Map of Kuwait
Kuwait is a country in Asia with its capital at Kuwait City, home to about 4.87 million people across 17,818 km². The interactive map below plots 4 cities and towns and 5 ports recorded for Kuwait in YearMaps.
- Population
- 4.87 million
- Area
- 17,818 km²
- Capital
- Kuwait City
- Continent
- Asia
Interactive Map of Kuwait
Centred on Kuwait City at 29.3717° N, 47.9764° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Kuwait
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia. With a coastline of approximately 500 km (311 mi), it is situated at the head of the Persian Gulf in the northeastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south. Kuwait is geographically the second closest Gulf country to mainland Iran (separated only by a small Iraqi coastline) after Iraq. The country is a small city-state; most of the population reside in the urban agglomeration of Kuwait City, the capital and largest city. As of 2024, Kuwait has a population of 4.82 million, of which 1.53 million are Kuwaiti citizens while the remaining 3.29 million are foreign nationals from over 100 countries. In 2024, Kuwait had the world's seventh largest number of foreign nationals as a percentage of the population, where its citizens make up fewer than 30% of the overall population.
The territory of modern-day Kuwait has been inhabited by humans since antiquity, particularly due to its strategic location near the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In the early 18th century, the territory of modern-day Kuwait was under the jurisdiction of the Bani Khalid clan; then the territory became known as the Sheikdom of Kuwait in 1752 and a British protectorate in 1899. Prior to the discovery of oil reserves in 1938, the territory of modern-day Kuwait contained a regional trade port. The protectorate agreements with the United Kingdom ended in June 1961 when Kuwait officially became an independent state.
From 1946 to 1982, Kuwait underwent large-scale modernization, largely based on income from oil production. In the 1980s, Kuwait experienced a period of geopolitical instability and an economic crisis following the stock market crash. It suffered pro-Iranian attacks during the Iran–Iraq War, as a result of Kuwait's financial support to Iraq. In 1990, the state of Kuwait was invaded, had a puppet regime installed, and was subsequently annexed by Ba'athist Iraq under the leadership of Saddam Hussein following disputes over oil production. The Iraqi occupation of Kuwait ended on 26 February 1991, after a U.S.–led international coalition expelled Iraqi forces from the country during the Gulf War.
Kuwait is a high-income economy, backed by the world's sixth largest oil reserves. Like most other Arab states of the Persian Gulf, it is an emirate; the emir is the head of state and the ruling Al Sabah family dominates the country's political system. Its official state religion is Islam, specifically the Maliki school of Sunni Islam.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Kuwait (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Kuwait
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.
- Location
- Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
- Climate
- Dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters.
- Terrain
- 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.
- Coastline
- 499 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 475 km; border countries: Iraq 254 km; Saudi Arabia 221 km.
- Natural resources
- Petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 8.4% (2023 est.); arable land: 0.4% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.); forest: 0.4% (2023 est.); other: 91.2% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- 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.
- Geographic note
- Strategic location at head of Persian Gulf.
- Languages
- Arabic (official), English widely spoken.
- Religions
- Muslim (official) 74.6%, Christian 18.2%, other and unspecified 7.2% (2013 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- 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.)
- Economy
- 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.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Kuwait in Numbers
- Population
- 4.87 million
- GDP
- US$157.2 billion
- GDP per person
- US$32,312
- Life expectancy
- 84.6 years
- Population growth
- -0.66% a year
- Population density
- 275 per km²
- Urban population
- 100.0%
- Surface area
- 17,820 km²
- Forest cover
- 0.3%
- Arable land
- 0.5%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 100.0%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Kuwait in Depth
History
Following the post-glacial flooding of the Persian Gulf basin, debris from the Tigris–Euphrates river formed a substantial delta, creating most of the land in present-day Kuwait and establishing the present coastlines. One of the earliest evidence of human presence dates back to the Mesolithic era (c. 8000 BC). Historically, most of present-day Kuwait was part of ancient Mesopotamia.
During the Ubaid period (c. 5500–3700 BC), Kuwait was the central borderland between Mesopotamia and Eastern Arabia, including Bahra 1 and site H3 in Subiya. One of the world's earliest reed boats was discovered at site H3 dating back to the Ubaid period. Other Neolithic sites are located in Khiran and Sulaibikhat.
