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Kuwait

US Revised Tariffs (%)

10

Ease of doing business

theboardiQ Tariffs Dashboard:

Powering Mutually Beneficial Global Trade.

 

Understand the complexities of international tariffs and ease of doing business across nations to cultivate balanced trade relationships, streamline operations, and deliver cost savings to end consumers.

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Share of US Imports % (1 implies <1%)
US Tariff %
Revised Tariff %
Country Tariff Rate %
1
10
10
4
Exports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Imports (in USD Bill.) 2024
Balance (in USD Bill.) 2024
2.41
1.64
0.77

US Revised Tariffs

Country Tariffs

Balance of Trade

Commercial Guide

Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in countries, prepared by U.S. Embassies worldwide, Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals

Tariff Rate for US

World Bank staff estimates using the World Integrated Trade Solution system, based on tariff data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's Trade Analysis and Information System ( TRAINS ) database and global imports data from the United Nations Statistics Division's Comtrade database.

US Imports Guide 

United States Imports from Countries during 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. United States Imports from Countries- data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on April of 2025.

Implications

As of Sunday, April 20, 2025, here's the latest update on tariffs related to Kuwait: Kuwait's General Tariff Rate: Kuwait, as a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), applies a common external tariff (CET) of 5% on most imported goods. This has been in effect since Kuwait officially approved the Single Customs Tariff on April 1, 2003.   This 5% tariff is levied on the CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) value of the imported goods from non-GCC countries.   Certain basic foodstuffs, medicines, and medical items are typically exempt from this 5% duty and are duty-free.   Tobacco products are subject to a significantly higher tariff of 100%.   There are instances where tariffs range from 15% to 22% on items where a similar product is manufactured in Kuwait, aiming to protect local industries. Impact of Recent US Tariffs on Kuwait: The recent tariffs imposed by the United States under President Trump, which went into effect in April 2025, initially included a 10% tariff on goods imported from Kuwait. However, the U.S. subsequently announced a 90-day pause on these country-specific reciprocal tariffs for most countries, including Kuwait, effective April 10, 2025. During this 90-day pause, the tariff rate for Kuwait on goods entering the U.S. has reverted to a baseline of 10%. It's important to note that this is a general baseline applied to most countries during the pause. Some reports indicated that Kuwait and other Gulf States were initially concerned that the new U.S. tariffs could reduce their competitiveness in the U.S. market. Other Relevant Information: GCC Customs Union: Goods imported into any GCC member state (including Kuwait) are generally subject to tariffs only at the first point of entry and can then be moved within the GCC without additional duties. Trade with the US: In 2024, the U.S. had a goods trade surplus with Kuwait. The U.S. goods exports to Kuwait were $2.4 billion, while imports from Kuwait totaled $1.6 billion.   Free Trade Zones: Goods entering Kuwait's Free Trade Zone (located at Shuwaikh port) are exempt from customs duties.   In summary, as of April 20, 2025, goods imported into Kuwait from most non-GCC countries are subject to a 5% tariff. Regarding exports from Kuwait to the United States, they are currently under a 90-day pause of the "reciprocal tariffs" and face a baseline tariff of 10%. This situation is subject to change as the U.S. trade policy evolves after the 90-day pause.

