Map of Kuwait | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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
Country comparison total: 475 km
Country comparison border countries: (2) Iraq 254 km; Saudi Arabia 221 km

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.)
Agricultural land forest: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 91.1% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 100 km² (2015)

Major rivers

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

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 450 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 780 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 20 million m³ (2020 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
Total: 3,138,355
Male: 1,810,542
Female: 1,327,813 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 1.1% (2024 est.)

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: دليل جيوس العالمي، المصدر الذي لا غنى عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

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: 23% (male 376,415/female 346,190)
15-64 years: 73.4% (male 1,386,349/female 917,465)
65 years and over: 3.6% (2024 est.) (male 47,778/female 64,158)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 34.4
Youth dependency ratio: 28.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 6
Potential support ratio: 24.9 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 30.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 31.1 years
Female: 28.9 years

Population growth rate: 1.1% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 17.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 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 (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 3.298 million KUWAIT (capital) (2023)

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: 64.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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
15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.36 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 78.1 years
Female: 81.1 years

Total fertility rate: 2.21 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: NA

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 2 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 37.9% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 17.9% (2020 est.)
Male: 33.5% (2020 est.)
Female: 2.2% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.5% (2020)

Education expenditures: 6.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

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% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 9.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 29% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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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
Note: on 10 May 2024, Amir Sheikh MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved the National Assembly and suspended several articles of the constitution for up to four years

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 descent only: 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 MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 16 December 2023)
Head of government: Prime Minister AHMAD ABDULLAH Al-Ahmad al Sabah (since 15 May 2024)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by the amir
Elections/appointments: amir chosen from within the ruling family, confirmed by the National Assembly; prime minister appointed by the amir

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 4 April 2024 (next to be held in 2,028)
Elections results: 50 nonpartisan candidates, including 29 opposition candidates; composition - men 63, women 2, percent women 3.1%
Note: in May 2024, Amir Sheikh MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved the National Assembly, and some powers held by the National Assembly were assumed by the government

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador AL-ZAIN Sabah Naser Saud Al-Sabah (since 19 April 2023)
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: info@kuwaitembassy.us; [link]
In the us consulates general: Beverly Hills (CA), New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires James HOLTSNIDER (since July 2021)
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: KuwaitACS@state.gov; [link]

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/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: small, high-income, oil-based Middle East economy; renewable energy proponent; regional finance and investment leader; maintains oldest sovereign wealth fund; emerging space and tourism industries; mid-way through 25-year development program

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $219.06 billion (2023 est.); $224.057 billion (2022 est.); $211.099 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: -2.23% (2023 est.); 6.14% (2022 est.); 1.7% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $50,800 (2023 est.); $52,500 (2022 est.); $49,700 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 40.6% (2019 est.)
Government consumption: 24.8% (2019 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24.6% (2019 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 52.3% (2019 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -44.1% (2019 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.4% (2022 est.)
Industry: 67% (2022 est.)
Services: 43.6% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: tomatoes, dates, cucumbers/gherkins, eggs, milk, chicken, lamb/mutton, vegetables, potatoes, eggplants (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 8.05% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 2.463 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 2.08% (2023 est.); 2.12% (2022 est.); 3% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 15% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 9.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 29% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $44.254 billion (2015 est.)
Expenditures: $59.584 billion (2015 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants and social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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

Public debt: 20.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

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

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.64% (2023 est.); 3.98% (2022 est.); 3.42% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

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: $51.396 billion (2023 est.); $63.078 billion (2022 est.); $34.943 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $95.476 billion (2023 est.); $110.923 billion (2022 est.); $77.121 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 24%, India 15%, South Korea 11%, Japan 9%, Taiwan 7% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, hydrocarbons, natural gas, acyclic alcohols (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $63.43 billion (2023 est.); $55.909 billion (2022 est.); $48.954 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: UAE 20%, China 16%, Saudi Arabia 9%, US 7%, Japan 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: cars, gold, jewelry, garments, packaged medicine (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $52.619 billion (2023 est.); $52.462 billion (2022 est.); $49.525 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: (2017)

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% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 20.25 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 78.703 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 7.727 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 145,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 77,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 2.91 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 372,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 101.5 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 19.285 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 26.083 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 7.988 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.784 trillion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 100.596 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 337,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 49.09 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 51.169 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 402.03 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 573,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 7.726 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 181 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 5% of GDP (2023 est.); 4.5% of GDP (2022 est.); 6.8% of GDP (2021 est.); 6.3% of GDP (2020 est.); 5.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Kuwait Armed Forces (KAF): Kuwait Land Forces (KLF), Kuwait Navy, Kuwait Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya; includes Kuwait Air Defense Force, KADF), 25th Commando Brigade, and the Kuwait Emiri Guard Authority; Kuwait National Guard (KNG) (2024)
Note 1: the Emiri Guard Authority and the 25th Commando Brigade exercise independent command authority within the KAF, although activities such as training and equipment procurement are often coordinated with the other services; the 25th Commando Brigade is Kuwait's leading special forces unit; the Emiri Guard Authority (aka Emiri Guard Brigade) is responsible for protecting Kuwait's heads of state
Note 2: the National Guard reports directly to the prime minister and the amir and possesses an independent command structure, equipment inventory, and logistics corps separate from the Ministry of Defense, the regular armed services, and the Ministry of Interior; it is responsible for protecting critical infrastructure and providing support for the Ministries of Interior and Defense as required
Note 3: the police, Kuwait State Security, and Coast Guard are under the Ministry of Interior

Military service age and obligation: 18-55 years of age for voluntary military service; Kuwait reintroduced 12-month mandatory service for men aged 18-35 in May 2017 after having suspended conscription in 2001; mandatory service is divided in two phases – 4 months for training and 8 months for military service; women were allowed to volunteer in 2021 (2023)
Note: the National Guard is restricted to citizens, but in 2018, the Army began allowing non-Kuwaitis to join on contract or as non-commissioned officers; that same year, it also began allowing stateless people (Bidoon) to join

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 44
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 6,464,847 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 392.36 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 9K

Airports: 6 (2024)

Heliports: 20 (2024)

Pipelines: 261 km gas, 540 km oil, 57 km refined products (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 5,749 km (201)
Paved: 4,887 km
Unpaved: 862 km (2018)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Stateless persons: 92,000 (2022)
Note: Kuwait's 1959 Nationality Law defined citizens as persons who settled in the country before 1920 and who had maintained normal residence since then; one-third of the population, descendants of Bedouin tribes, missed the window of opportunity to register for nationality rights after Kuwait became independent in 1961 and were classified as bidun (meaning 'without'); since the 1980s Kuwait's bidun have progressively lost their rights, including opportunities for employment and education, amid official claims that they are nationals of other countries who have destroyed their identification documents in hopes of gaining Kuwaiti citizenship; Kuwaiti authorities have delayed processing citizenship applications and labeled biduns as 'illegal residents,' denying them access to civil documentation, such as birth and marriage certificates

Illicit drugs