Iran vs Kuwait: Oil reserves

Iran
33.16 billion cubic meters
in 2021
Kuwait
16.14 billion cubic meters
in 2021
Iran rank
3rd
Kuwait rank
6th

Oil reserves over time

  • Iran
  • Kuwait
10.0B20.0B30.0B198020002021

How they compare

Iran currently reports 33.16 billion cubic meters against 16.14 billion cubic meters in Kuwait, a difference of 17.03 billion cubic meters.

That makes Iran's figure about 2.1 times Kuwait's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 42 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Kuwait ahead.

Iran ranks 3rd and Kuwait ranks 6th of 215 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 3 and Kuwait in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Iran Kuwait Difference Ahead
1980s 9.69 billion cubic meters 12.83 billion cubic meters 3.13 billion cubic meters Kuwait
1990s 14.59 billion cubic meters 15.36 billion cubic meters 774.42 million cubic meters Kuwait
2000s 18.34 billion cubic meters 15.78 billion cubic meters 2.56 billion cubic meters Iran
2010s 24.23 billion cubic meters 16.14 billion cubic meters 8.10 billion cubic meters Iran
2020s 28.95 billion cubic meters 16.14 billion cubic meters 12.81 billion cubic meters Iran

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher oil reserves, Iran or Kuwait?
Iran, at 33.16 billion cubic meters against 16.14 billion cubic meters in Kuwait as of 2021.
What is the difference in oil reserves between Iran and Kuwait?
17.03 billion cubic meters, with Iran ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and Kuwait?
42 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
How do Iran and Kuwait rank globally for oil reserves?
Iran ranks 3rd and Kuwait ranks 6th of 215 countries.
Where does this data come from?
U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Oil reserves. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator
Oil reserves
Unit
cubic meters
Source
U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
216 places, 8,283 data points, 1980–2021
Last refreshed

Proved reserves, measured in cubic meters, are generally those quantities that can be recovered in the future from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions, according to geological and engineering information. Includes crude oil and lease condensate.