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Middle East
Page last updated: July 24, 2024
Kuwait has been ruled by the AL-SABAH dynasty since the 18th century. The threat of Ottoman invasion in 1899 prompted Amir Mubarak AL-SABAH to seek protection from Britain, ceding foreign and defense responsibility to Britain until 1961, when the country attained its independence. Iraq attacked and overran Kuwait in 1990. After several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault in 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. In 1992, the Amir reconstituted the parliament that he had dissolved in 1986. Amid the 2010-11 uprisings and protests across the Arab world, stateless Arabs known as Bidoon staged small protests demanding citizenship, jobs, and other benefits available to Kuwaiti nationals. Other demographic groups, notably Islamists and Kuwaitis from tribal backgrounds, soon joined the growing protest movements, which culminated with the resignation of the prime minister amid allegations of corruption. Demonstrations renewed in 2012 in response to a decree amending the electoral law that lessened the voting power of the tribal blocs.
An opposition coalition of Sunni Islamists, tribal populists, and some liberals largely boycotted legislative elections in 2012 and 2013, which ushered in a legislature more amenable to the government's agenda. Faced with the prospect of painful subsidy cuts, oppositionists and independents actively participated in the 2016 election, winning nearly half the seats, but the opposition became increasingly factionalized. Between 2006 and his death in 2020, the Amir dissolved the National Assembly on seven occasions and shuffled the cabinet over a dozen times, usually citing political stagnation and gridlock between the legislature and the government.
The current Amir, who assumed his role in 2020, launched a "National Dialogue" in 2021 meant to resolve political gridlock. As part of this initiative, the Amir pardoned several opposition figures who had been living in exile, and they returned to Kuwait. Legislative challenges remain, and the cabinet has been reshuffled six times since 2020.
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
29°30' N, 45°45' E
Middle East
Total : 17,818 km²
Land: 17,818 km²
Water: 0 km²
Slightly smaller than New Jersey
Area comparison map:
Total: 475 km
Border countries (2): Iraq 254 km; Saudi Arabia 221 km
499 km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Highest point: 3.6 km W. of Al-Salmi Border Post 300 m
Lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Mean elevation: 108 m
Petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Agricultural land: 8.5% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 0.6% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 7.6% (2018 est.)
Forest: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Other: 91.1% (2018 est.)
100 km² (2015)
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 km²)
Arabian Aquifer System
Densest settlement is along the Persian Gulf, particularly in Kuwait City and on Bubiyan Island; significant population threads extend south and west along highways that radiate from the capital, particularly in the southern half of the country
Sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March and August
Strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
Total: 3,138,355
Male: 1,810,542
Female: 1,327,813 (2024 est.)
Comparison rankings: female 142; male 133; total 136
Noun: Kuwaiti(s)
Adjective: Kuwaiti
Kuwaiti 30.4%, other Arab 27.4%, Asian 40.3%, African 1%, other 0.9% (includes European, North American, South American, and Australian) (2018 est.)
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Muslim (official) 74.6%, Christian 18.2%, other and unspecified 7.2% (2013 est.)
Note: data represent the total population; about 72% of the population consists of immigrants
MENA religious affiliation
0-14 years: 23% (male 376,415/female 346,190)
15-64 years: 73.4% (male 1,386,349/female 917,465)
65 years and over: 3.6% (2024 est.) (male 47,778/female 64,158)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 34.4
Youth dependency ratio: 28.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 6
Potential support ratio: 24.9 (2021 est.)
Total: 30.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 31.1 years
Female: 28.9 years
1.1% (2024 est.)
17.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
-4.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Densest settlement is along the Persian Gulf, particularly in Kuwait City and on Bubiyan Island; significant population threads extend south and west along highways that radiate from the capital, particularly in the southern half of the country
Urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
3.298 million KUWAIT (capital) (2023)
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.36 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Total: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Total population: 79.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 78.1 years
Female: 81.1 years
2.21 children born/woman (2024 est.)
1.08 (2024 est.)
NA
Improved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 100% of population
Unimproved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
6.3% of GDP (2020)
2.34 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
2 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Improved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 100% of population
Unimproved: urban: NA
Rural: NA
Total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
37.9% (2016)
Total: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 17.9% (2020 est.)
Male: 33.5% (2020 est.)
Female: 2.2% (2020 est.)
2.5% (2020)
59.6% (2023 est.)
