Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
Kuwait
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Facts & Stats
Images, Videos & Interactives
Kuwait Kuwait Kuwait city
Explore the bustling Persian Gulf coast and vibrant nightlife of Kuwait's capital
Kuwait Kuwait Towers Physical features of Kuwait Kuwait city, Kuwait: Kuwait Towers Kuwait: Ethnic composition
For Students
Kuwait summary
Quizzes
Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
The Country Quiz
7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia
Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz
Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz
Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.
Which Country Is Larger? Quiz
Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)
Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz
Related Questions
Read Next
Middle East bee locator map
Are the Middle East and the Near East the Same Thing?
USAF aircraft of the 4th Fighter Wing (F-16, F-15C and F-15E) fly over Kuwaiti oil fires, set by the retreating Iraqi army as part of a scorched earth policy during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm, Desert Shield.
25th Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm
Computer mapping, woman at early 1990s computer
Timeline of the 1990s
Persian Gulf War - Operation Desert Storm U.S. Navy F-14A Tomcat flying over burning oil wells set on fire by Iraqi forces in Kuwait, February 1991. Fighter airplane
Persian Gulf War Timeline
Iraqi Army Soldiers from the 9th Mechanized Division learning to operate and maintain M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks at Besmaya Combat Training Center, Baghdad, Iraq, 2011. Military training. Iraq war. U.S. Army
8 Deadliest Wars of the 21st Century
Discover
An ancient egyptian hieroglyphic painted carving showing the falcon headed god Horus seated on a throne and holding a golden fly whisk. Before him are the Pharoah Seti and the goddess Isis. Interior wall of the temple to Osiris at Abydos, Egypt.
11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
Rural Irish landscape, Sligo, Ireland.
Why Is Ireland Two Countries?
Close up of books. Stack of books, pile of books, literature, reading. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”
Thanksgiving Turkey with all the sides
Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?
Aphrodite. Greek mythology. Sculpture. Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty.
12 Greek Gods and Goddesses
Thanksgiving Celebration Traditional Dinner Setting Food Concept
Why Is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Celebrated on a Thursday?
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. Engraving by Cosomo Colombini (d. 1812) after a Leonardo self portrait. Ca. 1500.
10 Famous Artworks by Leonardo da Vinci

Kuwait: Facts & Stats

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/Kuwait
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As State of Kuwait • Dawlat al-Kuwayt
Head Of State And Government Emir: Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah, assisted by Prime Minister: Sheikh Mohammad Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah
Capital Kuwait (city)
Population (2024 est.) 5,184,000
Currency Exchange Rate 1 USD equals 0.308 Kuwaiti dinar
Form Of Government constitutional monarchy with one legislative house (National Assembly [501])
Official Language Arabic
Official Religion Islam
Official Name Dawlat al-Kuwayt (State of Kuwait)
Total Area (Sq Km) 17,818
Total Area (Sq Mi) 6,880
Monetary Unit Kuwaiti dinar (KD)
Population Rank (2023) 129
Population Projection 2030 5,408,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi (2024) 753.5
Density: Persons Per Sq Km (2024) 290.9
Urban-Rural Population Urban: (2024) 100% • Rural: (2024) 0%
Life Expectancy At Birth Male: (2021) 77.3 years • Female: (2021) 81.8 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate Male: (2020) 97% • Female: (2020) 95%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) (2022) 168,939
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) (2022) 39,570
1Excludes 15 cabinet ministers not elected to the National Assembly serving ex officio.

Photos and Videos

Kuwait
Kuwait
Kuwait city
Kuwait
Kuwait Towers
Physical features of Kuwait
Kuwait city, Kuwait: Kuwait Towers
Kuwait city, Kuwait: ʿAbd Allāh al-Mubarraq al-Ṣabāḥ Mosque
Kuwait: Grand Mosque
Kuwait: Age breakdown
Explore the bustling Persian Gulf coast and vibrant nightlife of Kuwait's capital
Witness U.S. Pres. George H.W. Bush addressing Congress after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait
National anthem of Kuwait
See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
president of Iraq
Sheikh Jābir al-Aḥmad al-Jābir al-Ṣabāḥ
Sheikh Jābir al-Aḥmad al-Jābir al-Ṣabāḥ
emir of Kuwait
Sheikh Saʿd al-ʿAbd Allāh al-Sālim al-Ṣabāḥ
emir of Kuwait
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
terrorist

Related Places

Būbiyān
island, Kuwait
Faylakah
island, Kuwait
A map of the continent of Asia, including its countries, boundaries, and capital cities, as well as parts of Europe, Africa, and surrounding oceans.
Asia
continent
Kuwait city
Kuwait
national capital, Kuwait
Middle East
Middle East
region, Asia, Africa, and Europe
Al-Aḥmadī
Kuwait
Al-Jahra
Kuwait
Al-Shuʿaybah
Kuwait
Al-Shuwaykh
Kuwait
This map shows the territorial expansion of the Ottoman Empire from 1300 to its greatest extent in 1683-99, highlighting different periods under rulers such as Mehmed II, Selim I, and Süleyman the Magnificent, and marking key cities, seas, and geographical boundaries in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Ottoman Empire
historical empire, Eurasia and Africa
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Arabian Desert
Arabian Desert
desert, Arabian Peninsula
Physical features of Arabia
Arabia
peninsula, Asia
British Empire
British Empire
historical state, United Kingdom
The Persian Gulf.
Persian Gulf
gulf, Middle East

Related Quizzes and Features

Quiz
Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.
Geography Fun Facts
Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Countries of the World
Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz
10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres
You Name It!
Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)
Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz
7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia
Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz
Tomb of Mohammed Bin Ali, Salalah, Oman.
A View of the Middle East
Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
The Country Quiz
Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Countries & Their Features
Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz
The President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano at the Quirinale Palace (cropped out), shakes hands with the President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, Rome, Oct. 17, 2009. egypt protests 2011, protests in egypt 2011
Before They Were World Leaders: Middle East Edition
Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.
Which Country Is Larger? Quiz