Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kuwait
Kuwait: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 5.03 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
5.03 million people
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
99th
of 236 countries
All-time high
5.03 million people
in 2025
All-time low
94,684 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kuwait, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2025, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kuwait stood at 5.03 million people. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 31.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kuwait peaked at 5.03 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 94,684 people, in 1950.
That places Kuwait 99th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 94,684 people | — |
| 1951 | 100,419 people | +6.1% |
| 1952 | 106,271 people | +5.8% |
| 1953 | 112,239 people | +5.6% |
| 1954 | 118,315 people | +5.4% |
| 1955 | 129,710 people | +9.6% |
| 1956 | 147,066 people | +13.4% |
| 1957 | 163,788 people | +11.4% |
| 1958 | 183,306 people | +11.9% |
| 1959 | 207,850 people | +13.4% |
| 1960 | 234,543 people | +12.8% |
| 1961 | 264,198 people | +12.6% |
| 1962 | 297,381 people | +12.6% |
| 1963 | 333,593 people | +12.2% |
| 1964 | 371,935 people | +11.5% |
| 1965 | 412,075 people | +10.8% |
| 1966 | 454,450 people | +10.3% |
| 1967 | 499,810 people | +10.0% |
| 1968 | 548,626 people | +9.8% |
| 1969 | 599,879 people | +9.3% |
| 1970 | 651,288 people | +8.6% |
| 1971 | 706,391 people | +8.5% |
| 1972 | 768,829 people | +8.8% |
| 1973 | 837,981 people | +9.0% |
| 1974 | 911,518 people | +8.8% |
| 1975 | 987,533 people | +8.3% |
| 1976 | 1.07 million people | +8.2% |
| 1977 | 1.16 million people | +8.1% |
| 1978 | 1.25 million people | +7.8% |
| 1979 | 1.34 million people | +7.3% |
| 1980 | 1.43 million people | +6.7% |
| 1981 | 1.51 million people | +6.2% |
| 1982 | 1.60 million people | +5.9% |
| 1983 | 1.70 million people | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 1.78 million people | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 1.85 million people | +4.2% |
| 1986 | 1.93 million people | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 2.01 million people | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 2.09 million people | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 2.17 million people | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 1.65 million people | -24.0% |
| 1991 | 1.32 million people | -19.8% |
| 1992 | 1.60 million people | +21.0% |
| 1993 | 1.64 million people | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 1.63 million people | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 1.65 million people | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 1.70 million people | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 1.76 million people | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 1.82 million people | +3.4% |
| 1999 | 1.88 million people | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 1.94 million people | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 1.99 million people | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 2.05 million people | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 2.10 million people | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 2.16 million people | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 2.24 million people | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 2.36 million people | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 2.51 million people | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 2.65 million people | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 2.80 million people | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 2.94 million people | +5.3% |
| 2011 | 3.13 million people | +6.4% |
| 2012 | 3.34 million people | +6.5% |
| 2013 | 3.51 million people | +5.1% |
| 2014 | 3.67 million people | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 3.83 million people | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 4.00 million people | +4.4% |
| 2017 | 4.15 million people | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 4.32 million people | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 4.44 million people | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 4.40 million people | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 4.36 million people | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 4.59 million people | +5.2% |
| 2023 | 4.84 million people | +5.4% |
| 2024 | 4.93 million people | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 5.03 million people | +1.9% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 5.03 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.22 million people, 2.3× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 5.03 million people is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9.75 million people, 52% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 136,365 people | 94,684 people | 207,850 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 401,649 people | 234,543 people | 599,879 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 966,951 people | 651,288 people | 1.34 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.81 million people | 1.43 million people | 2.17 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.66 million people | 1.32 million people | 1.88 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.28 million people | 1.94 million people | 2.80 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.73 million people | 2.94 million people | 4.44 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.69 million people | 4.36 million people | 5.03 million people | 6 |
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 number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kuwait?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Kuwait was 5.03 million people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 5.03 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 94,684 people in 1950.
- How does Kuwait rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Kuwait ranks 99th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.