Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kuwait
Kuwait: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 87.4% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kuwait, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kuwait is 87.4%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kuwait peaked at 87.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 39.7%, in 1950.
That places Kuwait 2nd out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 39.7% | — |
| 1955 | 48.6% | +22.4% |
| 1960 | 60.3% | +23.9% |
| 1965 | 61.7% | +2.3% |
| 1970 | 72.8% | +18.0% |
| 1975 | 70.0% | -3.8% |
| 1980 | 79.0% | +12.9% |
| 1985 | 81.1% | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 85.9% | +5.9% |
| 1995 | 83.0% | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 84.2% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 85.3% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 85.7% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 84.5% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 87.4% | +3.4% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 87.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 29.2%, 3.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 87.4% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 22.7%, 3.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 44.2% | 39.7% | 48.6% | 2 |
| 1960s | 61.0% | 60.3% | 61.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 71.4% | 70.0% | 72.8% | 2 |
| 1980s | 80.0% | 79.0% | 81.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 84.4% | 83.0% | 85.9% | 2 |
| 2000s | 84.8% | 84.2% | 85.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 85.1% | 84.5% | 85.7% | 2 |
| 2020s | 87.4% | 87.4% | 87.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More population data for Kuwait
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0278 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.801 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.8% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 563,011 people (2100)
- Population density 538.83 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.8% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.9514 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7699 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kuwait?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Kuwait was 87.4% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 87.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.7% in 1950.
- How does Kuwait rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Kuwait ranks 2nd out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.