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.

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): (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

Land use
Agricultural land: 8.4% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
Forest: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Other: 91.2% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 100 km² (2015)

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

Population
Total: 3,138,355 (2024 est.)
Male: 1,810,542
Female: 1,327,813
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
Growth rate: 1.1% (2024 est.)

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken
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.

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

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: 36.2 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 31.4 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 4.9 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 20.6 (2024 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.)

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)

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.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 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.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.8% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.2% (2024 est.); 2.2% (2023 est.); 2.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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 comes from the Arabic al-kuwayt, a diminutive of the Hindustani term kut, meaning a fortress-like house

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

Legal system: mixed 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

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
Election/appointment process: amir chosen from within the ruling family, confirmed by the National Assembly; prime minister appointed by the amir

Legislative branch
Expected date of next election: April 2,028
Note: the unicameral National Assembly was dissolved on 10 May 2024 by Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad AL-SABAH for a period of up to four years; the Emir and cabinet officials have assumed the role of the parliament

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a black trapezoid based on the left side

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

Real gdp growth rate: -2.6% (2024 est.); -1.7% (2023 est.); 6.8% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: -2.6% (2024 est.); -1.7% (2023 est.); 6.8% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 32.6% (2022 est.)
Government consumption: 20.7% (2022 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16.1% (2022 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.8% (2022 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 60.4% (2022 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -30.5% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.5% (2024 est.)
Industry: 57.1% (2024 est.)
Services: 55.9% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: -5.2% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 3.003 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 2.2% (2024 est.); 2.2% (2023 est.); 2.2% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.2% (2024 est.); 2.2% (2023 est.); 2.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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

Exports: $89.71 billion (2024 est.); $95.476 billion (2023 est.); $110.923 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, hydrocarbons, plastics (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $61.521 billion (2024 est.); $63.43 billion (2023 est.); $55.909 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: cars, natural gas, garments, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 20.294 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 78.047 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 7.516 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 97.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 60,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 11 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 152,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 2.91 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 430,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 101.5 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 19.207 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 26.296 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 8.433 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.784 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 100.459 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 149,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 48.723 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 51.587 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 389.848 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 573,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 8.11 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 181 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 49,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 4.9% of GDP (2024 est.); 4.8% of GDP (2023 est.); 4.5% of GDP (2022 est.); 6.5% of GDP (2021 est.); 6.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 6 (2025)

Heliports: 20 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 176 (2023)
By type: general cargo 15, oil tanker 28, other 133