Military spending, per unit of GDP in Kuwait
Kuwait: Military spending, per unit of GDP was 0.0504 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Military spending, per unit of GDP in Kuwait, 1972–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, military spending, per unit of gdp in Kuwait stood at 0.0504 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP.
The figure is up 3.9% on the previous year and down 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per unit of gdp in Kuwait peaked at 2.65 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.0403 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, in 2013.
That places Kuwait 16th out of 160 countries with data for 2025, 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 unit of GDP in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 0.1616 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1973 | 0.1666 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 0.1707 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 0.2384 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +39.6% |
| 1978 | 0.1893 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -20.6% |
| 1979 | 0.1329 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -29.8% |
| 1980 | 0.1133 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.7% |
| 1981 | 0.1364 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +20.3% |
| 1982 | 0.1871 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +37.2% |
| 1983 | 0.2075 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.9% |
| 1984 | 0.206 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 0.1964 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.7% |
| 1986 | 0.2114 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +7.6% |
| 1987 | 0.1663 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -21.3% |
| 1988 | 0.2262 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +36.0% |
| 1989 | 0.239 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.6% |
| 1990 | 1.22 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +409.1% |
| 1991 | 2.65 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +118.1% |
| 1992 | 0.7457 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -71.9% |
| 1993 | 0.2993 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -59.9% |
| 1994 | 0.3059 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 0.3067 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 0.2251 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -26.6% |
| 1997 | 0.178 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -20.9% |
| 1998 | 0.1943 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.1% |
| 1999 | 0.1626 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -16.3% |
| 2000 | 0.1516 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 0.1611 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.2% |
| 2002 | 0.1521 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 0.1305 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.2% |
| 2004 | 0.1132 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.3% |
| 2005 | 0.0806 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -28.8% |
| 2006 | 0.0634 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -21.4% |
| 2007 | 0.0596 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.9% |
| 2008 | 0.0427 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -28.4% |
| 2009 | 0.0577 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +35.2% |
| 2010 | 0.052 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -9.9% |
| 2011 | 0.0446 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.4% |
| 2012 | 0.0427 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 0.0403 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.5% |
| 2014 | 0.0431 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.9% |
| 2015 | 0.0616 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +43.0% |
| 2016 | 0.0706 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +14.5% |
| 2017 | 0.066 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.5% |
| 2018 | 0.0603 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.6% |
| 2019 | 0.0608 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 0.0718 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +18.1% |
| 2021 | 0.0662 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.7% |
| 2022 | 0.0479 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -27.7% |
| 2023 | 0.0483 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 0.0485 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 0.0504 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.9% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 0.0504 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0197 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, 2.6× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 0.0504 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.0385 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, 1.3× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending, per unit of GDP 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 | +409.1% | 0.239 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 1.22 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP |
| 1991 | +118.1% | 1.22 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 2.65 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1766 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1329 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2384 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.189 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1133 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.239 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6288 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1626 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 2.65 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1012 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0427 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1611 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0542 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0403 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0706 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0555 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0479 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0718 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
- 13 Armenia 0.0563 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 14 Oman 0.0541 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 15 Djibouti 0.0518 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 17 Burundi 0.0503 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 18 Poland 0.0411 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 19 Jordan 0.0406 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP 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 unit of gdp in Kuwait?
- Military spending, per unit of gdp in Kuwait was 0.0504 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 2.65 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1991.
- What is the lowest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0403 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2013.
- How does Kuwait rank for military spending, per unit of gdp?
- Kuwait ranks 16th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending, per unit of gdp rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military spending, per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 52 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military spending divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military spending ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Military spending Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Military spending divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.