Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
1 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
49,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
state-owned TV broadcaster operates 4 networks and a satellite channel; several private TV broadcasters; satellite TV available, and pan-Arab TV stations are especially popular; state-owned Radio Kuwait broadcasts on a number of channels in Arabic and English; first private radio station in 2005; transmissions of at least 2 international radio broadcasters are available (2019)
Communications: Internet country code
.kw
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
100.00% (2025 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
12 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
573,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
168 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
8.11 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
dates, eggs, milk, tomatoes, chicken, lamb/mutton, cucumbers/gherkins, vegetables, maize, eggplants (2023)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on alcohol and tobacco
0.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Average household expenditures: on food
19.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$59.584 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$44.254 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
$69.493 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
$53.966 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
$8.584 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
$641.7 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
$7.757 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
$24.049 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
$30.255 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
$22.030 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
$34.943 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
$63.078 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
$51.396 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
$46.703 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
0.306691 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
0.283589 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
0.284567 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
0.300852 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
0.302137 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
0.303350 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
0.301956 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
0.303611 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
0.306233 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
0.301643 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
0.306250 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
0.307185 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
0.306691 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, hydrocarbons, plastics (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$112.784 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$111.425 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$61.607 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$52.113 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$61.788 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$79.460 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$73.327 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$48.541 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$76.736 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$110.923 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$95.476 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$89.71 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
60.4% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
20.7% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
32.6% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-30.5% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
16.1% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
0.8% (2022 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
0.5% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
57.1% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
55.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$52,444 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$160.227 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$256.830 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
cars, natural gas, garments, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$35.034 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$51.489 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$53.090 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$56.293 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$63.048 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$55.818 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$42.530 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$44.914 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$55.909 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$63.43 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$61.521 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
-5.2% (2024 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
3.27% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
3.20% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
2.17% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
0.54% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
1.09% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
2.10% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
3.42% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
3.98% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
3.64% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
2.90% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
3.003 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
9.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$250.513 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$173.581 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$167.620 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$193.471 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$225.239 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$182.443 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$220.886 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$235.815 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$231.884 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$225.947 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
0.59% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
2.93% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
-4.71% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
2.74% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
2.26% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-4.82% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
1.67% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
6.76% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
-1.67% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
-2.56% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$68,337 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$45,267 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$41,862 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$46,566 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$50,703 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$41,462 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$50,652 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$55,043 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$53,025 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$4.2 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$3.8 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$34.3 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$22.5 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$806.7 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
$22.1 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
$21.3 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
$20.4 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$30.961 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$33.936 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$36.890 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$40.282 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$43.668 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$52.919 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$49.525 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$52.462 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$52.619 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$50.728 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
2.21% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
3.49% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
2.97% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
2.13% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
2.08% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
2.15% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
28.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
9.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
15.4% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
60,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
11 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
152,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
97.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
78.047 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
20.294 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
7.516 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
389.848 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: consumption
26.296 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: imports
8.433 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: production
