Kuwait - Economic Indicators

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. In 2015, Kuwait, for the first time in 15 years, realized a budget deficit after decades of high oil prices; in 2016, the deficit grew to 16.5% of GDP. Kuwaiti authorities announced cuts to fuel subsidies in August 2016, provoking...

Continue reading View Factbook for Kuwait

GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Real Private Consumption 2017 12,623 12,261 Mil. 2010 KWD Annual
Private Consumption 2017 15,760 14,950 Mil. KWD Annual
Real Government Consumption 2017 7,543 7,252 Mil. 2010 KWD Annual
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2017 36,260 33,055 Mil. KWD Annual
Investment 2017 10,541 9,903 Mil. KWD Annual
Real Investment 2017 9,258 8,798 Mil. 2010 KWD Annual
Government Consumption 2017 9,114 8,497 Mil. KWD Annual
Real Gross Domestic Product 2017 39,280 40,697 Mil. 2010 KWD Annual
Nominal Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2009 5,479,000,000 6,985,000,000 NCU Annual
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) Sep 2018 113.1 113.2 Index 2013=100, NSA Monthly
Wholesale Price Index Jun 2018 136.4 136.1 Index 2007=100, NSA Monthly
Producer Price Index (PPI) Mar 2017 120.99 120.9 Index 2005=100 Monthly
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Agriculture Employment 2017 79,308 77,550 # Annual
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Exports of Goods 2018 Q2 5,357 4,936 Mil. KWD, NSA Quarterly
Imports of Goods 2018 Q2 2,712 2,626 Mil. KWD, NSA Quarterly
Balance of Goods 2018 Q2 2,645 2,309 Mil. KWD, NSA Quarterly
Real Exports of Goods and Services 2017 25,960 26,835 Mil. 2010 KWD Annual
Exports of Goods and Services 2017 18,269 15,745 Mil. KWD Annual
Imports of Goods and Services 2017 17,426 16,040 Mil. KWD Annual
Real Net Exports 2017 9,854 12,384 Mil. 2010 KWD Annual
Net Exports 2017 843.3 -295.3 Mil. KWD Annual
Real Imports of Goods and Services 2017 16,105 14,450 Mil. 2010 KWD Annual
Current Account Balance 2016 -1,510 1,208 Mil. KWD, NSA Annual
Government Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Outstanding Public Debt Jun 2016 1,737 1,587 Mil. KWD, NSA Monthly
Government Budget Balance Dec 2015 -431.9 86 Mil. KWD, NSA Monthly
Government Revenues Dec 2015 961 996.7 Mil. KWD, NSA Monthly
Government Expenditures Dec 2015 1,392 910.7 Mil. KWD, NSA Monthly
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Money Market Rate 20 Jan 2019 2.5 %, NSA Daily
Lending Rate Dec 2018 3 3 %, NSA Monthly
Average Long-term Government Bond May 2016 2 2.25 %, NSA Monthly
Treasury Bills (over 31 days) Apr 2012 0.76 %, NSA Monthly
Business Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Real Change in Inventories 2017 0 0 KWD Annual
Change in Inventories 2005 425.2 562.1 Mil. KWD Annual
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Net Migration 2017 100,000 # Annual
Population 2017 4,500 4,411 Ths. persons, NSA Annual
Death Rate 2016 2.74 2.68 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Birth Rate 2016 16.42 16.87 # per Ths. pop. Annual

Factbook

Background

Central Intelligence Agency

Geography

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
29 30 N, 45 45 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 17,818 sq km
land: 17,818 sq km
water: 0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 158
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Area comparison map:
Land boundaries:
total: 475 km
border countries (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:
mean elevation: 108 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: 3.6 km W. of Al-Salmi Border Post 300 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Land use:
agricultural land: 8.5%
arable land 0.6%; permanent crops 0.3%; permanent pasture 7.6%
forest: 0.4%
other: 91.1% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
105 sq km (2012)
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
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping
Geography - note:
strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People & Society

