Population growth in Kuwait
Kuwait: Population growth was -0.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Kuwait, 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Kuwait recorded -0.7% for population growth in 2025.
The figure is down 172.8% on the previous year and down 114.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Kuwait peaked at 19.0% in 1992 and was at its lowest, -27.5%, in 1990.
That places Kuwait 204th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 10.6% | — |
| 1962 | 10.7% | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 10.5% | -1.7% |
| 1964 | 10.1% | -4.0% |
| 1965 | 9.7% | -4.1% |
| 1966 | 9.4% | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 9.3% | -1.7% |
| 1968 | 9.1% | -2.0% |
| 1969 | 8.6% | -5.2% |
| 1970 | 7.7% | -10.9% |
| 1971 | 6.7% | -12.7% |
| 1972 | 6.2% | -7.4% |
| 1973 | 6.0% | -2.5% |
| 1974 | 6.0% | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 6.2% | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 6.5% | +4.2% |
| 1977 | 6.5% | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 6.3% | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 6.0% | -5.0% |
| 1980 | 5.6% | -7.8% |
| 1981 | 5.1% | -8.2% |
| 1982 | 4.9% | -4.4% |
| 1983 | 4.8% | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 4.3% | -10.8% |
| 1985 | 4.0% | -7.6% |
| 1986 | 4.0% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 4.0% | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 3.9% | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 3.8% | -2.5% |
| 1990 | -27.5% | -822.2% |
| 1991 | -22.1% | -19.7% |
| 1992 | 19.0% | -186.4% |
| 1993 | 2.2% | -88.2% |
| 1994 | -0.5% | -120.8% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | -319.6% |
| 1996 | 2.9% | +178.7% |
| 1997 | 3.3% | +14.3% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | -4.5% |
| 1999 | 3.0% | -4.5% |
| 2000 | 2.8% | -4.7% |
| 2001 | 2.7% | -5.0% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | -5.4% |
| 2003 | 2.4% | -6.1% |
| 2004 | 2.2% | -7.1% |
| 2005 | 3.6% | +62.7% |
| 2006 | 5.6% | +53.8% |
| 2007 | 5.9% | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 5.6% | -5.3% |
| 2009 | 5.3% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 5.2% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 6.2% | +21.0% |
| 2012 | 6.3% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | -21.0% |
| 2014 | 4.4% | -11.7% |
| 2015 | 4.5% | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 4.3% | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 3.7% | -14.6% |
| 2018 | 4.0% | +7.7% |
| 2019 | 2.7% | -31.9% |
| 2020 | -1.0% | -135.1% |
| 2021 | -0.9% | -5.4% |
| 2022 | 5.1% | -668.5% |
| 2023 | 5.6% | +9.3% |
| 2024 | 0.9% | -83.9% |
| 2025 | -0.7% | -172.8% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's -0.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.4%. (85 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's -0.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.6%. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth in Kuwait changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | -822.2% | 3.8% | -27.5% |
| 2022 | +668.5% | -0.9% | 5.1% |
| 1995 | +319.6% | -0.5% | 1.0% |
| 1992 | +186.4% | -22.1% | 19.0% |
| 1996 | +178.7% | 1.0% | 2.9% |
| 2025 | -172.8% | 0.9% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9.8% | 8.6% | 10.7% | 9 |
| 1970s | 6.4% | 6.0% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.4% | 3.8% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.5% | -27.5% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.9% | 2.2% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.6% | 2.7% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | -1.0% | 5.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
- 201 Puerto Rico -0.6% compare
- 202 United States Virgin Islands -0.6% compare
- 203 Serbia -0.6% compare
- 205 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -0.7% compare
- 206 Sri Lanka -0.7% compare
- 207 Monaco -0.8% compare
More climate change data for Kuwait
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 639,640 kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 721.23 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 515.61 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 205.62 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1.95 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 7.34 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 4.93 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 0.07 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.0186 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Kuwait?
- Population growth in Kuwait was -0.7% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 19.0% in 1992.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was -27.5% in 1990.
- How does Kuwait rank for population growth?
- Kuwait ranks 204th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 114.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.