Kuwait

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 49,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)

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)

Internet country code

.kw

Internet users

percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 573,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 8.11 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 168 (2023 est.)

Agricultural products

dates, eggs, milk, tomatoes, chicken, lamb/mutton, cucumbers/gherkins, vegetables, maize, eggplants (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on food: 19.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

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

Current account balance

$46.703 billion (2024 est.) $51.396 billion (2023 est.) $63.078 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic 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

Exchange rates

Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.307 (2024 est.) 0.307 (2023 est.) 0.306 (2022 est.) 0.302 (2021 est.) 0.306 (2020 est.)

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

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, hydrocarbons, plastics (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

China 25%, India 13%, Japan 13%, Taiwan 7%, UK 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$160.227 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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

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

Imports - commodities

cars, natural gas, garments, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 18%, UAE 10%, USA 9%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Japan 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-5.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (2024 est.) 3.6% (2023 est.) 4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

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

Public debt

9.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$225.947 billion (2024 est.) $231.884 billion (2023 est.) $235.815 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

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

$45,400 (2024 est.) $47,800 (2023 est.) $51,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

0% of GDP (2024 est.) 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$50.728 billion (2024 est.) $52.619 billion (2023 est.) $52.462 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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)

total: 15.4% (2024 est.) male: 9.3% (2024 est.) female: 28.9% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Coal

consumption: 60,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 11 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 152,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

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.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 97.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

389.848 million Btu/person (2023 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.)

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.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

100.459 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 149,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 48.723 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 51.587 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Environmental issues

limited natural freshwater resources; air and water pollution; desertification; loss of biodiversity

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 signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Convention

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.)

Methane emissions

energy: 819.9 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 7.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 256.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 0.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

54.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 448.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 23.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 778.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.75 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15.4% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 17,818 sq km land: 17,818 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate

dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Coastline

499 km

Elevation

highest point: 3.6 km W. of Al-Salmi Border Post 300 m lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m mean elevation: 108 m

Geographic coordinates

29 30 N, 45 45 E

Geography - note

strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Irrigated land

100 sq km (2015)

Land boundaries

total: 475 km border countries (2): Iraq 254 km; Saudi Arabia 221 km

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.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Arabian Aquifer System

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Natural resources

petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

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

Terrain

flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Administrative divisions

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

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

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

Constitution

history: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962; suspended 1976 to 1981 (4 articles); 1986 to 1991; May to July 1999 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 note: in 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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d Affaires Steven R. BUTLER (since July 2025) embassy: P.O. Box 77, Safat 13001 mailing address: 6200 Kuwait Place, Washington DC 20521-6200 telephone: [00] (965) 2259-1001 FAX: [00] (965) 2538-0282 email address and website: KuwaitACS@state.gov https://kw.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador AL-ZAIN Sabah Naser Saud Al-Sabah (since 19 April 2023) chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8468 email address and website: info@kuwaitembassy.us https://www.kuwaitembassy.us/ consulate(s) general: Beverly Hills (CA), New York

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

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 type

constitutional monarchy (emirate)

Independence

19 June 1961 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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

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) 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 subordinate courts: High Court of Appeal; Court of First Instance; Summary Court

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

expected date of next election: April 2028 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

National anthem(s)

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

National color(s)

green, white, red, black

National holiday

National Day, 25 February (1950)

National symbol(s)

golden falcon

Political parties

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

Suffrage

21 years of age and at least 20-year citizenship

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 - 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 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) note 1: the Emiri Guard Authority and the 25th Commando Brigade are special units within the KAF that exercise independent command authority, 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

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 17,000 active Kuwait Armed Forces; approximately 7,000 National Guard (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory consists of armaments from Western Europe, Russia, and particularly the US (2025)

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.)

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) 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

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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

Birth rate

17.36 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.8% (2023 est.)

Death rate

2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 36 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.9 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 19.7 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

6.4% of GDP (2024 est.) 13.8% national budget (2025 est.)

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.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.07 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

5.8% of GDP (2021) 9.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births

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.

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.6 years (2024 est.) male: 78.1 years female: 81.1 years

Literacy

total population: 96.5% (2020 est.) male: 97.1% (2020 est.) female: 95.3% (2020 est.)

Major urban areas - population

3.298 million KUWAIT (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 30.4 years (2025 est.) male: 31.1 years female: 28.9 years

Nationality

noun: Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti

Net migration rate

-4.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

37.9% (2016)

Physician density

2.27 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

total: 3,172,511 (2025 est.) male: 1,827,274 female: 1,345,237

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

Population growth rate

1.07% (2025 est.)

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

Sanitation facility access

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years (2015 est.) male: 13 years (2015 est.) female: 16 years (2015 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.)

Tobacco use

total: 22.4% (2025 est.) male: 34.9% (2025 est.) female: 1.9% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.19 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 1,271 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 92,000 (2024 est.)

Airports

6 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9K

Heliports

20 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 176 (2023) by type: general cargo 15, oil tanker 28, other 133

Ports

total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 1 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Al Kuwayt, Doha Harbor, Mina Abd Allah, Mina Al Ahmadi, Mina Ash Shuaybah, Mina Az Zawr