Kuwait’s population tops 5 million, with expatriates accounting for 70%

Dubai: Kuwait’s population has officially crossed five million for the first time, according to mid-2025 figures released by the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI).

The country’s total population now stands at 5,098,000, with expatriates making up 70 per cent (3,547,000) and Kuwaiti citizens accounting for 30 per cent (1,550,000).

The data reveal significant demographic and labour trends: males outnumber females by a wide margin, 3.09 million men to 2.01 million women, while the working-age population (15–64 years) makes up 80 per cent of all residents. The dominant age group is 35–39, representing 13 per cent of the population.

Among the expatriates, Indians form the largest group at over one million (29 per cent), followed by Egyptians at 19 per cent.

In the labour market, 2.28 million people are employed, with only 3.8 per cent of Kuwaitis working in the private sector, despite national efforts to increase their participation.

Domestic workers alone make up 16 per cent of the population, totalling more than 822,000, primarily from India, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.

Urban density continues to rise in key districts. Salmiya is now Kuwait’s most populated area with 331,462 residents, followed by Al Farwaniya (309,871), Jleeb Al Shuyoukh (282,263), Hawalli (242,214), and Mahboula (230,854).

With 45 per cent of the population employed and 79 per cent living in private households, the demographic shift points to the need for sustainable development, targeted resource allocation, and long-term service expansion across Kuwait’s most impacted districts.