Population:
2,875,422 (July 2017 est.)
note: Kuwait's Public Authority for Civil Information estimates the country's total population to be 4,437,590 for 2017, with immigrants accounting for more than 69.5%
country comparison to the world: 139
Nationality:
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti
Ethnic groups:
Kuwaiti 31.3%, other Arab 27.9%, Asian 37.8%, African 1.9%, other 1.1% (includes European, North American, South American, and Australian) (2013 est.)
Languages:
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Religions:
Muslim (official) 76.7%, Christian 17.3%, other and unspecified 5.9%
note: represents the total population; about 69% of the population consists of immigrants (2013 est.)
religious affiliation:
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.02% (male 374,259/female 345,104)
15-24 years: 15.1% (male 238,451/female 195,700)
25-54 years: 52.27% (male 948,902/female 554,050)
55-64 years: 5.07% (male 82,366/female 63,505)
65 years and over: 2.54% (male 33,561/female 39,524) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 29.8
youth dependency ratio: 27.1
elderly dependency ratio: 2.7
potential support ratio: 37.3 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.3 years
male: 30.4 years
female: 27.4 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Population growth rate:
1.46% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Birth rate:
19.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Death rate:
2.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 224
Net migration rate:
-2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
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: 98.4% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 2.29% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
KUWAIT (capital) 2.779 million (2015)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.22 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.72 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.31 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.41 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
4 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.2 years
male: 76.8 years
female: 79.6 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Total fertility rate:
2.4 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Health expenditures:
3% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 182
Physicians density:
2.61 physicians/1,000 population (2015)
Hospital bed density:
2 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 99% of population
rural: 99% of population
total: 99% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1% of population
rural: 1% of population
total: 1% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
<.1% (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
<500 (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
<100 (2016 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
37.9% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 11
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
3% (2014)
country comparison to the world: 120
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.7%
male: 96.4%
female: 94.5% (2016 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2013)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 14.6%
male: N/A
female: N/A (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93

Government

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 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
Government type:
constitutional monarchy (emirate)
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)
Administrative divisions:
6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir
Independence:
19 June 1961 (from the UK)
National holiday:
National Day, 25 February (1950)
Constitution:
history: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962
amendments: proposed by the amir or supported by at least one-third of the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds consent by the Assembly membership and promulgation by the amir; constitutional articles on the initiation, approval, and promulgation of general legislation cannot be amended (2016)
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
Suffrage:
21 years of age and at least 20-year citizenship; universal; note - in early 2017, legislation was introduced to lower the voting age to 18 and instate suffrage for the armed forces and police
Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (born 25 June 1937)
head of government: Prime Minister JABIR AL-MUBARAK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 30 November 2011); First Deputy Prime Minister NASIR al-Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 12 December 2017); Deputy Prime Ministers SABAH al-KHALD al-Sabah (since 4 August 2013), KHALD al-Jarrah al-Sabah (since December 2016), Anas al-SALEH (since 2015)
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
Legislative branch:
description: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (65 seats; 50 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 15 ex-officio members - cabinet ministers - appointed by the prime minister; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 26 November 2016 (next to be held in 2020)
election results: seats won - oppositionists and independents, including populists, Islamists, and liberals 26, pro-government loyalists 24
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 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; although the formation of political parties is practically not permitted, their formation is not explicitly forbidden by law
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Islamists; merchants; secular liberals and pro-governmental deputies; Shia activists; tribal populists
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, 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
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence R. SILVERMAN (since 5 October 2016)
embassy: Bayan 36302, Block 13, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City
mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880-9000
telephone: [965] 2259-1001
FAX: [965] 2538-6562
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 symbol(s):
golden falcon; national colors: green, white, red, black
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

