2021 Edition

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. 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.

Area

land

17,818 sq km

total

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

105 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Iraq 254 km, Saudi Arabia 221 km

total

475 km

Land use

agricultural land

8.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 7.6% (2018 est.)

forest

0.4% (2018 est.)

other

91.1% (2018 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

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.)

Birth rate

17.9 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3% (2014)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

5% (2018)

Death rate

2.23 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

4

potential support ratio

24.9 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

32.4

youth dependency ratio

28.4

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 100% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

6.6% of GDP (2020)

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.)

Hospital bed density

2 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

7.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

7.89 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

female

80.43 years (2021 est.)

male

77.44 years

total population

78.9 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

95.4% (2020)

male

97.1%

total population

96.5%

Major urban areas - population

3.177 million KUWAIT (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

12 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

27.9 years (2020 est.)

male

30.7 years

total

29.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Kuwaiti

noun

Kuwaiti(s)

Net migration rate

-3.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

37.9% (2016)

Physicians density

2.65 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

3,032,065 (July 2021 est.)

note

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

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

1.2% (2021 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 74.6%, Christian 18.2%, other and unspecified 7.2% (2013 est.)

note

note: data represent the total population; about 72% of the population consists of immigrants

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 100% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2015)

male

13 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.38 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.25 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

30% (2016 est.)

male

9.4%

total

15.4%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

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

geographic coordinates

29 22 N, 47 58 E

name

Kuwait City

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

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

history

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

Country name

conventional long form

State of Kuwait

conventional short form

Kuwait

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

local long form

Dawlat al Kuwayt

local short form

Al Kuwayt

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Alina L. ROMANOWSKI (since 6 January 2020)

email address and website

KuwaitACS@state.govhttps://kw.usembassy.gov/

embassy

P.O. Box 77, Safat 13001

FAX

[00] (965) 2538-0282

mailing address

6200 Kuwait Place, Washington DC  20521-6200

telephone

[00] (965) 2259-1001

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 10 October 2001)

consulate(s) general

Beverly Hills (CA), New York

email address and website

https://www.kuwaitembassy.us/

FAX

[1] (202) 966-8468

telephone

[1] (202) 966-0702

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by the amir

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

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

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 

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

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

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

Legal system

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

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)

election results

all candidates ran as independents, though nearly half were oppositionists; composition - men 50, women 0, percent of women 0%

elections

last held on 5 December 2020 (next to be held in 2024)

note

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% 

National anthem

lyrics/music

Ahmad MUSHARI al-Adwani/Ibrahim Nasir al-SOULA

name

"Al-Nasheed Al-Watani" (National Anthem)

note

note: adopted 1978; the anthem is only used on formal occasions

National holiday

National Day, 25 February (1950)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties and leaders

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

Agricultural products

eggs, dates, tomatoes, cucumbers, poultry, milk, mutton, potatoes, vegetables, eggplants

Budget

expenditures

62.6 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

50.5 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-10% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AA (2008)

Moody's rating

A1 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating

AA- (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$5.056 billion (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

$7.127 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$38.34 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$47.24 billion (31 December 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.

Exchange rates

currency

Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

0.2845 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

0.3009 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

0.304 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

0.3037 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.3049 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$85.2 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

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

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, aircraft, natural gas, industrial hydrocarbon products (2019)

Exports - partners

China 20%, South Korea 16%, India 15%, Japan 10%, Taiwan 6%, Vietnam 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

49.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption

24.5% (2017 est.)

household consumption

43.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-47% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

26.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

3.5% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.4% (2017 est.)

industry

58.7% (2017 est.)

services

40.9% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$134.638 billion (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2018

$68.2 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

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

Imports - commodities

cars, broadcasting equipment, natural gas, packaged medicines, jewelry (2019)

Imports - partners

China 14%, United Arab Emirates 12%, United States 10%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Japan 6%, Germany 5%, India 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

2.8% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

3.5% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

1.5% (2017 est.)

Labor force

2.695 million (2017 est.)

note

note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

NA

industry

NA

services

NA

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

Public debt 2016

9.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

20.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017

$206.274 billion (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$208.85 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$209.74 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

-1% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

2.2% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

-3.3% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2017

$50,856 (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2018

$50,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$49,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$31.13 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$33.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

41.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

1.1% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

1.1% (2017 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

30% (2016 est.)

male

9.4%

total

15.4%

Crude oil - exports

479,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

2.807 million bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

101.5 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

57.78 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

18.89 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

65.95 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

21.72 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

5.125 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

17.1 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.784 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

446,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

705,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

915,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1.73 (2020 est.)

total

73,948 (2020)

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

Internet users

percent of population

98.6% (2020 est.)

total

4.26 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line subscriptions are 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular stands at 174 per 100 subscriptions (2019)

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)

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

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

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13.66 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

583,463 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

158.5 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

6,770,346 (2020)

Airports

total

7 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2019)

over 3,047 m

1

total

4

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

total

3

under 914 m

2 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9K

Heliports

4 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 15, oil tanker 28, other 122 (2021)

total

165

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

392.36 million mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

6,464,847 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

44

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Pipelines

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

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi

Roadways

paved

4,887 km (2018)

total

5,749 km (2018)

unpaved

862 km (2018)

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

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

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 and security service personnel strengths

the Kuwaiti Armed Forces have approximately 17,000 active personnel (12,500 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,500 Air Force); approximately 6,500 National Guard; note – Army figures include the Kuwait Emiri Guard Authority (est. 500) and the 25th Commando Brigade (N/A) (2021)

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 expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

5.8% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

5.6% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

5.1% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

5.6% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

6.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

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)

Disputes - 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

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

98.73 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

6.21 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

57.17 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

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

Land use

agricultural land

8.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 7.6% (2018 est.)

forest

0.4% (2018 est.)

other

91.1% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Arabian Aquifer System

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

20 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

778.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

23.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

448.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1.75 million tons (2010 est.)