Reuters AlertNet
Kuwait
Kuwait
 
Small country map\n© Microsoft Virtual Earth
  Chart stats by country
  Find out who works here
Capital: Kuwait
Area size: 17820 sq. km Slightly smaller than Wales
Time zone: GMT +3
Currency: Kuwaiti dinar
Area code: (+) 965
Driving: Right
Climate description: The land is flat, apart from a few ranges of dunes. The inland is desert with just one oasis, the Al-Jahrah. The coast is low and uniform. The city and port of Kuwait is located in the only deep-water harbour. Summers are hot, tempered by ocean currents. Winters are warm with frequent dust and sand storms
 

People
Standard of living
Economy & aid
Health
Disasters, conflict & migration
Language
Arabic
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population
2007 2.8 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006 2.8 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2005 2.7 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2004 2.6 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2003 2.5 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2002 2.4 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2001 2.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2000 2.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
5.4 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2006)

Ethnic groups
Kuwaitis, of Arab descent, account for less than half of the population. Immigrant workers of Palestinian, Egyptian, Iranian, Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, Filipino and other origins make up about 60 percent of the population.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Muslim 85 percent, of which Sunni make up 70 percent and Shia 30 percent. Christians and Hindus make up most of the remaining 15 percent of the population.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population
2007 98.3 percent U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006 98.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2005 98.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2004 98.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2003 98.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2002 98.2 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2001 98.2 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2000 98.2 percent U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
2005
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
83 (2006)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15
2005 23.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 24.5 percent U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report 2006
2003 24.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 26.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 26.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 31.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002


Average life expectancy
2005 77.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 77.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 76.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 76.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 76.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 76.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male
2005 75.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 75.4 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 75.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 74.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 74.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 74.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female
2005 79.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 79.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 79.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 78.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 78.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 78.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality
2006 9 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 9 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 10 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 8 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 9 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 9 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 9 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
2006 11 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 11 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 12 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 9 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 10 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Births attended by skilled personnel
1997-2005 No data available percent
1996-2004 98 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003 98 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 98 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001 98 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000 98 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality
2005 4 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000 5 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)
2005 33 UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 33 UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 44 UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 44 UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 46 UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 45 UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
2000-2006 10 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005 10 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004 10 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003 10 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 10 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2000 10 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population
2002-2004 average 5 percent U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average 5 percent FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.
Population with access to improved water
No data available percent

Population with access to improved sanitation
No data available percent

Literacy - average
2004 93.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 82.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 No data available percent
2001 82.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 82.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male
2004 94.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 84.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 84.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 84.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 84.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female
2004 91.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 81.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 81.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 80.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 79.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones
2007 187 per 1,000 people International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2008
2006 187 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2005 188 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2004 191 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2003 193 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2002 198 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2001 202 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2000 210 per 1,000 people ITU 2008

Cellular telephone subscribers
2007 973 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2006 915 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2005 848 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2004 767 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2003 562 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2002 503 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2001 375 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2000 214 per 1,000 people ITU 2008

Internet users
2007 316 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2006 289 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2005 261 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2004 230 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2003 225 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2002 103 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2001 86 per 1,000 people ITU 2008
2000 67 per 1,000 people ITU 2008

Transparency International corruption ranking (1=least corrupt, 179=most corrupt)
2008 65 (joint) Transparency International 2008
2007 60 Transparency International 2007
2006 46 (joint) Transparency International
2005 45 Transparency International
2004 44 (joint) Transparency International
2003 35 (joint) Transparency International
2002 Not ranked
2001 Not ranked
2000 Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method
2006 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 30630 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 24540 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 20050 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 17590 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 17320 current US$ WorldBankDataProfileTables2008
2000 16790 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country’s exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.
GDP
2006 No data available current US$ billions
2005 80.8 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 59.3 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 47.8 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 38.1 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 34.9 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 37.7 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual GDP growth
2006   percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 8.5  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 6.2  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 13.4  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 5.1  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 0.7  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 4.7  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation
2006   percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 24.5  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 15.4  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 8.5  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 3.0  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 -8.2  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 20.5  percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available

Physicians
2000-2004 153 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004 153 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003 160 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002 160 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent

Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO

TB cases
2006 24 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2005 24 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2004 25 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2003 25 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2002 26 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2001 27 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2000 28 per 100,000 people WHO 2008

Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

Number of refugees originating here
2007 746 UNHCR
2006 617 Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005 381 UNHCR
2004 390 UNHCR
2003 616 UNHCR
2002 709 UNHCR
2001 701 UNHCR
2000 692 UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here
2007 159 UNHCR
2006 50 UNHCR
2005 1523 UNHCR
2004 1519 UNHCR
2003 1518 UNHCR
2002 1521 UNHCR
2001 1255 UNHCR
2000 2776 UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
No data available

Landmine casualties per year
2004 At least 20 Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003 2 Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (2007)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
2005 4.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 7.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 9.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 10.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 11.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 8.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of GDP spent on education
2002-2005 5.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004 8.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Percentage of GDP spent on health
2004 2.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004 2.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002 2.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 3.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 2.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003


AlertNet makes every effort to ensure statistics are updated from the relevant sources as soon as they are available.


Unlike some other content on this website, the written content in this article may be republished or redistributed by any means free of charge. Any use of photographs and graphics on this website is expressly prohibited. You must check whether written content contained in other articles on this website may be republished or redistributed without the express permission of Reuters or the relevant third party provider.

Related articles

Breaking stories
  -  IRAQ: Budget cuts threaten IDP housing projects
Source: IRIN (1 minute ago)

 -  Gulf OPEC to ignore Iran oil supply cut call-source
Source: Reuters (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight
  -  MEDIAWATCH: Food summit thwarts hope
Source: AlertNet (1 minute ago)

Blogs
  -  Yes, people over 50 have sex too
Source: AlertNet (1 minute ago)

Maps
  -  MAP: Global Incidence of H5N1 Virus
Source: WFP (1 minute ago)


Briefings

 -  AIDS in M.East
More briefings

Back to Top 

Home > Kuwait
Help | Copyright | Privacy | Full site | © 2006 Reuters