Economy - 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.
In 2015, Kuwait, for the first time in 15 years, realized a budget deficit after decades of high oil prices; 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$302.5 billion (2017 est.)
$308.9 billion (2016 est.)
$301.5 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 57
GDP (official exchange rate):
$118.3 billion (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
-2.1% (2017 est.)
2.5% (2016 est.)
2.1% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$69,700 (2017 est.)
$73,100 (2016 est.)
$73,400 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 13
Gross national saving:
24.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
25.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
30.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 43%
government consumption: 24.5%
investment in fixed capital: 28%
investment in inventories: 0%
exports of goods and services: 50.2%
imports of goods and services: -45.7% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 58.7%
services: 40.9% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
fish
Industries:
petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:
-1.5% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
Labor force:
2.695 million
note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
2.1% (2017 est.)
2.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $52.87 billion
expenditures: $61.39 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
44.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-7.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
Public debt:
26.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
17.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2017 est.)
3.5% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
Central bank discount rate:
2.5% (18 December 2017 est.)
1.25% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.2% (31 December 2017 est.)
4.5% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Stock of narrow money:
$33.35 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$31.87 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Stock of broad money:
$121.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$116.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
Stock of domestic credit:
$102.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$98.92 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$81.78 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$83.13 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$99.77 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Current account balance:
$-714 million (2017 est.)
$-4.997 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Exports:
$54.09 billion (2017 est.)
$46.26 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Exports - commodities:
oil and refined products, fertilizers
Exports - partners:
South Korea 16.8%, China 14.4%, Japan 9.6%, India 9.2%, US 7.5%, Singapore 5.6% (2016)
Imports:
$29.36 billion (2017 est.)
$30.82 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Imports - commodities:
food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
Imports - partners:
China 14.1%, US 11.9%, UAE 8.3%, Japan 6.5%, Germany 6.2%, India 5.4%, Italy 5%, Saudi Arabia 4.4%, South Korea 4.4% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$33.13 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$31.13 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Debt - external:
$48.91 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$38.34 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$13.07 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$12.62 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$79.62 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$74.13 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Exchange rates:
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar -
0.3 (2017 est.)
0.3 (2016 est.)
0.3 (2016 est.)
0.3 (2014 est.)
0.28 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
population without electricity: 56,655
electrification - total population: 98%
electrification - urban areas: 98%
electrification - rural areas: 93% (2012)
Electricity - production:
63.84 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
Electricity - consumption:
54.11 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
16 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
Crude oil - production:
2.924 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
Crude oil - exports:
1.656 million bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Crude oil - proved reserves:
101.5 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
Refined petroleum products - production:
920,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
500,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
Refined petroleum products - exports:
400,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Refined petroleum products - imports:
11,900 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Natural gas - production:
16.91 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
Natural gas - consumption:
33.18 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Natural gas - imports:
4 billion cu m (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.798 trillion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
107 million Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 403,234
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 5,392,806
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 188 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Telephone system:
general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a 4G LTE mobile-cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well-supplied with pay telephones; Internet access is available via 4G LTE connections for fixed and mobile users
international: country code - 965; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; coaxial cable and 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) (2018)
Broadcast media:
state-owned TV broadcaster operates 4 networks and a satellite channel; several private TV broadcasters have emerged since 2003; satellite TV available with 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 (2007)
Internet country code:
.kw
Internet users:
total: 2,219,972
percent of population: 78.4% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 3
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 31
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 3,655,366
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 275,777,666 mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
9K (2016)
Airports:
7 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 168
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2013)
Heliports:
4 (2013)
Pipelines:
gas 261 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2013)
Roadways:
total: 6,608 km (2010)
country comparison to the world: 148
Merchant marine:
total: 161
by type: container ship 1, general cargo 18, oil tanker 27, other 115 (2017)
country comparison to the world: 69
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi

Military & Security

Military expenditures:
4.83% of GDP (2015)
3.65% of GDP (2014)
3.27% of GDP (2013)
3.41% of GDP (2012)
3.5% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 9
Military branches:
Kuwaiti Land Forces (KLF), Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya; includes Kuwaiti Air Defense Force, KADF), Kuwaiti National Guard (KNG) (2013)
Military service age and obligation:
17-21 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription suspended (2012)

Transnational Issues

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: 93,000 (2016); 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
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men and women subjected to forced labor and, to a lesser degree, forced prostitution; men and women migrate from South and Southeast Asia, Egypt, the Middle East, and increasingly Africa to work in Kuwait, most of them in the domestic service, construction, and sanitation sectors; although most of these migrants enter Kuwait voluntarily, upon arrival some are subjected to conditions of forced labor by their sponsors and labor agents, including debt bondage; Kuwait’s sponsorship law restricts workers’ movements and penalizes them for running away from abusive workplaces, making domestic workers particularly vulnerable to forced labor in private homes
tier rating: Tier 3 - Kuwait does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making sufficient efforts to do so; although investigations into visa fraud rings lead to the referral of hundreds of people for prosecution, including complicit officials, the government has not prosecuted or convicted any suspected traffickers; authorities made no effort to enforce the prohibition against withholding workers’ passports, as mandated under Kuwaiti law; punishment of forced labor cases was limited to shutting down labor recruitment firms, assessing fines, and ordering the return of withheld passports and the paying of back-wages; the government made progress in victims’ protection by opening a high-capacity shelter for runaway domestic workers but still lacks formal procedures to identify and refer victims to care services (2015)

Economic Indicators for Kuwait including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Kuwait economy.