Kuwait
State of KuwaitDawlat al Kuwayt
constitutional monarchy (emirate)Independence 19 June 1961 (from the UK)
Kuwait as the 2021 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 170 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq in August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault in February 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 in early 2011 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 in late 2011 with the resignation of the prime minister amidst allegations of corruption. Demonstrations renewed in late 2012 in response to an amiri 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 November 2016 election, winning nearly half of the seats but a cohesive opposition alliance largely ceased to exist with the 2016 election and the opposition became increasingly factionalized.
Since coming to power in 2006, the Amir has dissolved the National Assembly on seven occasions (the Constitutional Court annulled the Assembly elections in June 2012 and again in June 2013) and shuffled the cabinet over a dozen times, usually citing political stagnation and gridlock between the legislature and the government.
Geography
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
19 fieldsLand useshare of 17,818 sq 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
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)
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
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
People and Society
35 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2020 est.)
Note
Per 1,000 population(2021 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2018 est.)
Religions(2013 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.
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
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.)
Drinking water source
- improved:
- total: 100% of population
- unimproved:
- total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility access
- improved:
- total: 100% of population
- unimproved:
- total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Environment
13 fieldsLand use(2018 est.)
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
Environment - 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
- 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.)
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 100% of total population (2021)
- rate of urbanization:
- 1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)
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.)
Government
Constitutional monarchy (emirate); Amir NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 30 September 2020); Prime Minister JABIR AL-MUBARAK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 30 November 2011)
21 fieldsCountry 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
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
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 descent only:
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Kuwait
- dual citizenship recognized:
- no
- residency requirement for naturalization:
- not specified
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/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%
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)
- chancery:
- 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 966-0702
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 966-8468
- email address and website:
- https://www.kuwaitembassy.us/
- consulate(s) general:
- Beverly Hills (CA), New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Alina L. ROMANOWSKI (since 6 January 2020)
- 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:
- [email protected]; https://kw.usembassy.gov/
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 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
Economy
Kuwait has a geographically small, but wealthy, relatively open economy with crude oil reserves of about 102 billion barrels - more than 6% of world reserves.
33 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2017 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2017 est.)
Budget(2017 est.)
Economic overview
Kuwait has a geographically small, but wealthy, relatively open economy with crude oil reserves of about 102 billion barrels - more than 6% of world reserves. Kuwaiti officials plan to increase production to 4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2020. Petroleum accounts for over half of GDP, 92% of export revenues, and 90% of government income.
With world oil prices declining, Kuwait realized a budget deficit in 2015 for the first time more than a decade; in 2016, the deficit grew to 16.5% of GDP. Kuwaiti authorities announced cuts to fuel subsidies in August 2016, provoking outrage among the public and National Assembly, and the Amir dissolved the government for the seventh time in ten years.
In 2017 the deficit was reduced to 7.2% of GDP, and the government raised $8 billion by issuing international bonds. Despite Kuwait’s dependence on oil, the government has cushioned itself against the impact of lower oil prices, by saving annually at least 10% of government revenue in the Fund for Future Generations.
Kuwait has failed to diversify its economy or bolster the private sector, because of a poor business climate, a large public sector that employs about 74% of citizens, and an acrimonious relationship between the National Assembly and the executive branch that has stymied most economic reforms.
The Kuwaiti Government has made little progress on its long-term economic development plan first passed in 2010. While the government planned to spend up to $104 billion over four years to diversify the economy, attract more investment, and boost private sector participation in the economy, many of the projects did not materialize because of an uncertain political situation or delays in awarding contracts.
To increase non-oil revenues, the Kuwaiti Government in August 2017 approved draft bills supporting a Gulf Cooperation Council-wide value added tax scheduled to take effect in 2018.
Agricultural products
eggs, dates, tomatoes, cucumbers, poultry, milk, mutton, potatoes, vegetables, eggplants
Industries
petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials
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.)
Exports - 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.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$33.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.) · $31.13 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.3049 (2020 est.) · 0.3037 (2019 est.) · 0.304 (2018 est.) · 0.3009 (2014 est.) · 0.2845 (2013 est.)
Energy
23 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2020)
Installed generating capacity, 18.89 million kW(2016 est.)
Communications
7 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2020–21 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- general assessment:
- the quality of service is excellent;
- new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers;
- trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, open-wire, and fiber-optic cable;
- a 4G LTE mobile-cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait;
- Internet access is available via 4G LTE connections for fixed and mobile users;
- high ownership levels of smart phones in Kuwait;
- one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the world;
- exploring 5G opportunities;
- improvements to fiber-broadband underway (2020)
- domestic:
- fixed-line subscriptions are 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular stands at 174 per 100 subscriptions (2019)
- international:
- country code - 965;
- landing points for the FOG, GBICS, MENA, Kuwait-Iran, and FALCON submarine cables linking Africa, the Middle East, and Asia;
- microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia;
- satellite earth stations - 6 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 1 Inmarsat - Atlantic Ocean, and 2 Arabsat) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production;
many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes;
the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
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)
Transportation
10 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
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 mt-km (2018)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi
Military and Security
6 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 100 people · (2021)
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 Emiri Guard Authority and the 25th Commando Brigade exercise independent command authority within the Kuwaiti Armed Forces, although activities such as training and equipment procurement are often coordinated with the other services;
- the Kuwaiti National Guard reports directly to the prime minister and 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
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the inventory of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces consists of a range of European- and US-sourced weapons systems;
- the US is the leading supplier of arms to Kuwait since 2010 (2021)
Military service age and obligation
- 17-21 years of age for voluntary military service;
- Kuwait reintroduced one-year mandatory service for men aged 18-35 in May 2017 after having suspended conscription in 2001;
- service is divided in two phases – four months for training and eight months for military service (2021)
Military - note
- Kuwait has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US;
- MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation;
- while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf
Refugees and internally displaced persons
- stateless persons:
- 92,000 (2020);
- 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Kuwait.” The World Factbook 2021. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/kuwait/2021.