6.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96.5%
Male: 97.1%
Female: 95.4% (2020)
Total: 15 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 16 years (2015)
Limited natural freshwater resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification; loss of biodiversity
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping-London Convention
Dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Agricultural land: 8.5% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 0.6% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 7.6% (2018 est.)
Forest: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Other: 91.1% (2018 est.)
Urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.35% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 64.08 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 98.73 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 6.21 megatons (2020 est.)
Municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.75 million tons (2010 est.)
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 km²)
Arabian Aquifer System
Municipal: 450 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 780 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Conventional long form: State of Kuwait
Conventional short form: Kuwait
Local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
Local short form: Al Kuwayt
Etymology: the name derives from the capital city, which is from Arabic "al-Kuwayt" a diminutive of "kut" meaning "fortress," possibly a reference to a small castle built on the current location of Kuwait City by the Beni Khaled tribe in the 17th century
Constitutional monarchy (emirate)
Name: Kuwait City
Geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name derives from Arabic "al-Kuwayt" a diminutive of "kut" meaning "fortress," possibly a reference to a small castle built on the current location of Kuwait City by the Beni Khaled tribe in the 17th century
6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir
19 June 1961 (from the UK)
National Day, 25 February (1950)
History: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962; suspended 1976 to 1981 (4 articles); 1986 to 1991; May to July 1999
Amendments: proposed by the amir or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds consent of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the amir; constitutional articles on the initiation, approval, and promulgation of general legislation cannot be amended
Note: on 10 May 2024, Amir Sheikh MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved the National Assembly and suspended several articles of the constitution for up to four years
Mixed legal system consisting of English common law, French civil law, and Islamic sharia law
Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kuwait
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: not specified
21 years of age and at least 20-year citizenship
Chief of state: Amir Sheikh MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 16 December 2023)
Head of government: Prime Minister AHMAD al-Abdullah al Sabah (since 15 May 2024)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by the amir
Elections/appointments: amir chosen from within the ruling family, confirmed by the National Assembly; prime minister appointed by the amir
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (65 seats; 50 members directly elected from 5 multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 15 ex-officio members (cabinet ministers) appointed by the amir; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 4 April 2024 (next to be held in 2028)
Election results: 50 nonpartisan candidates, including 29 opposition candidates; composition - men 63, women 2, percent women 3.1%
Note: on 10 May 2024, Amir Sheikh MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolves the National Assembly, and some powers held by the National Assembly are assumed by the government
Highest court(s): Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges); Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (organized into several circuits, each with 5 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: all Kuwaiti judges appointed by the Amir upon recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, a consultative body comprised of Kuwaiti judges and Ministry of Justice officials
Subordinate courts: High Court of Appeal; Court of First Instance; Summary Court
None; the government does not recognize any political parties or allow their formation, although no formal law bans political parties
ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CD, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, Paris Club (associate), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; colors and design are based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I; green represents fertile fields, white stands for purity, red denotes blood on Kuwaiti swords, black signifies the defeat of the enemy
Golden falcon; national colors: green, white, red, black
Name: "Al-Nasheed Al-Watani" (National Anthem)
Lyrics/music: Ahmad MUSHARI al-Adwani/Ibrahim Nasir al-SOULA
Note: adopted 1978; the anthem is only used on formal occasions
Small, high-income, oil-based Middle East economy; renewable energy proponent; regional finance and investment leader; maintains oldest sovereign wealth fund; emerging space and tourism industries; mid-way through 25-year development program
$219.06 billion (2023 est.)
$224.057 billion (2022 est.)
$211.099 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars
-2.23% (2023 est.)
6.14% (2022 est.)
1.7% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
$50,800 (2023 est.)
$52,500 (2022 est.)
$49,700 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars
$161.772 billion (2023 est.)
Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
3.64% (2023 est.)
3.98% (2022 est.)
3.42% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Fitch rating: AA (2008)
Moody's rating: A1 (2020)
Standard & Poors rating: AA- (2020)
Note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agriculture: 0.4% (2017 est.)
Industry: 58.7% (2017 est.)
Services: 40.9% (2017 est.)
Comparison rankings: services 207; industry 2; agriculture 210
Household consumption: 43.1% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 24.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 26.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 3.5% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 49.4% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -47% (2017 est.)
Tomatoes, dates, cucumbers/gherkins, eggs, milk, chicken, lamb/mutton, vegetables, potatoes, eggplants (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials
8.05% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
2.463 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
2.08% (2023 est.)