Mesopotamians first settled in the Kuwaiti island of Failaka in 2000 BC.
Geography
Located at the head of the Persian Gulf in the north-east corner of the Arabian Peninsula, Kuwait is one of the smallest countries in the world in terms of land area. Kuwait lies between latitudes 28° and 31° N, and longitudes 46° and 49° E. Kuwait is generally low-lying, with the highest point being 306 m (1,004 ft) above sea level. Mutla Ridge is the highest point in Kuwait.
Kuwait has ten islands. With an area of 860 km2 (330 mi2), the Bubiyan is the largest island in Kuwait and is connected to the rest of the country by a 2,380-metre-long (7,808 ft) bridge. 0.6% of Kuwaiti land area is considered arable with sparse vegetation found along its 499-kilometre-long (310 mi) coastline. Kuwait City is located on Kuwait Bay, a natural deep-water harbor.
Economy
Kuwait has a wealthy petroleum-based economy. Its official currency is the Kuwaiti dinar. By various per-capita measures of economic output, Kuwait is one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
Since the end of the Gulf War, Kuwait's infrastructure projects market has regularly underperformed due to political deadlocks. In the early 2020s, it was reported that Kuwait was the region's most oil-dependent country with the weakest infrastructure quality and lowest share of economic diversification.
In 2019, Iraq was Kuwait's leading export market and food/agricultural products accounted for 94.2% of total export commodities.
Demographics
Kuwait's 2023 population was 4.82 million people, of which 1.53 million were Kuwaitis and 3.29 million expatriates.
Expatriates in Kuwait account for around 60% of Kuwait's total population. At the end of December 2018, 57.65% of Kuwait's total population were Arabs (including Arab expats). Indians and Egyptians are the largest expat communities respectively.
Kuwait's official state religion is Maliki Sunni Islam. The Al Sabah ruling family adhere to the Maliki school of Sunni Islam. Most Kuwaiti citizens are Muslim; there is no official national census but it is estimated that 60%–70% are Sunni and 30%–40% are Shia.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Kuwait (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kuwait: Key Facts
| Currency | Kuwaiti dinar |
|---|---|
| Official language | Arabic |
| Head of state | Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah |
| Head of government | Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah |
| Form of government | constitutional monarchy |
| Calling code | +965 |
| Internet domain | .kw |
| Highest point | Mutla Ridge |
| Lowest point | Persian Gulf |
| Established | 26 February 1991 |
Facts from Wikidata Q817 (CC0).
History of Kuwait: Empires and States
The atlas records 19 polities whose mapped territory included part of Kuwait, from Parthian Empire in 126 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Parthian Empire | 126 BCE – 237 CE | Nearly all |
| The Sasanian Empire | 238–633 CE | Nearly all |
| Rashidun Caliphate | 634–665 CE | Nearly all |
| The Umayyad Caliphate | 666–750 CE | Nearly all |
| The Abbasid Caliphate | 751–898 CE | Nearly all |
| Qarmatians | 899–979 CE | Nearly all |
| Buyid Dynasty | 980–1055 CE | Nearly all |
| Uyunid Emirate | 1072–1235 CE | Nearly all |
| Hamdanid Emirates | 1236–1259 CE | Nearly all |
| Bahrani Dynasty | 1260–1520 CE | Nearly all |
| Kingdom of Portugal | 1521–1581 CE | Nearly all |
| The Portuguese Empire | 1521–1581 CE | Nearly all |
| The Ottoman Empire | 1552–1899 CE | Nearly all |
| Kuwait | 1757–2024 CE | Nearly all |
| Sultanate of Muscat and Oman | 1900–1921 CE | Nearly all |
| British Africa | 1922–1945 CE | Nearly all |
| The British Empire | 1922–1968 CE | Nearly all |
| Kingdom of Great Britain | 1932–1968 CE | Nearly all |
| State of Kuwait | 1961–1989 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Kuwait
Kuwait on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Kuwait
Kuwait (Arabic: الكويت) is a monarchy situated at the Persian Gulf, nestled between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Historically, Kuwait was a strategic trade port between Mesopotamia, India, and Persia. Like many of its neighbours, Kuwait is endowed with oil and gas wealth.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Kuwait (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Kuwait
4 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kuwait | 2.06 million | Al Kuwayt | National capital |
| 2 | Al Jahra | 194,193 | Al Jahrah | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Hawalli | 164,212 | Hawalli | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Al Ahmadi | 68,763 | Al Ahmadi | Admin-1 capital |
Ports in Kuwait
5 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doha Harbor | 53 m | Very Small | Persian Gulf & Gulf of Oman | point_of_interest |
| 2 | Mina Ash Shuaybah | 27.4 m | Minor | Persian Gulf & Gulf of Oman | medium vessels |
| 3 | Mina Abd Allah | 27.4 m | Small | Persian Gulf & Gulf of Oman | medium vessels |
| 4 | Mina al Ahmadi | 23.8 m | Minor | Persian Gulf & Gulf of Oman | medium vessels |
| 5 | Mina Az Zawr | — | Very Small | Persian Gulf & Gulf of Oman | medium vessels |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Kuwait
2 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arabian Peninsula | 297,867 km² | Pen/cape | Asia |
| 2 | Hasa Plain | 3,446 km² | Plain | Asia |
Arabian Peninsula
Pen/cape · 297,867 km²
Arabian Peninsula is a pen/cape in Asia, covering an estimated 297,867 km². It extends across Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Jordan.
