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Kuwait vs. Saudi Arabia

Economy

KuwaitSaudi Arabia
Economy - overview

Kuwait has a geographically small, but wealthy, relatively open economy with crude oil reserves of about 102 billion barrels - more than 6% of world reserves. Kuwaiti officials plan to increase production to 4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2020. Petroleum accounts for over half of GDP, 92% of export revenues, and 90% of government income.

With world oil prices declining, Kuwait realized a budget deficit in 2015 for the first time more than a decade; in 2016, the deficit grew to 16.5% of GDP. Kuwaiti authorities announced cuts to fuel subsidies in August 2016, provoking outrage among the public and National Assembly, and the Amir dissolved the government for the seventh time in ten years. In 2017 the deficit was reduced to 7.2% of GDP, and the government raised $8 billion by issuing international bonds. Despite Kuwait's dependence on oil, the government has cushioned itself against the impact of lower oil prices, by saving annually at least 10% of government revenue in the Fund for Future Generations.

Kuwait has failed to diversify its economy or bolster the private sector, because of a poor business climate, a large public sector that employs about 74% of citizens, and an acrimonious relationship between the National Assembly and the executive branch that has stymied most economic reforms. The Kuwaiti Government has made little progress on its long-term economic development plan first passed in 2010. While the government planned to spend up to $104 billion over four years to diversify the economy, attract more investment, and boost private sector participation in the economy, many of the projects did not materialize because of an uncertain political situation or delays in awarding contracts. To increase non-oil revenues, the Kuwaiti Government in August 2017 approved draft bills supporting a Gulf Cooperation Council-wide value added tax scheduled to take effect in 2018.

Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses about 16% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 87% of budget revenues, 42% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings.

Saudi Arabia is encouraging the growth of the private sector in order to diversify its economy and to employ more Saudi nationals. Approximately 6 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors; at the same time, however, Riyadh is struggling to reduce unemployment among its own nationals. Saudi officials are particularly focused on employing its large youth population.

In 2017, the Kingdom incurred a budget deficit estimated at 8.3% of GDP, which was financed by bond sales and drawing down reserves. Although the Kingdom can finance high deficits for several years by drawing down its considerable foreign assets or by borrowing, it has cut capital spending and reduced subsidies on electricity, water, and petroleum products and recently introduced a value-added tax of 5%. In January 2016, Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced that Saudi Arabia intends to list shares of its state-owned petroleum company, ARAMCO - another move to increase revenue and outside investment. The government has also looked at privatization and diversification of the economy more closely in the wake of a diminished oil market. Historically, Saudi Arabia has focused diversification efforts on power generation, telecommunications, natural gas exploration, and petrochemical sectors. More recently, the government has approached investors about expanding the role of the private sector in the health care, education and tourism industries. While Saudi Arabia has emphasized their goals of diversification for some time, current low oil prices may force the government to make more drastic changes ahead of their long-run timeline.

GDP (purchasing power parity)$209.738 billion (2019 est.)

$208.845 billion (2018 est.)

$206.274 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
$1,609,323,000,000 (2019 est.)

$1,604,007,000,000 (2018 est.)

$1,565,891,000,000 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP - real growth rate-3.3% (2017 est.)

2.2% (2016 est.)

-1% (2015 est.)
-0.9% (2017 est.)

1.7% (2016 est.)

4.1% (2015 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$49,854 (2019 est.)

$50,479 (2018 est.)

$50,856 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
$46,962 (2019 est.)

$47,597 (2018 est.)

$47,309 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP - composition by sectoragriculture: 0.4% (2017 est.)

industry: 58.7% (2017 est.)

services: 40.9% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 2.6% (2017 est.)

industry: 44.2% (2017 est.)

services: 53.2% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty lineNANA
Household income or consumption by percentage sharelowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices)1.5% (2017 est.)

3.5% (2016 est.)
-2% (2019 est.)

-4.5% (2018 est.)