2.12% (2022 est.)
3% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment
Total: 25.5% (2021 est.)
Male: 17.1%
Female: 46.2%
On food: 19.3% of household expenditures (2021 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco: 0.2% of household expenditures (2021 est.)
0.01% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.01% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.57% of GDP (2021 est.)
Note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Revenues: $77.988 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $72.03 billion (2019 est.)
-10% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
20.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
9.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
41.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
$51.396 billion (2023 est.)
$63.078 billion (2022 est.)
$34.943 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
$95.476 billion (2023 est.)
$110.923 billion (2022 est.)
$77.121 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
China 24%, India 15%, South Korea 11%, Japan 9%, Taiwan 7% (2022)
Note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Crude petroleum, refined petroleum, hydrocarbons, natural gas, acyclic alcohols (2022)
Note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
$63.43 billion (2023 est.)
$55.909 billion (2022 est.)
$48.954 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
UAE 20%, China 16%, Saudi Arabia 9%, US 7%, Japan 4% (2022)
Note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Cars, gold, jewelry, garments, packaged medicine (2022)
Note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
$52.619 billion (2023 est.)
$52.462 billion (2022 est.)
$49.525 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
$47.24 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$38.34 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.307 (2023 est.)
0.306 (2022 est.)
0.302 (2021 est.)
0.306 (2020 est.)
0.304 (2019 est.)
Electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 20.25 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 78.703 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 7.727 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 173; consumption 41; installed generating capacity 49
Fossil fuels: 99.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Consumption: 145,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 77,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Total petroleum production: 2.91 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 372,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 101.5 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Production: 19.285 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Consumption: 26.083 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Imports: 7.988 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.784 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
100.596 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 337,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 49.09 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 51.169 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
402.03 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Total subscriptions: 573,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2022 est.)
Total subscriptions: 7.726 million (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 181 (2022 est.)
General assessment: Kuwait’s telecom infrastructure is well developed, with a focus on mobile infrastructure and services; the telecom sector is important to the country’s economy, and this will become more pronounced in coming years as the economy is purposefully transitioned away from a dependence on oil and gas to one which is increasingly knowledge-based and focused on ICT and related services; the MNOs have focused investment on 5G networks, which support and promote the growth of data traffic; this in turn has been a catalyst for revenue growth in recent quarters; while Kuwait’s mobile sector shows considerable progress; the country’s fixed broadband system is the lowest in the region; the government has stepped up efforts to build up fixed broadband networks, and ultimately this sector offers a potential future growth opportunity; improvements to the fixed broadband infrastructure will help develop sectors such as e-commerce, along with smart infrastructure developments, and tech start-ups (2022)
Domestic: fixed-line subscriptions are nearly 13 per 100 and mobile-cellular stands at nearly 163 per 100 subscriptions (2021)
International: country code - 965; landing points for the FOG, GBICS, MENA, Kuwait-Iran, and FALCON submarine cables linking Africa, the Middle East, and Asia; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 6 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 1 Inmarsat - Atlantic Ocean, and 2 Arabsat) (2019)
State-owned TV broadcaster operates 4 networks and a satellite channel; several private TV broadcasters have emerged; satellite TV available and pan-Arab TV stations are especially popular; state-owned Radio Kuwait broadcasts on a number of channels in Arabic and English; first private radio station emerged in 2005; transmissions of at least 2 international radio broadcasters are available (2019)
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Total: 4.3 million (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 100% (2021 est.)
Total: 73,948 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2020 est.)