19.207 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: proven reserves
1.784 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: crude oil estimated reserves
101.5 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
430,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
2.91 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
149,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from consumed natural gas
51.587 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
48.723 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
100.459 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Environment: Environmental issues
limited natural freshwater resources; air and water pollution; desertification; loss of biodiversity
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
Marine Dumping-London Convention
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
8.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
0.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
91.2% (2023 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: agriculture
7.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: energy
819.9 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: other
0.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: waste
256.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
54.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
778.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
23.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
448.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
100.00% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
1.75 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
15.4% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Geography: Area: land
17,818 sq km
Geography: Area: water
0 sq km
Geography: Coastline
499 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
3.6 km W. of Al-Salmi Border Post 300 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Persian Gulf 0 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
108 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
29 30 N, 45 45 E
Geography: Geography - note
strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
Geography: Irrigated land
100 sq km (2015)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
Iraq 254 km; Saudi Arabia 221 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
475 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
8.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
0.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
91.2% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major aquifers
Arabian Aquifer System
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Indian Ocean drainage
(Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)
Geography: Map references
Middle East
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March and August
Geography: Population distribution
densest settlement is along the Persian Gulf, particularly in Kuwait City and on Bubiyan Island; significant population threads extend south and west along highways that radiate from the capital, particularly in the southern half of the country
Geography: Terrain
flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Government: Administrative divisions
6 governorates ( muhafazat , singular - muhafazah ); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir
Government: Capital: etymology
the name comes from the Arabic al-kuwayt , a diminutive of the Hindustani term kut , meaning a fortress-like house
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
29 22 N, 47 58 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Kuwait
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
no
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
not specified
Government: Constitution: amendment process
proposed by the amir or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds consent of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the amir; constitutional articles on the initiation, approval, and promulgation of general legislation cannot be amended
Government: Constitution: history
approved and promulgated 11 November 1962; suspended 1976 to 1981 (4 articles); 1986 to 1991; May to July 1999
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Kuwait
Government: Country name: etymology
the name derives from the capital city, which comes from the Arabic al-kuwayt , itself a diminutive of the Hindustani term kut , meaning a fortress-like house
Government: Country name: local long form
Dawlat al Kuwayt
Government: Country name: local short form
Al Kuwayt
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Steven R. BUTLER (since July 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
KuwaitACS@state.gov https://kw.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
P.O. Box 77, Safat 13001
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[00] (965) 2538-0282
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
6200 Kuwait Place, Washington DC 20521-6200
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[00] (965) 2259-1001
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador AL-ZAIN Sabah Naser Saud Al-Sabah (since 19 April 2023)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general
Beverly Hills (CA), New York
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
info@kuwaitembassy.us https://www.kuwaitembassy.us/
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 966-8468
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 966-0702
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by the amir
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
Amir MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 16 December 2023)
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
amir chosen from within the ruling family, confirmed by the National Assembly; prime minister appointed by the amir
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Prime Minister AHMAD ABDULLAH Al-Ahmad al Sabah (since 15 May 2024)
Government: Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a black trapezoid based on the left side meaning: green stands for fertile fields, white for purity, red for blood on Kuwaiti swords, and black for defeating the enemy history: colors and design are based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I
Government: International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Government: International organization participation
ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CD, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, Paris Club (associate), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges); Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (organized into several circuits, each with 5 judges)
Government: Judicial branch: judge selection and term of office
all Kuwaiti judges appointed by the Amir on recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, a consultative body comprised of Kuwaiti judges and Ministry of Justice officials
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
High Court of Appeal; Court of First Instance; Summary Court
Government: Legal system
mixed system consisting of English common law, French civil law, and Islamic sharia law
Government: Legislative branch: expected date of next election
April 2028
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 1978; the anthem is only used on formal occasions
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Ahmad MUSHARI al-Adwani/Ibrahim Nasir al-SOULA
Government: National color(s)
green, white, red, black
Government: National holiday
National Day, 25 February (1950)
Government: National symbol(s)
golden falcon
Government: Political parties
none; the government does not recognize any political parties or allow their formation, although no formal law bans political parties
Government: Suffrage
21 years of age and at least 20-year citizenship
Introduction: Background
Kuwait has been ruled by the AL-SABAH dynasty since the 18th century. The threat of Ottoman invasion in 1899 prompted Amir Mubarak AL-SABAH to seek protection from Britain, ceding foreign and defense responsibility to Britain until 1961, when the country attained its independence. Iraq attacked and overran Kuwait in 1990. After several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault in 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. In 1992, the Amir reconstituted the parliament that he had dissolved in 1986. Amid the 2010-11 uprisings and protests across the Arab world, stateless Arabs known as Bidoon staged small protests demanding citizenship, jobs, and other benefits available to Kuwaiti nationals. Other demographic groups, notably Islamists and Kuwaitis from tribal backgrounds, soon joined the growing protest movements, which culminated with the resignation of the prime minister amid allegations of corruption. Demonstrations renewed in 2012 in response to a decree amending the electoral law that lessened the voting power of the tribal blocs. An opposition coalition of Sunni Islamists, tribal populists, and some liberals largely boycotted legislative elections in 2012 and 2013, which ushered in a legislature more amenable to the government's agenda. Faced with the prospect of painful subsidy cuts, oppositionists and independents actively participated in the 2016 election, winning nearly half the seats, but the opposition became increasingly factionalized. Between 2006 and his death in 2020, the Amir dissolved the National Assembly on seven occasions and shuffled the cabinet over a dozen times, usually citing political stagnation and gridlock between the legislature and the government. The current Amir, who assumed his role in 2020, launched a "National Dialogue" in 2021 meant to resolve political gridlock. As part of this initiative, the Amir pardoned several opposition figures who had been living in exile, and they returned to Kuwait. Legislative challenges remain, and the cabinet has been reshuffled six times since 2020.
