Map of Kuwait | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 17,818 km²
Land: 17,818 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries
Total: 475 km
Border countries: (2) Iraq 254 km; , Saudi Arabia 221 km

Coastline: 499 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation
Highest point: 3.6 km W. of Al-Salmi Border Post 300 m
Lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Mean elevation: 108 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use
Agricultural land: 8.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 0.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 7.6% (2018 est.)
Forest: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Other: 91.1% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 105 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²: Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 448.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Industrial: 23.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 778.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 20 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

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
Note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf


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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: 3,032,065 (July 2021 est.)
Note: Kuwait's Public Authority for Civil Information estimates the country's total population to be 4,420,110 for 2019, with non-Kuwaitis accounting for nearly 70% of the population
Growth rate: 1.2% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Kuwaiti(s)
Adjective: Kuwaiti

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.)

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Major language samples:

Religions: Muslim (official) 74.6%, Christian 18.2%, other and unspecified 7.2% (2013 est.)
Note: data represent the total population; about 72% of the population consists of immigrants

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 24.29% (male 378,778/female 348,512)
15-24 years: 14.96% (male 245,354/female 202,642)
25-54 years: 52.39% (male 984,813/female 583,632)
55-64 years: 5.43% (male 90,583/female 72,026)
65 years and over: 2.92% (male 38,614/female 48,752) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 32.4
Youth dependency ratio: 28.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 4
Potential support ratio: 24.9 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 29.7 years
Male: 30.7 years
Female: 27.9 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.2% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: 17.9 births/1000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate: 2.23 deaths/1000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.65 migrant(s)/1000 population (2021 est.)

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population (2021)
Rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 3.177 million KUWAIT (capital) (2021)

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification; loss of biodiversity
International 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Convention

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 57.17 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 98.73 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 6.21 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.21 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.69 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.26 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.38 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 12 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.6 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 7.89 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 7.29 deaths/1000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.9 years
Male: 77.44 years
Female: 80.43 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.25 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved: total: 100% of population
Unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 5% (2018)

Physicians density: 2.65 physicians/1000 population (2015)

Hospital bed density: 2 beds/1000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved: total: 100% of population
Unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: <.1% (2018 est.)
People living with hivaids: <1000 (2018 est.)
Deaths: <100 (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 37.9% (2016)

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3% (2014)

Education expenditures: 6.6% of GDP (2020)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96.5%
Male: 97.1%
Female: 95.4% (2020)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 16 years (2015)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 15.4%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 9.4%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 30% (2016 est.)


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Country name
Conventional long form: State of Kuwait
Conventional short form: Kuwait
Local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
Local short form: Al Kuwayt
Etymology: the name derives from the capital city, which is from Arabic 'al-Kuwayt' a diminutive of 'kut' meaning 'fortress,' possibly a reference to a small castle built on the current location of Kuwait City by the Beni Khaled tribe in the 17th century

Government type: constitutional monarchy (emirate)

Capital
Name: Kuwait City
Geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name derives from Arabic 'al-Kuwayt' a diminutive of 'kut' meaning 'fortress,' possibly a reference to a small castle built on the current location of Kuwait City by the Beni Khaled tribe in the 17th century

Administrative divisions: 6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir

Dependent areas

Independence: 19 June 1961 (from the UK)

National holiday: National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution
History: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962; suspended 1976 to 1981 (4 articles); 1986 to 1991; May to July 1999
Amendments: 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

Legal system: mixed legal system consisting of English common law, French civil law, and Islamic sharia law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descentonly: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kuwait
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: not specified

Suffrage: 21 years of age and at least 20-year citizenship

Executive branch
Chief of state: Amir NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 30 September 2020); Crown Prince Sheikh MESHAAL Al Ahmad Al Sabah, born in 1940, is the brother of Amir NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah
Head of government:  Prime Minister JABIR AL-MUBARAK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 30 November 2011); First Deputy Prime Minister NASIR Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 11 December 2017); Deputy Prime Ministers SABAH KHALID al-Hamid al-Sabah (since 13 December 2011), KHALID al-Jarrah al-Sabah (since 4 August 2013), Anas Khalid al-SALEH (since 4 August 2013); note - on 14 November 2019, the government of Prime Minister JABIR AL-MUBARAK al-Hamad al-Sabah resigned 
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by the amir
Elections and appointments: amir chosen from within the ruling family, confirmed by the National Assembly; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the amir; crown prince appointed by the amir and approved by the National Assembly

