Kuwait

AsiaCapital city: Kuwait CityCapital metro: Kuwait CityMonarch: πŸ‘‘ Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-SabahPrime Minister: Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah
2026 population
4.9M
Rank #130 globally
Area
18k kmΒ² (7k sq mi)
Metros tracked
1
95% of population in metros
Composite score
19.5
Rank #69 globally
At a glance
Official language
Arabic
Currency
Kuwaiti dinar (Ψ―.Ωƒ)
Government
Constitutional monarchy
Legislature
National Assembly of Kuwait
Demonym
Kuwaiti
Time zone
UTC+03:00
Driving side
Right
Calling code
+965
Internet TLD
.kw
ISO 3166
KW
Established
1991
Highest point
Mutla Ridge (140 m (459 ft))
National anthem
National Anthem of Kuwait

Facts via Wikidata.

Economy and developmentHigh income
Human Dev. Index
#51 / 192
0.852
World Bank Β· 2023
GDP
#58 / 194
$157.2B
World Bank Β· 2025
GDP per capita
#40 / 194
$32.3k
World Bank Β· 2025
GDP/capita (PPP)
#37 / 191
$52.4k
World Bank Β· 2024
GNI/capita (Atlas)
#28 / 193
$41.1k
World Bank Β· 2024
Life expectancy
β˜… #3 / 195
84.6 yrs
World Bank Β· 2024
Median age
34.5 yrs
World Bank Β· 2023
Urban population
β˜… #2 / 195
100%
World Bank Β· 2025
Pop. growth
-0.7%
World Bank Β· 2025
Pop. density
#32 / 194
272/kmΒ²
World Bank Β· 2023
Foreign-born
β˜… #5 / 194
67.3%
World Bank Β· 2024
Rule of law
#72 / 175
0.69
World Bank Β· 2025
Internet users
β˜… #3 / 194
100%
World Bank Β· 2025
Inflation
#72 / 186
2.4%
World Bank Β· 2025

Ranks are among sovereign countries with data; β˜… marks a top-5% finish. Sources: World Bank Open Data and Our World in Data (UNDP, UN, V-Dem; CC BY 4.0). Each figure is the most recent year available.

Alliances & Organisations5 full memberships

Political & Economic

Energy

Full memberDashed border = Candidate / ApplicantItalic = Dialogue / Observer

Leadership History30 leaders Β· click to expand

Al Sabah Emirate

Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah✦ Current

2024–Present

Prime Minister

Tenure: in office

Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah

2026–2024

Prime Minister

Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah

2024–2026

Prime Minister

Tenure: 2y 2m 10d

Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah

2024–2024

Prime Minister

πŸ‘‘ Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah✦ Current

2023–Present

Monarch

Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah

2022–2024

Prime Minister

πŸ‘‘ Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

2020–2023

Monarch

Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah

2019–2022

Prime Minister

Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah

2011–2019

Prime Minister

Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah

2006–2011

Prime Minister

πŸ‘‘ Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

2006–2020

Monarch

πŸ‘‘ Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah

2006–2006

Monarch

Tenure: 9 days

Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

2003–2006

Prime Minister

Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah

1978–2003

Prime Minister

πŸ‘‘ Jaber III Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

1977–2006

Monarch

Jaber III Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

1965–1978

Prime Minister

πŸ‘‘ Sabah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah

1965–1977

Monarch

Sabah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah

1963–1965

Prime Minister

Abdullah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah

1962–1963

Prime Minister

πŸ‘‘ Abdullah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah

1950–1965

Monarch

Al Sabah dynasty

πŸ‘‘ Ahmad al-Jaber

1921–1950

Monarch

Tenure: 28y 10m 27d

πŸ‘‘ Salim

1917–1921

Monarch

Tenure: 4y 1m 24d

πŸ‘‘ Jaber II

1915–1917

Monarch

Tenure: 1y 2m 8d

πŸ‘‘ Mubarak the Great

1896–1915

Monarch

Tenure: 19y 6m 10d

πŸ‘‘ Muhammad I

1892–1896

Monarch

Tenure: 4y 4m 17dyear-level dates

πŸ‘‘ Abdullah II

1866–1892

Monarch

Tenure: 26y 0dyear-level dates

πŸ‘‘ Sabah II

1859–1866

Monarch

Tenure: 7y 0dyear-level dates

πŸ‘‘ Jaber I

1814–1859

Monarch

Tenure: 45y 0dyear-level dates

πŸ‘‘ Abdullah I

1776–1814

Monarch

Tenure: 38y 0dyear-level dates

πŸ‘‘ Sabah I

1752–1776

Monarch

Tenure: 24y 0dyear-level dates
Power over timeThe Power Atlas β†’
Today
Minor#65 Β· 0.2%
3%5%8%10%2000
Power (headline share)Latent (material mass)Recognised (standing)
Kuwait Β· share of world power, 1961–2026

The powerline is the headline share of world power, running from the state’s first ranked year (benchmark estimates with wide error bars before 1816). Latent power is material mass a state could mobilise (population, manpower, heavy industry). Recognised power is what the system actually treats it as (military spending, productive economy, reach, and status such as a Security Council seat or nuclear arsenal). When latent runs above recognised, a power is rising or under-rated; when recognised runs higher, it is punching above its weight or coasting on prestige. Material sub-indices run 1816 through 2016.

Conflicts since 19452 interstate wars Β· click to expand
Persian Gulf War1990–1991
Combat deaths: β€”
Combat deaths: 12,336–19,264

Bold = principal belligerent. Source: Wikipedia, β€œList of interstate wars since 1945.”

National Teams

Kuwait on the international stage. Click a card for the full record.

National Teams Champions

Every major championship won by Kuwait's national teams, newest first. 1 in total.

1980Β· 1980-09-30
Governorates

6 entries listed under Kuwait. Click any to see its metros and footprint.

Kuwait metro footprint

1 metro
Loading map…
1 polygons

Polygons shaded by composite tier. Hover for rank, click to open the metro page. Boundaries derived from Overture Maps administrative divisions; metros without source coverage are omitted.

1 tracked metro