Iraq vs Kuwait
Iraq vs Kuwait: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $139 in Iraq and $1,623 in Kuwait, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Kuwait, by $1,484, or 12 times that in Iraq.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Kuwait has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2004.
- In 2025, Iraq ranked 70 and Kuwait ranked 8 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Iraq | Kuwait |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $139 | $1,623 |
| 2024 | $139 | $1,597 |
| 2023 | $128 | $1,618 |
| 2022 | $109 | $1,880 |
| 2021 | $112 | $2,081 |
| 2020 | $136 | $1,555 |
| 2019 | $188 | $1,668 |
| 2018 | $159 | $1,695 |
| 2017 | $191 | $1,657 |
| 2016 | $157 | $1,642 |
| 2015 | $259 | $1,532 |
| 2014 | $192 | $1,625 |
| 2013 | $225 | $1,662 |
| 2012 | $126 | $1,830 |
| 2011 | $136 | $1,786 |
| 2010 | $123 | $1,512 |
| 2009 | $110 | $1,546 |
| 2008 | $110 | $1,717 |
| 2007 | $70 | $1,689 |
| 2006 | $43 | $1,569 |
| 2005 | $40 | $1,610 |
| 2004 | $23 | $1,617 |
| 2003 | – | $1,501 |
| 2002 | – | $1,387 |
| 2001 | – | $1,355 |
| 2000 | – | $1,399 |
| 1999 | – | $1,221 |
| 1998 | – | $1,257 |
| 1997 | – | $1,395 |
| 1996 | – | $1,905 |
| 1995 | – | $2,222 |
| 1994 | – | $1,977 |
| 1993 | – | $1,777 |
| 1992 | – | $3,966 |
| 1991 | – | $11,640 |
| 1990 | – | $3,966 |
| 1989 | – | $955 |
| 1988 | – | $814 |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Iraq vs Kuwait
Health
- Life expectancyIraq: 72.3 years in 2023Kuwait: 80.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIraq: 2.2 per 100 live births in 2024Kuwait: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIraq: 19 per 1,000 live births in 2023Kuwait: 7.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterIraq: 59.7% in 2022Kuwait: 100% in 2022
- DepressionIraq: 3.89% in 2017Kuwait: 3.64% in 2017
- Suicide rateIraq: 4.1 per 100,000 people in 2017Kuwait: 2.5 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIraq: 45.1 million people in 2023Kuwait: 4.84 million people in 2023
- Population growthIraq: 2.15% a year in 2023Kuwait: 1.88% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIraq: 3.25 births per woman in 2023Kuwait: 1.53 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIraq: 69.9% in 2025Kuwait: 100% in 2025
- Median ageIraq: 20.4 years in 2023Kuwait: 34.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIraq: 3.4% in 2023Kuwait: 3% in 2023
- Net migration rateIraq: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023Kuwait: 10.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIraq: 2.45% of GDP in 2025Kuwait: 4.69% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsIraq: $6.4B in 2025Kuwait: $7.92B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIraq: 5.5% of government spending in 2025Kuwait: 10.1% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelIraq: 459,000 people in 2020Kuwait: 25,000 people in 2020
- National powerIraq: 0.54% of world capability in 2022Kuwait: 0.2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIraq: 4.4% of the labour force in 2020Kuwait: 1.03% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIraq: 55 million TIV in 2025Kuwait: 311 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIraq: 20 million TIV in 1989Kuwait: 95 million TIV in 1998