Population growth rate in Kuwait
Kuwait: Population growth rate was 1.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population growth rate in Kuwait, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Kuwait recorded 1.9% for population growth rate in 2023.
That represents a change of down 78.9% on the previous year and down 59.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in Kuwait peaked at 36.1% in 1991 and was at its lowest, -71.1%, in 1990.
That places Kuwait 60th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth rate in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.9% | — |
| 1951 | 2.9% | +1.7% |
| 1952 | 3.0% | +1.9% |
| 1953 | 3.0% | +1.6% |
| 1954 | 3.0% | +1.2% |
| 1955 | 11.0% | +262.6% |
| 1956 | 10.5% | -4.7% |
| 1957 | 7.9% | -24.7% |
| 1958 | 11.4% | +43.8% |
| 1959 | 10.8% | -4.6% |
| 1960 | 10.6% | -2.5% |
| 1961 | 10.7% | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 10.7% | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 10.4% | -3.2% |
| 1964 | 9.9% | -4.8% |
| 1965 | 9.5% | -3.5% |
| 1966 | 9.3% | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 9.2% | -1.3% |
| 1968 | 9.0% | -2.6% |
| 1969 | 8.3% | -7.7% |
| 1970 | 7.1% | -14.1% |
| 1971 | 6.3% | -11.2% |
| 1972 | 6.1% | -3.4% |
| 1973 | 6.0% | -1.6% |
| 1974 | 6.1% | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 6.4% | +5.0% |
| 1976 | 6.6% | +3.4% |
| 1977 | 6.5% | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 6.2% | -3.5% |
| 1979 | 5.8% | -6.4% |
| 1980 | 5.3% | -9.2% |
| 1981 | 4.9% | -7.2% |
| 1982 | 4.8% | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 4.8% | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 3.8% | -19.9% |
| 1985 | 4.1% | +7.1% |
| 1986 | 4.0% | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 4.0% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 3.8% | -4.3% |
| 1989 | 3.8% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | -71.1% | -1975.0% |
| 1991 | 36.1% | -150.8% |
| 1992 | 5.2% | -85.7% |
| 1993 | -0.6% | -111.8% |
| 1994 | -0.3% | -47.8% |
| 1995 | 2.4% | -836.6% |
| 1996 | 3.3% | +41.8% |
| 1997 | 3.2% | -4.5% |
| 1998 | 3.0% | -4.5% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | -4.6% |
| 2000 | 2.8% | -4.8% |
| 2001 | 2.6% | -5.2% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | -5.7% |
| 2003 | 2.3% | -6.5% |
| 2004 | 2.1% | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 5.0% | +136.4% |
| 2006 | 6.0% | +19.8% |
| 2007 | 5.7% | -5.5% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | -5.1% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 5.1% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 7.3% | +41.2% |
| 2012 | 5.4% | -25.3% |
| 2013 | 4.6% | -15.6% |
| 2014 | 4.2% | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 4.7% | +11.8% |
| 2016 | 3.9% | -17.2% |
| 2017 | 3.5% | -11.6% |
| 2018 | 4.5% | +28.7% |
| 2019 | 1.0% | -77.6% |
| 2020 | -2.9% | -392.1% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | -139.0% |
| 2022 | 8.9% | +680.0% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | -78.9% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 1.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%, 3.8× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 1.9% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.6%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate 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 | -1975.0% | 3.8% | -71.1% |
| 1995 | +836.6% | -0.3% | 2.4% |
| 2022 | +680.0% | 1.1% | 8.9% |
| 2020 | -392.1% | 1.0% | -2.9% |
| 1955 | +262.6% | 3.0% | 11.0% |
| 1991 | +150.8% | -71.1% | 36.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.6% | 2.9% | 11.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.7% | 8.3% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.3% | 5.8% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.3% | 3.8% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.6% | -71.1% | 36.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.0% | 2.1% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.4% | 1.0% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.2% | -2.9% | 8.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More population data for Kuwait
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.801 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2043)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.801 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0278 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,155 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7699 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.9514 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.8% (2100)
- Population density 538.83 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 563,011 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rate in Kuwait?
- Population growth rate in Kuwait was 1.9% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 36.1% in 1991.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was -71.1% in 1990.
- How does Kuwait rank for population growth rate?
- Kuwait ranks 60th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.