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 44
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 6,464,847 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 392.36 million (2018) mt-km
9K
6 (2024)
20 (2024)
261 km gas, 540 km oil, 57 km refined products (2013)
Total: 5,749 km (201)
Paved: 4,887 km
Unpaved: 862 km (2018)
Total: 176 (2023)
By type: general cargo 15, oil tanker 28, other 133
Total ports: 6 (2024)
Large: 0
Medium: 2
Small: 1
Very small: 3
Ports with oil terminals: 4
Key ports: Al Kuwayt, Doha Harbor, Mina Abd Allah, Mina Al Ahmadi, Mina Ash Shuaybah, Mina Az Zawr
Kuwait Armed Forces (KAF): Kuwait Land Forces (KLF), Kuwait Navy, Kuwait Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya; includes Kuwait Air Defense Force, KADF), 25th Commando Brigade, and the Kuwait Emiri Guard Authority; Kuwait National Guard (KNG) (2024)
Note 1: the Emiri Guard Authority and the 25th Commando Brigade exercise independent command authority within the KAF, although activities such as training and equipment procurement are often coordinated with the other services; the 25th Commando Brigade is Kuwait's leading special forces unit; the Emiri Guard Authority (aka Emiri Guard Brigade) is responsible for protecting Kuwait's heads of state
Note 2: the National Guard reports directly to the prime minister and the amir and possesses an independent command structure, equipment inventory, and logistics corps separate from the Ministry of Defense, the regular armed services, and the Ministry of Interior; it is responsible for protecting critical infrastructure and providing support for the Ministries of Interior and Defense as required
Note 3: the police, Kuwait State Security, and Coast Guard are under the Ministry of Interior
5% of GDP (2023 est.)
4.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
6.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
6.3% of GDP (2020 est.)
5.6% of GDP (2019 est.)
Approximately 17,000 active-duty armed forces personnel (12,500 Army, including the Amiri Guard and 25th Commando Brigade; 2,000 Navy; 2,500 Air Force); approximately 7,000 National Guard (2023)
The military's inventory consists of weapons from a wide variety of sources, including Western Europe, Russia, and the US; the US has been the leading supplier of arms to Kuwait (2023)
18-55 years of age for voluntary military service; Kuwait reintroduced 12-month mandatory service for men aged 18-35 in May 2017 after having suspended conscription in 2001; mandatory service is divided in two phases – 4 months for training and 8 months for military service; women were allowed to volunteer in 2021 (2023)
Note: the National Guard is restricted to citizens, but in 2018, the Army began allowing non-Kuwaitis to join on contract or as non-commissioned officers; that same year, it also began allowing stateless people (Bidoon) to join
The Kuwaiti Armed Forces (KAF) are responsible for external defense; the independent National Guard is responsible for protecting critical infrastructure and providing support for the Ministries of Interior and Defense as required, including supporting the KAF Land Forces during a conflict; the National Guard and the Ministry of Interior are the Kuwaiti Government’s lead counterterrorism organizations; Kuwait’s primary security concerns are potential threats emanating from Iran, including regional militias loyal to Iran, and Islamic terrorist groups
The KAF participates in bilateral and multilateral exercises, as well as a limited number of multinational security operations such as maritime patrols in the Persian Gulf; it also provided a few fighter aircraft to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in 2015; the KAF is part of the military arm of the Gulf Cooperation Council
Kuwait's key security partner since the 1991 Gulf War has been the US; the US has approximately 13,000 military personnel as well as logistics and training facilities in Kuwait as part of a 1991 Defense Cooperation Agreement and a 2013 Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement; the KAF conducts bilateral exercises with the US military and would look to US assistance in the event of an external attack; Kuwait has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2023)
Stateless persons: 92,000 (2022); note - Kuwait's 1959 Nationality Law defined citizens as persons who settled in the country before 1920 and who had maintained normal residence since then; one-third of the population, descendants of Bedouin tribes, missed the window of opportunity to register for nationality rights after Kuwait became independent in 1961 and were classified as bidun (meaning "without"); since the 1980s Kuwait's bidun have progressively lost their rights, including opportunities for employment and education, amid official claims that they are nationals of other countries who have destroyed their identification documents in hopes of gaining Kuwaiti citizenship; Kuwaiti authorities have delayed processing citizenship applications and labeled biduns as "illegal residents," denying them access to civil documentation, such as birth and marriage certificates
Tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Kuwait does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; officials assisted more vulnerable migrant workers at the government shelter, launched an online platform for domestic workers to file grievances, and continued to hold fraudulent recruitment agencies accountable; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared to the previous year, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; there were fewer investigations of alleged trafficking crimes and no prosecutions or convictions of traffickers; fewer victims were identified, and some officials continued to use arbitration and administrative penalties instead of investigating cases as potential human trafficking crimes; Kuwait did not implement procedures to identify and prevent trafficking, nor regularly use standard operating procedures to identify and refer victims to services; officials continued to detain, prosecute, and deport potential trafficking victims, including those fleeing forced labor or in commercial sex, without screening for trafficking indicators; the government did not take any new steps to reform its visa sponsorship system, leaving migrant workers highly vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking; therefore, Kuwait remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year (2023)