Military and Security: Military - note
the Kuwaiti Armed Forces (KAF) are responsible for defending Kuwait's sovereignty and territory; Kuwait’s security concerns include regional threats from state and non-state actors, maritime security, and terrorism; the KAF participates in bilateral and multilateral exercises, as well as a limited number of multinational security operations such as maritime patrols in the Persian Gulf; it also provided a few fighter aircraft to the Saudi-led coalition intervention in Yemen in 2015; the KAF is part of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region Kuwait's key security partner since the 1991 Gulf War has been the US; the US maintains thousands of military personnel as well as logistics and training facilities in Kuwait as part of mutual cooperation agreements signed in 1991 and 2013; the KAF conducts bilateral exercises with the US military and would look to US assistance in the event of an external attack; Kuwait has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
Kuwait Armed Forces (KAF): Kuwait Army (aka Kuwait Land Forces, KLF), Kuwait Navy (aka Kuwait Naval Force), Kuwait Air Force; Kuwait National Guard (KNG) Ministry of Interior: Kuwait Police, State Security, Kuwait Coast Guard (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 17,000 active Kuwait Armed Forces; approximately 7,000 National Guard (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory consists of armaments from Western Europe, Russia, and particularly the US (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
5.01% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
5.89% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
5.61% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
5.19% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
5.32% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
6.47% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
6.35% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
4.51% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
4.77% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
4.84% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 12-month compulsory service for men aged 18-35; mandatory service is divided into two phases – 4 months for training and 8 months for military service (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
23% (male 376,415/female 346,190)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
73.4% (male 1,386,349/female 917,465)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
3.6% (2024 est.) (male 47,778/female 64,158)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
17.36 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
2.8% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
4.96% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
5.1 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
19.7 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
36 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
30.9 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
6.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
13.8% national budget (2025 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
6.44% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Kuwaiti 30.4%, other Arab 27.4%, Asian 40.3%, African 1%, other 0.9% (includes European, North American, South American, and Australian) (2018 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
1.07 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
5.8% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
9.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.10% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
2.3 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
6.9 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
7.4 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
7.0 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
People and Society: Languages: major-language sample(s)
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
85.4 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
83.8 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: female
95.3% (2020 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: male
97.1% (2020 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: total population
96.46% (2020 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
3.298 million KUWAIT (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
28.9 years
People and Society: Median age: male
31.1 years
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Kuwaiti
People and Society: Net migration rate
-4.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
37.9% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
2.27 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
People and Society: Population
4,897,263 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
densest settlement is along the Persian Gulf, particularly in Kuwait City and on Bubiyan Island; significant population threads extend south and west along highways that radiate from the capital, particularly in the southern half of the country
People and Society: Population growth rate
0.90% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
1,345,237
People and Society: Population: male
1,827,274
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
16 years (2015 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
13 years (2015 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
15 years (2015 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.09 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.51 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.74 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
1.36 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
1.9% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
34.9% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
22.4% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
1.56 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
100.00% (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
1,271 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons
92,000 (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
6 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
9K
Transportation: Heliports
20 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
general cargo 15, oil tanker 28, other 133
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
176 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Al Kuwayt, Doha Harbor, Mina Abd Allah, Mina Al Ahmadi, Mina Ash Shuaybah, Mina Az Zawr
Transportation: Ports: large
0
Transportation: Ports: medium
2
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
4
Transportation: Ports: small
1
Transportation: Ports: total ports
6 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
3
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.