Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) in Kenya
Kenya: Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) was 4.63 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Total reserves in months of imports in Kenya, 1975–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysis
Kenya recorded 4.63 for total reserves in months of imports in 2025.
The figure is up 16.2% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in months of imports in Kenya peaked at 5.24 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.377, in 1992.
That places Kenya 82nd out of 179 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 1.63 | — |
| 1976 | 2.58 | +58.7% |
| 1977 | 3.86 | +49.8% |
| 1978 | 1.93 | -50.1% |
| 1979 | 3.62 | +87.5% |
| 1980 | 2.09 | -42.2% |
| 1981 | 1.22 | -41.4% |
| 1982 | 1.44 | +17.6% |
| 1983 | 2.78 | +93.2% |
| 1984 | 2.53 | -9.1% |
| 1985 | 2.62 | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 2.48 | -5.1% |
| 1987 | 1.44 | -41.9% |
| 1988 | 1.32 | -8.7% |
| 1989 | 1.31 | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 0.9058 | -30.9% |
| 1991 | 0.63 | -30.4% |
| 1992 | 0.377 | -40.2% |
| 1993 | 1.01 | +168.6% |
| 1994 | 1.19 | +17.9% |
| 1995 | 0.7443 | -37.7% |
| 1996 | 1.59 | +113.5% |
| 1997 | 1.32 | -16.8% |
| 1998 | 1.08 | -18.0% |
| 1999 | 1.11 | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 2.73 | +147.0% |
| 2001 | 3.03 | +10.9% |
| 2002 | 3.17 | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 4.04 | +27.4% |
| 2004 | 3.34 | -17.3% |
| 2005 | 3.12 | -6.6% |
| 2006 | 3.48 | +11.4% |
| 2007 | 3.89 | +11.8% |
| 2008 | 2.7 | -30.4% |
| 2009 | 4.01 | +48.4% |
| 2010 | 3.75 | -6.5% |
| 2011 | 3.06 | -18.5% |
| 2012 | 3.69 | +20.6% |
| 2013 | 4.12 | +11.6% |
| 2014 | 4.37 | +6.0% |
| 2015 | 4.86 | +11.3% |
| 2016 | 5.24 | +8.0% |
| 2017 | 4.23 | -19.4% |
| 2018 | 4.5 | +6.4% |
| 2019 | 4.92 | +9.3% |
| 2020 | 5 | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 4.42 | -11.5% |
| 2022 | 3.22 | -27.3% |
| 2023 | 3.13 | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 3.99 | +27.4% |
| 2025 | 4.63 | +16.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 4.63 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.09, 91% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 4.63 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.67, 1.3× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.72 | 1.63 | 3.86 | 5 |
| 1980s | 1.92 | 1.22 | 2.78 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9967 | 0.377 | 1.59 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.35 | 2.7 | 4.04 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.27 | 3.06 | 5.24 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.06 | 3.13 | 5 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 79 Portugal 4.73 compare
- 80 Botswana 4.71 compare
- 81 Costa Rica 4.66 compare
- 83 North Macedonia 4.57 compare
- 84 Tunisia 4.5 compare
- 85 Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.44 compare
More financial sector data for Kenya
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 0.3189 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 0.2328 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 0.3189 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total reserves in months of imports in Kenya?
- Total reserves in months of imports in Kenya was 4.63 in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 5.24 in 2016.
- What is the lowest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.377 in 1992.
- How does Kenya rank for total reserves in months of imports?
- Kenya ranks 82nd out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total reserves in months of imports rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Total reserves in months of imports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reserve assets are external assets, including monetary gold, that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This item is expressed in terms of the number of months of imports of goods and services they could pay for [X/(Imports/12)].