Kuwait — Population
Population, Total for Kuwait, 1960–2025.
Population for Kuwait was 4.87 million in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 4.90 million in 2024. The lowest was 311,060 in 1960 (about 15.6× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 4.32% per year.
Kuwait ranks 127 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 59%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 11.52 million, so Kuwait sits below it. It peaked in 2024 and has fallen 1% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 27%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 19 of 23 economies; Qatar (2.97 million) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 24% in 1990. That is 10% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 1967; grown tenfold by 2011. Doubling roughly every 16 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 159th of 216 in 1960 → 145th of 216 in 1970 → 140th of 216 in 1980 → 145th of 217 in 1990 → 144th of 217 in 2000 → 135th of 217 in 2010 → 127th of 217 in 2020 → 127th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,865,298 | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 4,897,263 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 4,853,420 | +5.7% |
| 2022 | 4,589,643 | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 4,360,865 | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 4,400,267 | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 4,442,316 | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 4,323,515 | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 4,154,812 | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 4,004,096 | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 3,834,574 | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 3,665,876 | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 3,507,844 | +5.1% |
| 2012 | 3,337,109 | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 3,132,814 | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 2,943,372 | +5.3% |
| 2009 | 2,795,484 | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 2,651,421 | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 2,507,887 | +6.1% |
| 2006 | 2,364,733 | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 2,236,788 | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 2,157,320 | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 2,109,881 | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 2,059,974 | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 2,008,121 | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 1,954,709 | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 1,900,030 | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 1,844,302 | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 1,787,683 | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 1,730,246 | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 1,681,513 | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 1,664,361 | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 1,672,151 | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 1,634,961 | +21.0% |
| 1991 | 1,351,399 | -19.8% |
| 1990 | 1,684,819 | -24.0% |
| 1989 | 2,217,468 | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 2,134,707 | +4.0% |
| 1987 | 2,052,994 | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 1,972,520 | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 1,894,242 | +4.0% |
| 1984 | 1,820,688 | +4.4% |
| 1983 | 1,744,295 | +4.9% |
| 1982 | 1,662,480 | +5.0% |
| 1981 | 1,583,426 | +5.2% |
| 1980 | 1,504,782 | +5.7% |
| 1979 | 1,423,514 | +6.2% |
| 1978 | 1,340,319 | +6.5% |
| 1977 | 1,258,023 | +6.7% |
| 1976 | 1,178,711 | +6.7% |
| 1975 | 1,104,863 | +6.4% |
| 1974 | 1,038,346 | +6.2% |
| 1973 | 977,654 | +6.2% |
| 1972 | 920,352 | +6.4% |
| 1971 | 865,076 | +6.9% |
| 1970 | 809,114 | +8.0% |
| 1969 | 749,452 | +9.0% |
| 1968 | 687,716 | +9.5% |
| 1967 | 628,089 | +9.7% |
| 1966 | 572,590 | +9.9% |
| 1965 | 521,174 | +10.2% |
| 1964 | 473,115 | +10.6% |
| 1963 | 427,694 | +11.1% |
| 1962 | 384,995 | +11.3% |
| 1961 | 345,945 | +11.2% |
| 1960 | 311,060 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Kuwait’s Population in 1961?
345,945 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Kuwait’s Population figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — people — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is Kuwait’s Population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +1464.1% in total — about 4.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.TOTL. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 4,865,298; 2024: 4,897,263; 2023: 4,853,420; 2022: 4,589,643; 2021: 4,360,865. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.TOTL — Population, Total. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.