The Arabian Peninsula, or simply Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia. It accounts for the majority of the land situated on the Arabian plate. With an area of 3,237,500 km2 (1.25 million mi2), it is the world's largest peninsula—roughly comparable in size to India. Nine countries are located on the Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, as well as the southern halves of Iraq and Jordan.
Geographically, the Arabian Peninsula is bounded by Mesopotamia and the Levant to the north and northwest and surrounded by the Indian Ocean: the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman to the east and northeast; the Arabian Sea to the southeast; and the Gulf of Aden to the south, the Strait of Mandeb to the southwest, and the Red Sea to the west. Prior to the 7th century AD, Greco-Roman conceptions of "Arabia" were broader than the modern peninsula and extended into the Southern Levant, including the Sinai, the Negev, and regions of modern Jordan, as reflected in the Roman province of Arabia Petraea, whose capital was Petra.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Arabian Peninsula (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Pen/cape
- Mapped extent
- 297,867 km²
- Size rank
- #33 of 231 landforms
- Region
- Asia
- Countries
- Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan
- Coordinates
- 15.0070°, 48.2200°
- Ranges:
- Al Hajar Mountains (Asia), Lebanon Mountains (Asia)
More about Arabian Peninsula
Geography
The Arabian Peninsula is located in the continent of Asia and is bounded by (clockwise) the Persian Gulf to the north-east, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman to the east, the Arabian Sea to the south-east, the Gulf of Aden and the Guardafui Channel to the south, and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait to the south-west and the Red Sea to the south-west and west.
The northern portion of the peninsula transitions into the Syrian Desert with no clear borderline, although the northern boundary of the peninsula is generally considered to be the northern borders of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, as well as the southern regions of Iraq and Jordan.
History
Prehistoric Arabia is the period of the Arabian Peninsula before any written records are known, going back to when humans first began to settle in the region, until around 1000 BC, when systematic written documentation begins to appear in the archaeological record. Stone tools from the Middle Paleolithic era along with fossils of other animals discovered at Ti's al Ghadah, in north-western Saudi Arabia, might imply that hominins migrated through a "Green Arabia" between 300,000 and 500,000 years ago.
Two-hundred-thousand-year-old stone tools were discovered at Shuaib Al-Adgham in the eastern Al-Qassim Province, which would indicate that many prehistoric sites, located along a network of rivers, had once existed in the area.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Arabian Peninsula (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Arabian Peninsula: Key Facts
| Area | 3,200,000 km² |
|---|---|
| Highest point | Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb |
| On | Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea |
Facts from Wikidata Q31945 (CC0).
Countries Bordering Kuwait
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Asia
Kuwait: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Kuwait?
- The capital of Kuwait is Kuwait City.
- What is the population of Kuwait?
- Kuwait has a population of about 4.87 million, the #128 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Kuwait?
- Kuwait covers 17,818 km², ranking #159 by area, with about 273 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Kuwait in?
- Kuwait is in Asia.
- Which countries border Kuwait?
- Kuwait shares a land or maritime border with Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia.
- What is the largest city in Kuwait?
- Kuwait is the largest city in Kuwait, with a metropolitan population of about 2.06 million.