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (65 seats; 50 members directly elected from 5 multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 15 ex-officio members (cabinet ministers) appointed by the amir; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 5 December 2020 (next to be held in 2024)
Election results: all candidates ran as independents, though nearly half were oppositionists; composition - men 50, women 0, percent of women 0%
Election results note: seats as of May 2019 -  oppositionists and independents, including populists, Islamists, and liberals 25, pro-government loyalists 25; composition as of May 2019 for elected members only - men 49, women 1, percent of women 2% 

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges); Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (organized into several circuits, each with 5 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: all Kuwaiti judges appointed by the Amir upon recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, a consultative body comprised of Kuwaiti judges and Ministry of Justice officials
Subordinate courts: High Court of Appeal; Court of First Instance; Summary Court

Political parties and leaders: none; the government does not recognize any political parties or allow their formation, although no formal law bans political parties

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, UNIDO, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 10 October 2001)
In the us chancery: 2,940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 966-8,468
In the us email address and website: [link]
From the us chief of mission: Alina L. ROMANOWSKI (since 6 January 2020)
From the us embassy: P.O. Box 77, Safat 13,001
From the us mailing address: 6,200 Kuwait Place, Washington DC  20,521-6,200
From the us telephone: [00] (965) 2,259-1001
From the us FAX: [00] (965) 2,538-0282
From the us email address and website:

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; colors and design are based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I; green represents fertile fields, white stands for purity, red denotes blood on Kuwaiti swords, black signifies the defeat of the enemy

National symbols: golden falcon; national colors: green, white, red, black

National anthem
Name: 'Al-Nasheed Al-Watani' (National Anthem)
Lyrics and music: Ahmad MUSHARI al-Adwani/Ibrahim Nasir al-SOULA
Note: adopted 1978; the anthem is only used on formal occasions

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: -3.3% (2017 est.)

2.2% (2016 est.)

-1% (2015 est.)

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 43.1% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 24.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 26.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 3.5% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 49.4% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -47% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.4% (2017 est.)
Industry: 58.7% (2017 est.)
Services: 40.9% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: eggs, dates, tomatoes, cucumbers, poultry, milk, mutton, potatoes, vegetables, eggplants

Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 2.695 million (2017 est.)
Note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force
By occupation agriculture: NA
By occupation industry: NA
By occupation services: NA

Unemployment rate: 1.1% (2017 est.)

1.1% (2016 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 15.4%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 9.4%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 30% (2016 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA
Highest 10: NA

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $50.5 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $62.6 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: $-10% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 41.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 20.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

9.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Revenue
From forest resources forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.5% (2017 est.)

3.5% (2016 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $7.127 billion (2017 est.)

-$5.056 billion (2016 est.)

Exports: $72.83 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$85.2 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: China 20%, South Korea 16%, India 15%, Japan 10%, Taiwan 6%, Vietnam 5% (2019)
Commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, aircraft, natural gas, industrial hydrocarbon products (2019)

Imports: $59.65 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$68.2 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: China 14%, United Arab Emirates 12%, United States 10%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Japan 6%, Germany 5%, India 5% (2019)
Commodities: cars, broadcasting equipment, natural gas, packaged medicines, jewelry (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $33.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$31.13 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt external: $47.24 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$38.34 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 65.95 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption: 57.78 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 18.89 million kW (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 2.807 million bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil exports: 479,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves: 101.5 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 915,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption: 446,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports: 705,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 17.1 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption: 21.72 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports: 5.125 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.784 trillion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 583,463 (2020)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13.66 (2020 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 6,770,346 (2020)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 158.5 (2020 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: state-owned TV broadcaster operates 4 networks and a satellite channel; several private TV broadcasters have emerged; 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 emerged in 2005; transmissions of at least 2 international radio broadcasters are available (2019)

Internet
Country code: .kw
Users total: 4.26 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 98.6% (2020 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 73,948 (2020)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.73 (2020 est.)


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Military expenditures: 6.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

5.6% of GDP (2019)

5.1% of GDP (2018)

5.6% of GDP (2017)

5.8% of GDP (2016)

Military and security forces: Kuwaiti Armed Forces: Kuwaiti Land Forces (KLF), Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya; includes Kuwaiti Air Defense Force, KADF), 25th Commando Brigade, and the Kuwait Emiri Guard Brigade; Kuwaiti National Guard (KNG); Coast Guard (Ministry of Interior) (2021)

note(s) - the Kuwait - Transportation 2021