-0.8% (2017 est.)
Labor force2.695 million (2017 est.)

note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force
13.8 million (2017 est.)

note: comprised of 3.1 million Saudis and 10.7 million non-Saudis
Labor force - by occupationagriculture: NA

industry: NA

services: NA
agriculture: 6.7%

industry: 21.4%

services: 71.9% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate1.1% (2017 est.)

1.1% (2016 est.)
6% (2017 est.)

5.6% (2016 est.)

note: data are for total population; unemployment among Saudi nationals is more than double
Budgetrevenues: 50.5 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 62.6 billion (2017 est.)
revenues: 181 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 241.8 billion (2017 est.)
Industriespetroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materialscrude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics, metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction
Industrial production growth rate2.8% (2017 est.)-2.4% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - productseggs, dates, tomatoes, cucumbers, poultry, milk, mutton, potatoes, vegetables, eggplantsmilk, dates, poultry, fruit, watermelons, barley, wheat, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes
Exports$84.825 billion (2018 est.)

$89.098 billion (2017 est.)
$221.1 billion (2017 est.)

$183.6 billion (2016 est.)
Exports - commoditiescrude petroleum, refined petroleum, aircraft, natural gas, industrial hydrocarbon products (2019)crude petroleum, refined petroleum, polymers, industrial alcohols, natural gas (2019)
Exports - partnersChina 20%, South Korea 16%, India 15%, Japan 10%, Taiwan 6%, Vietnam 5% (2019)China 20%, India 11%, Japan 11%, South Korea 9%, United States 5% (2019)
Imports$54.556 billion (2018 est.)

$55.025 billion (2017 est.)
$119.3 billion (2017 est.)

$127.8 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - commoditiescars, broadcasting equipment, natural gas, packaged medicines, jewelry (2019)cars, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, telephones (2019)
Imports - partnersChina 14%, United Arab Emirates 12%, United States 10%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Japan 6%, Germany 5%, India 5% (2019)China 18%, United Arab Emirates 12%, United States 9%, Germany 5% (2019)
Debt - external$47.24 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$38.34 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$205.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$189.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange ratesKuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar -

0.3049 (2020 est.)

0.3037 (2019 est.)

0.304 (2018 est.)

0.3009 (2014 est.)

0.2845 (2013 est.)
Saudi riyals (SAR) per US dollar -

3.7514 (2020 est.)

3.75 (2019 est.)

3.7518 (2018 est.)

3.75 (2014 est.)

3.75 (2013 est.)
Fiscal year1 April - 31 Marchcalendar year
Public debt20.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

9.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
17.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

13.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$33.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$31.13 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$496.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$535.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Current Account Balance$7.127 billion (2017 est.)

-$5.056 billion (2016 est.)
$15.23 billion (2017 est.)

-$23.87 billion (2016 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)$134.638 billion (2019 est.)$792.849 billion (2019 est.)
Credit ratingsFitch rating: AA (2008)

Moody's rating: A1 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: AA- (2020)
Fitch rating: A (2019)

Moody's rating: A1 (2016)

Standard & Poors rating: A- (2016)
Ease of Doing Business Index scoresOverall score: 67.4 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 88.4 (2020)

Trading score: 52.6 (2020)

Enforcement score: 61.4 (2020)
Overall score: 71.6 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 93.1 (2020)

Trading score: 76 (2020)

Enforcement score: 65.3 (2020)
Taxes and other revenues41.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)26.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-10% (of GDP) (2017 est.)-8.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24total: 15.4%

male: 9.4%

female: 30% (2016 est.)
total: 28.8%

male: 19.9%

female: 62.6% (2018 est.)
GDP - composition, by end usehousehold consumption: 43.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 24.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 26.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 3.5% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 49.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -47% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 41.3% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 24.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 23.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 4.7% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 34.8% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -28.6% (2017 est.)
Gross national saving40.8% of GDP (2018 est.)

35.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

37.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
33.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

33.2% of GDP (2018 est.)

30.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook