Total waste generation in Kuwait
Kuwait: Total waste generation was 706,000 tonnes in 2023. ▲ Rising
Total waste generation in Kuwait, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Kuwait recorded 706,000 tonnes for total waste generation in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 22.4% on the previous year and up 289.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total waste generation in Kuwait peaked at 706,000 tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 132,267 tonnes, in 2012.
That places Kuwait 18th out of 62 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Total waste generation in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 211,000 tonnes | — |
| 2001 | 231,000 tonnes | +9.5% |
| 2002 | 227,000 tonnes | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 320,000 tonnes | +41.0% |
| 2004 | 268,000 tonnes | -16.2% |
| 2005 | 261,000 tonnes | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 301,000 tonnes | +15.3% |
| 2007 | 556,000 tonnes | +84.7% |
| 2008 | 259,409 tonnes | -53.3% |
| 2009 | 171,128 tonnes | -34.0% |
| 2010 | 174,435 tonnes | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 142,752 tonnes | -18.2% |
| 2012 | 132,267 tonnes | -7.3% |
| 2013 | 181,461 tonnes | +37.2% |
| 2014 | 265,725 tonnes | +46.4% |
| 2015 | 368,934 tonnes | +38.8% |
| 2016 | 403,431 tonnes | +9.4% |
| 2017 | 437,832 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 2018 | 453,667 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 337,293 tonnes | -25.7% |
| 2020 | 572,000 tonnes | +69.6% |
| 2021 | 467,000 tonnes | -18.4% |
| 2022 | 577,000 tonnes | +23.6% |
| 2023 | 706,000 tonnes | +22.4% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 706,000 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 293,977 tonnes, 2.4× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 706,000 tonnes is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 445,212 tonnes, 1.6× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 280,554 tonnes | 171,128 tonnes | 556,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 289,780 tonnes | 132,267 tonnes | 453,667 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 580,500 tonnes | 467,000 tonnes | 706,000 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More environment data for Kuwait
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -57.51 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -61.88 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.516 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.95 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 1.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total waste generation in Kuwait?
- Total waste generation in Kuwait was 706,000 tonnes in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total waste generation recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 706,000 tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest total waste generation recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 132,267 tonnes in 2012.
- How does Kuwait rank for total waste generation?
- Kuwait ranks 18th out of 62 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total waste generation rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 289.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total waste generation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total waste generation, by activity (Tonnes).