12.3% |
| 2010 | 349,896 constant 2022 US$ | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 341,771 constant 2022 US$ | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 362,424 constant 2022 US$ | +6.0% |
| 2013 | 354,744 constant 2022 US$ | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 373,741 constant 2022 US$ | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 392,494 constant 2022 US$ | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 438,290 constant 2022 US$ | +11.7% |
| 2017 | 475,450 constant 2022 US$ | +8.5% |
| 2018 | 517,891 constant 2022 US$ | +8.9% |
| 2019 | 514,670 constant 2022 US$ | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 517,434 constant 2022 US$ | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 555,614 constant 2022 US$ | +7.4% |
| 2022 | 525,210 constant 2022 US$ | -5.5% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 525,210 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 182,526 constant 2022 US$, 2.9× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 525,210 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 46,799 constant 2022 US$, 11.2× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending per military personnel in Kuwait changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +1666.5% | 165,091 constant 2022 US$ | 2.92 million constant 2022 US$ |
| 1977 | +189.8% | 106,535 constant 2022 US$ | 308,776 constant 2022 US$ |
| 1967 | +104.1% | 33,374 constant 2022 US$ | 68,120 constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 78,834 constant 2022 US$ | 29,153 constant 2022 US$ | 137,962 constant 2022 US$ | 9 |
| 1970s | 147,921 constant 2022 US$ | 62,218 constant 2022 US$ | 308,776 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 212,755 constant 2022 US$ | 148,517 constant 2022 US$ | 256,820 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 975,186 constant 2022 US$ | 184,050 constant 2022 US$ | 2.92 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 345,925 constant 2022 US$ | 317,318 constant 2022 US$ | 404,028 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 412,137 constant 2022 US$ | 341,771 constant 2022 US$ | 517,891 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 532,753 constant 2022 US$ | 517,434 constant 2022 US$ | 555,614 constant 2022 US$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
- 5 Australia 637,627 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 6 United Kingdom 535,686 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 7 Luxembourg 525,476 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 9 Netherlands 501,423 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 10 Denmark 456,774 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 11 Canada 449,055 constant 2022 US$ compare
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 military personnel in Kuwait?
- Military spending per military personnel in Kuwait was 525,210 constant 2022 US$ in 2022, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per military personnel recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 2.92 million constant 2022 US$ in 1990.
- What is the lowest military spending per military personnel recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 29,153 constant 2022 US$ in 1965.
- How does Kuwait rank for military spending per military personnel?
- Kuwait ranks 8th out of 170 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military spending per military personnel rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 62 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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.