203.4k New Cars Joined Kuwait’s Traffic, Pushing Total Vehicles to 2.4 Million
According to recent data released by the Central Administration of Statistics, Kuwait’s roads now host a formidable fleet of 2.42 million vehicles, reflecting a notable 38.5% increase over the past decade. Among these, 203.4k new cars received licences in 2022 alone.
The cumulative figures illustrate a significant rise in the number of vehicles over ten years, soaring from 673.8 thousand in 2013 to 1.748 million in 2022. Notably, 80% of vehicles in Kuwait are registered as private vehicles, totaling 1.947 million, while private transport vehicles constitute 12.6%, with 304.6 thousand vehicles.
Driving licence applications witnessed considerable activity, with 119.15 thousand citizens and residents undergoing theoretical tests. Of these, 102.87 thousand individuals successfully obtained licences, showcasing varied success rates among first-time, second-time, and multiple-time applicants.
In practical tests, 135.13 thousand individuals applied, resulting in 97,442 successful candidates. However, 37.69 thousand individuals faced setbacks, with notable differences in success rates based on the number of attempts.
Market activity in 2022 saw the issuance of 105.7 thousand licences, encompassing private, public, motorcycle, and construction vehicle licences. The distribution across governorates revealed variations, with the Capital Governorate leading with 22.9 thousand licences.
Oil tanker movement data indicated 1,250 departures from Port Al-Ahmadi and Port Abdullah in 2022, contributing to the global shipping landscape. Kuwait’s taxi industry boasts about 13,000 taxis, including on-call and mobile taxis, reaching 4,646 and 8,367, respectively, by the end of 2022.
Transfer transactions for vehicle ownership have witnessed a significant upswing, increasing from 405.18 thousand in 2020 to an impressive 638.8 thousand in 2022.
A noteworthy trend observed is the doubling of vehicle licence cancellations, escalating from 4,088 vehicles in 2020 to 20.99 thousand vehicles in 2022, indicating a surge in vehicles being either destroyed or exported abroad.
