Kuwait — Education spending
Government Education Spending (% of GDP) for Kuwait, 1971–2024.
Education spending for Kuwait was 6.44% in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 33 years, from 1971 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 14.20% in 1992. The lowest was 2.14% in 1975 (about 3.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.28% per year.
Kuwait ranks 18 of 172 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 10%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 4.38%, so Kuwait sits above it. It peaked in 1992 and has fallen 55% since. Over the last decade (2016–2024) the figure moved up 8%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 3 of 17 economies; Morocco (6.02%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 163% in 1992.
Data highlights
From its 1971 level: doubled by 1992. Doubling roughly every 55 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 29th of 53 in 1971 → 44th of 63 in 1980 → 22nd of 157 in 2020 → 7th of 39 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1971 to 2024
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6.44% | +1.4 pp |
| 2023 | 5.03% | -1.6 pp |
| 2022 | 6.58% | -1.2 pp |
| 2021 | 7.76% | +1.5 pp |
| 2020 | 6.25% | -0.5 pp |
| 2019 | 6.73% | +0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 6.39% | +0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 6.35% | +0.4 pp |
| 2016 | 5.96% | +2.2 pp |
| 2006 | 3.76% | -1.0 pp |
| 2005 | 4.74% | -0.8 pp |
| 2004 | 5.54% | -1.0 pp |
| 2002 | 6.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 6.59% | +1.0 pp |
| 1997 | 5.58% | -0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 5.86% | -8.3 pp |
| 1992 | 14.2% | +8.8 pp |
| 1986 | 5.4% | +0.4 pp |
| 1985 | 5.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 1984 | 5.15% | +0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 5.09% | +2.1 pp |
| 1982 | 3.03% | +0.3 pp |
| 1981 | 2.72% | -0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 2.79% | -0.6 pp |
| 1979 | 3.43% | -0.7 pp |
| 1978 | 4.08% | +0.7 pp |
| 1977 | 3.37% | +0.3 pp |
| 1976 | 3.12% | +1.0 pp |
| 1975 | 2.14% | -1.4 pp |
| 1974 | 3.52% | +0.2 pp |
| 1973 | 3.3% | +0.5 pp |
| 1972 | 2.82% | -0.5 pp |
| 1971 | 3.29% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Kuwait’s Education spending in 1972?
2.82% (1972). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Kuwait’s Education spending growing or shrinking?
Between 1971 and 2024 the series was growing overall: +95.8% in total — about 1.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 6.44%; 2023: 5.03%; 2022: 6.58%; 2021: 7.76%; 2020: 6.25%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS — Government Education Spending (% of GDP). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.