US Negotiation Strategy

Based on the latest data from 2024, the top imports to the United States from Kuwait by value are: Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products ($1.68 Billion) Commodities not specified according to kind ($44.32 Million) Ores, slag and ash ($14.68 Million) Organic chemicals ($10.51 Million - 2023 data) Iron and steel ($4.56 Million) Here's a breakdown of which states in the U.S. have manufacturing capabilities for these types of goods, along with some example companies: Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products (Crude and Refined Petroleum): Texas: The leading state in oil refining. Major companies include Marathon Petroleum (Galveston Bay Refinery, Texas City), ExxonMobil (Beaumont Refinery, Baytown), Valero Energy (Port Arthur Refinery).   Louisiana: Another major refining hub. Key players include Marathon Petroleum (Garyville Refinery), ExxonMobil (Baton Rouge Refinery), Citgo (Lake Charles Refinery). California: Significant refining capacity. Companies include Marathon Petroleum (Los Angeles Refinery, Carson), Chevron (El Segundo Refinery, Richmond). Other states with substantial oil refining include Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Mississippi.   Commodities not specified according to kind: This is a broad category and can include diverse goods not easily classified. Manufacturing would vary greatly depending on the specific commodities. Ores, slag and ash: Production of ores occurs in states with mining industries. Processing into slag and ash happens in states with metal smelting and power generation. Arizona: Significant copper mining (ores). Companies like Freeport-McMoRan operate in the state.   Utah: Mining of various ores, including copper and iron. Companies like Rio Tinto have operations here.   Minnesota: Iron ore mining is prominent. Companies such as Cleveland-Cliffs operate mines.   Other states with mining activity include Nevada, Montana, Idaho, and Michigan. Organic chemicals: The petrochemical industry, which produces organic chemicals, is heavily concentrated in certain states. Texas: Leads the nation in petrochemical production, particularly along the Gulf Coast (Houston area). Major companies include ExxonMobil, Dow Chemical, Chevron Phillips Chemical.   Louisiana: Has a significant petrochemical industry, often integrated with its refining sector. Companies like BASF, Westlake Chemical, and LyondellBasell have facilities.   Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia: The Appalachian region is experiencing growth in petrochemical manufacturing due to natural gas resources. Companies like Shell have invested in ethane crackers in this region. Iron and steel: While the US steel industry has faced challenges, there is still domestic production.   Indiana: Has significant steel production. Companies include Nucor, U.S. Steel, and ArcelorMittal.   Ohio: Also a major steel-producing state with companies like Cleveland-Cliffs and AK Steel.   Pennsylvania: Historically a steel powerhouse, it still has production facilities. Companies like U.S. Steel have a presence.   Other states with steel manufacturing include Illinois, Michigan, Alabama, and North Carolina. It's important to note that while these states have the capacity to manufacture similar types of goods imported from Kuwait, the specific grades, quantities, and types of these products may differ. Global supply chains are often optimized for cost and specific product characteristics.

Investing in USA

theboardiQ Economic Relevance Score, ranks States of USA based on 11 parameters

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Sources : Forbes | USDA Economic Research | TCGen Total Innovation Rank Index | Best States for Manufacturing | World Population Review | Tax Foundation | US News | BEA Data | Wikipedia | International Trade Administration

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theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score provides a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of a nation's economic vitality and global significance. This score is meticulously calculated using 11 key parameters, each reflecting a critical facet of economic performance. It analyzes the representation of Fortune 500 companies within a nation, a strong indicator of its business environment and market size. The balance of trade surplus or deficit reveals the nation's international competitiveness and export strength. It incorporates Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a fundamental measure of overall economic output, and examine the health of key sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. The score also accounts for innovation, gauging a nation's ability to drive future growth through technological advancements. Crucial labor market indicators such as employment rates are considered, alongside fiscal policies reflected in tax rates. To capture the lived experience of citizens, it assesses cost of living and disposable income, providing insight into purchasing power and economic well-being. Finally, education levels are integrated, recognizing their pivotal role in fostering a skilled workforce and driving long-term economic development. By synthesizing these 11 parameters, theboardiQ's Economic Relevance Score delivers a nuanced and holistic view of a nation's economic standing, enabling informed strategic decisions. The Top 5 States in the assessment are Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Washington. Texas does consistently well across most of the 11 variables especially in the areas of GDP, F500 representation in the State, Balance of Trade where it ranks 2nd nationally. North Carolina scores as the highest-ranking state nationally in manufacturing and performs consistently across the other variables. Virginia does well in disposable income where it ranks 3rd nationally. It also scores high in the variables of manufacturing and employment Florida holds the 4th ranking nationally for GDP and Tax Washington State scores the top spot for disposable income nationally, 2nd for education and 3rd for innovation. Colorado, with an overall rank of 7 scores the top spot for Education (schools and higher education). Nebraska, that ranked 10th overall, did well in Agriculture where it is ranked 3rd nationally as well as Trade Balance where it ranked 5th. Illinois, though ranked 20th overall did well nationally in F500 representation, GDP, Agriculture, and Disposable Income. Pennsylvania comes in at 21 overall doing well nationally in GDP (6th); Manufacturing (8th) and F500 representation (8th) New York scores 23rd overall with a 2 ranking in Disposable Income nationally, as well as 3rd in both F500 representation and GDP. California comes in at 29th overall and has the top spot ranking in a whopping 4 variables nationally – GDP, Innovation, Agriculture and F500 representation. However, performance in the areas of Trade Balance, Cost of Living, Tax, Manufacturing and Employment resulted in the overall ranking dipping. Wyoming at 30th overall scores the top spot nationally in the area of Tax Massachusetts at 31 overall does well in innovation where it is ranked 2nd nationally Arkansas at 36 and Alabama at 39, do well in overall Cost of Living where they are ranked 2nd and 3rd nationally, respectively. Louisiana ranked 44th overall is ranked 1st in Trade Balance nationally.

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