Urban population growth in Kuwait
Kuwait: Urban population growth was -0.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Kuwait, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population growth in Kuwait is -0.7%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 172.8% on the previous year and down 114.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Kuwait peaked at 19.1% in 1992 and was at its lowest, -27.5%, in 1990.
Kuwait ranks 211th of 218 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 11.9% | — |
| 1962 | 11.8% | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 11.5% | -2.9% |
| 1964 | 10.9% | -5.3% |
| 1965 | 10.2% | -5.8% |
| 1966 | 9.8% | -4.5% |
| 1967 | 9.5% | -2.8% |
| 1968 | 9.3% | -2.1% |
| 1969 | 8.9% | -4.2% |
| 1970 | 8.2% | -7.9% |
| 1971 | 8.1% | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 8.5% | +4.3% |
| 1973 | 8.6% | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 8.4% | -2.3% |
| 1975 | 8.0% | -4.8% |
| 1976 | 7.9% | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 7.8% | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 7.5% | -3.9% |
| 1979 | 7.1% | -5.9% |
| 1980 | 6.5% | -8.3% |
| 1981 | 6.0% | -7.2% |
| 1982 | 5.8% | -3.9% |
| 1983 | 5.6% | -3.5% |
| 1984 | 4.8% | -13.7% |
| 1985 | 4.1% | -14.0% |
| 1986 | 4.1% | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 4.0% | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 3.9% | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 3.8% | -2.6% |
| 1990 | -27.5% | -820.5% |
| 1991 | -22.0% | -19.7% |
| 1992 | 19.1% | -186.4% |
| 1993 | 2.3% | -88.1% |
| 1994 | -0.4% | -119.8% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | -335.5% |
| 1996 | 3.0% | +180.1% |
| 1997 | 3.4% | +16.5% |
| 1998 | 3.3% | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 3.2% | -3.8% |
| 2000 | 3.1% | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 2.9% | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 2.8% | -3.7% |
| 2003 | 2.7% | -6.2% |
| 2004 | 2.4% | -9.3% |
| 2005 | 3.7% | +52.6% |
| 2006 | 5.6% | +51.6% |
| 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 0.6%. (85 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's -0.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.9%. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban 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 | -820.5% | 3.8% | -27.5% |
| 2022 | +668.5% | -0.9% | 5.1% |
| 1995 | +335.5% | -0.4% | 1.1% |
| 1992 | +186.4% | -22.0% | 19.1% |
| 1996 | +180.1% | 1.1% | 3.0% |
| 2025 | -172.8% | 0.9% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.4% | 8.9% | 11.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 8.0% | 7.1% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.9% | 3.8% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.5% | -27.5% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.0% | 2.4% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.6% | 2.7% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | -1.0% | 5.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
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 urban population growth in Kuwait?
- Urban population growth in Kuwait was -0.7% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 19.1% in 1992.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was -27.5% in 1990.
- How does Kuwait rank for urban population growth?
- Kuwait ranks 211th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban 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 Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.