Employee compensation as share of government spending in Kuwait
Kuwait: Employee compensation as share of government spending was 24.2% in 2006. ▼ Falling
Employee compensation as share of government spending in Kuwait, 1972–2006
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employee compensation as share of government spending in Kuwait is 24.2%, measured in 2006.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 23.3% on the previous year and down 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employee compensation as share of government spending in Kuwait peaked at 43.0% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 6.1%, in 1991.
Kuwait ranks 81st of 155 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Employee compensation as share of government spending in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 42.6% | — |
| 1973 | 38.0% | -10.6% |
| 1974 | 28.1% | -26.1% |
| 1977 | 27.0% | -4.0% |
| 1978 | 29.1% | +7.8% |
| 1979 | 29.4% | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 32.7% | +11.5% |
| 1981 | 28.5% | -12.8% |
| 1982 | 29.5% | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 30.6% | +4.0% |
| 1984 | 33.6% | +9.8% |
| 1985 | 33.5% | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 39.2% | +17.1% |
| 1987 | 43.0% | +9.7% |
| 1988 | 37.8% | -12.1% |
| 1989 | 37.0% | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 37.8% | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 6.1% | -83.7% |
| 1992 | 20.7% | +237.5% |
| 1993 | 26.6% | +28.1% |
| 1994 | 29.0% | +9.2% |
| 1995 | 31.0% | +7.0% |
| 1996 | 30.4% | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 36.8% | +21.2% |
| 1998 | 38.0% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 35.2% | -7.4% |
| 2002 | 35.6% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 33.9% | -4.9% |
| 2004 | 31.4% | -7.3% |
| 2005 | 31.6% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 24.2% | -23.3% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 24.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 18.9%, 1.3× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 24.2% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 34.5%, 70% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Employee compensation as share of government spending 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +237.5% | 6.1% | 20.7% |
| 1991 | -83.7% | 37.8% | 6.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 32.4% | 27.0% | 42.6% | 6 |
| 1980s | 34.6% | 28.5% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.5% | 6.1% | 38.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 32.0% | 24.2% | 35.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
- 78 Bosnia and Herzegovina 25.8%
- 79 Tajikistan 24.8% compare
- 80 Barbados 24.7%
- 82 Iceland 23.8% compare
- 83 San Marino 23.5% compare
- 84 Cote d'Ivoire 23.3% compare
More work & labour data for Kuwait
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.801 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.7211 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.9054 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2002)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4407 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,644 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 0 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,171 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,431 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,602 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employee compensation as share of government spending in Kuwait?
- Employee compensation as share of government spending in Kuwait was 24.2% in 2006, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employee compensation as share of government spending recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 43.0% in 1987.
- What is the lowest employee compensation as share of government spending recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.1% in 1991.
- How does Kuwait rank for employee compensation as share of government spending?
- Kuwait ranks 81st out of 155 countries with data for 2006.
- Is employee compensation as share of government spending rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employee compensation as share of government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employee compensation includes wages, in-kind payments, and government contributions to social insurance schemes such as social security and pensions.