Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) in Kuwait
Kuwait: Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) was 8.41 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Total reserves in months of imports in Kuwait, 1975–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysis
In 2025, total reserves in months of imports in Kuwait stood at 8.41.
That represents a change of down 6.1% on the previous year and up 20.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in months of imports in Kuwait peaked at 13.43 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.29, in 1988.
Kuwait ranks 25th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 7.48 | — |
| 1976 | 6.69 | -10.5% |
| 1977 | 6.24 | -6.8% |
| 1978 | 5.69 | -8.8% |
| 1979 | 6.63 | +16.4% |
| 1980 | 6.22 | -6.1% |
| 1981 | 5.87 | -5.7% |
| 1982 | 7.04 | +20.0% |
| 1983 | 6.61 | -6.2% |
| 1984 | 5.81 | -12.0% |
| 1985 | 7.22 | +24.2% |
| 1986 | 8 | +10.8% |
| 1987 | 6.74 | -15.7% |
| 1988 | 3.29 | -51.2% |
| 1989 | 4.37 | +32.7% |
| 1992 | 5.76 | +31.9% |
| 1993 | 5.15 | -10.7% |
| 1994 | 4.44 | -13.8% |
| 1995 | 3.93 | -11.3% |
| 1996 | 3.75 | -4.7% |
| 1997 | 3.5 | -6.5% |
| 1998 | 3.86 | +10.0% |
| 1999 | 5.19 | +34.5% |
| 2000 | 7.79 | +50.1% |
| 2001 | 9.84 | +26.4% |
| 2002 | 8.44 | -14.2% |
| 2003 | 6.14 | -27.2% |
| 2004 | 5.45 | -11.3% |
| 2005 | 4.96 | -9.0% |
| 2006 | 5.99 | +20.8% |
| 2007 | 6.05 | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 5.53 | -8.6% |
| 2009 | 8.26 | +49.4% |
| 2010 | 8.13 | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 8.28 | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 8.52 | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 8.11 | -4.8% |
| 2014 | 8.03 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 6.97 | -13.2% |
| 2016 | 7.55 | +8.2% |
| 2017 | 7.33 | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 6.8 | -7.2% |
| 2019 | 8.19 | +20.5% |
| 2020 | 13.43 | +63.9% |
| 2021 | 11.59 | -13.8% |
| 2022 | 10.32 | -11.0% |
| 2023 | 9.17 | -11.2% |
| 2024 | 8.95 | -2.3% |
| 2025 | 8.41 | -6.1% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 8.41 is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.47, 2.4× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 8.41 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 6.69, 1.3× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total reserves in months of imports (reserves International Financial) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +63.9% | 8.19 | 13.43 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.55 | 5.69 | 7.48 | 5 |
| 1980s | 6.12 | 3.29 | 8 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.45 | 3.5 | 5.76 | 8 |
| 2000s | 6.84 | 4.96 | 9.84 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.79 | 6.8 | 8.52 | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.31 | 8.41 | 13.43 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More financial sector data for Kuwait
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 11.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0044 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 142.41 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 5.86 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0032 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 103.99 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 11.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0044 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 142.41 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 5.86 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total reserves in months of imports in Kuwait?
- Total reserves in months of imports in Kuwait was 8.41 in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 13.43 in 2020.
- What is the lowest total reserves in months of imports recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.29 in 1988.
- How does Kuwait rank for total reserves in months of imports?
- Kuwait ranks 25th out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total reserves in months of imports rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kuwait 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)].