Iraq vs Kuwait: Oil reserves
Iraq
23.06 billion cubic meters
in 2021
Kuwait
16.14 billion cubic meters
in 2021
Iraq rank
5th
Kuwait rank
6th
Oil reserves over time
- Iraq
- Kuwait
How they compare
Iraq currently reports 23.06 billion cubic meters against 16.14 billion cubic meters in Kuwait, a difference of 6.92 billion cubic meters.
That makes Iraq's figure about 1.4 times Kuwait's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 42 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Kuwait ahead.
Iraq ranks 5th and Kuwait ranks 6th of 215 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Iraq averaged higher in 4 and Kuwait in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iraq | Kuwait | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.11 billion cubic meters | 12.83 billion cubic meters | 4.71 billion cubic meters | Kuwait |
| 1990s | 16.49 billion cubic meters | 15.36 billion cubic meters | 1.13 billion cubic meters | Iraq |
| 2000s | 18.12 billion cubic meters | 15.78 billion cubic meters | 2.35 billion cubic meters | Iraq |
| 2010s | 21.95 billion cubic meters | 16.14 billion cubic meters | 5.81 billion cubic meters | Iraq |
| 2020s | 23.06 billion cubic meters | 16.14 billion cubic meters | 6.92 billion cubic meters | Iraq |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher oil reserves, Iraq or Kuwait?
- Iraq, at 23.06 billion cubic meters against 16.14 billion cubic meters in Kuwait as of 2021.
- What is the difference in oil reserves between Iraq and Kuwait?
- 6.92 billion cubic meters, with Iraq ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iraq and Kuwait?
- 42 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do Iraq and Kuwait rank globally for oil reserves?
- Iraq ranks 5th 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
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.