Tax revenue in Kuwait

Kuwait: Tax revenue was 1.5% in 1998. ◆ Volatile

Latest (1998)
1.5%
Change on year
up 27.2%
World rank
155th
of 157 countries
All-time high
37.4%
in 1972
All-time low
0.1%
in 1992
Years of data
25
1972–1998

Tax revenue in Kuwait, 1972–1998

0102030401972198519981972: 37.4 % of GDP1973: 37.2 % of GDP1974: 32.7 % of GDP1977: 4.6 % of GDP1978: 7.6 % of GDP1979: 2.2 % of GDP1980: 2.7 % of GDP1981: 3.7 % of GDP1982: 3.4 % of GDP1983: 3.2 % of GDP1984: 3.1 % of GDP1985: 1.9 % of GDP1986: 2.1 % of GDP1987: 1.3 % of GDP1988: 1.2 % of GDP1989: 1.2 % of GDP1990: 1.5 % of GDP1991: 0.256 % of GDP1992: 0.086 % of GDP1993: 1.1 % of GDP1994: 1.4 % of GDP1995: 1.1 % of GDP1996: 0.965 % of GDP1997: 1.2 % of GDP1998: 1.5 % of GDP

Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

In 1998, tax revenue in Kuwait stood at 1.5%.

The figure is up 27.2% on the previous year and up 21.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, tax revenue in Kuwait peaked at 37.4% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1992.

That places Kuwait 155th out of 157 countries with data for 1998, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Tax revenue in Kuwait, year by year

Annual values for Tax revenue (% of GDP) in Kuwait, 1972 to 1998.
Year % of GDP Change
1972 37.4%
1973 37.2% -0.6%
1974 32.7% -12.2%
1977 4.6% -85.9%
1978 7.6% +64.6%
1979 2.2% -71.3%
1980 2.7% +23.9%
1981 3.7% +38.4%
1982 3.4% -7.8%
1983 3.2% -6.0%
1984 3.1% -3.4%
1985 1.9% -38.1%
1986 2.1% +8.1%
1987 1.3% -39.5%
1988 1.2% -3.0%
1989 1.2% -4.4%
1990 1.5% +31.4%
1991 0.3% -83.5%
1992 0.1% -66.4%
1993 1.1% +1173.2%
1994 1.4% +30.2%
1995 1.1% -19.4%
1996 1.0% -15.8%
1997 1.2% +21.5%
1998 1.5% +27.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 20.3% 2.2% 37.4% 6
1980s 2.4% 1.2% 3.7% 10
1990s 1.0% 0.1% 1.5% 9

Countries ranked near Kuwait

  1. 152 Ethiopia 3.4% compare
  2. 153 Bahrain 2.8% compare
  3. 154 Somalia 2.2%
  4. 156 Iraq 1.3%
  5. 157 United Arab Emirates 0.6%

See the full ranking of 192 places →

More public sector data for Kuwait

All data for Kuwait →

Frequently asked questions

What is tax revenue in Kuwait?
Tax revenue in Kuwait was 1.5% in 1998, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
What is the highest tax revenue recorded in Kuwait?
The highest recorded value was 37.4% in 1972.
What is the lowest tax revenue recorded in Kuwait?
The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1992.
How does Kuwait rank for tax revenue?
Kuwait ranks 155th out of 157 countries with data for 1998.
Is tax revenue rising or falling in Kuwait?
Over the last ten years it is up 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Kuwait data come from?
The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Tax revenue (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Tax revenue in Kuwait. Statizoid, drawing on Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/tax-revenue-percent-of-gdp/kuwait/

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About this data

Indicator
Tax revenue (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
192 places, 5,672 data points, 1972–2024
Last refreshed

Taxes are compulsory, unrequited payments, in cash or in kind, made by institutional units to government units. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.