Kuwait is the 51st largest export economy in the world and the 57th most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI). In 2017, Kuwait exported $45.9B and imported $33.4B, resulting in a positive trade balance of $12.5B. In 2017 the GDP of Kuwait was $120B and its GDP per capita was $71.9k.

The top exports of Kuwait are Crude Petroleum ($31.3B), Refined Petroleum ($5.68B), Petroleum Gas ($2B), Acyclic Alcohols ($1.03B) and Cyclic Hydrocarbons ($1.02B), using the 1992 revision of the HS (Harmonized System) classification. Its top imports are Cars ($2.62B), Broadcasting Equipment ($1.6B), Packaged Medicaments ($925M), Valves ($692M) and Jewellery ($691M).

The top export destinations of Kuwait are South Korea ($8.68B), China ($8.16B), India ($5.74B), Japan ($5.37B) and Singapore ($2.94B). The top import origins are China ($5.31B), the United States ($3.62B), the United Arab Emirates ($2.88B), Saudi Arabia ($1.82B) and Germany ($1.77B).

Kuwait borders Iraq and Saudi Arabia by land and Iran by sea.