Country explorer: Kuwait

Kuwait has experienced significant economic growth with high GDP per capita levels consistent with high-income countries, maintained low unemployment rates even during global economic downturns, and controlled inflation rates, distinguishing it as a wealthy nation reliant on hydrocarbon resources, mirroring the economic patterns of its Gulf Cooperation Council peers.

Kuwait has experienced rapid population growth primarily due to significant net migration, alongside moderate declines in fertility rates and consistent improvements in life expectancy, reflecting a demographic profile common among high-income Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries transitioning through socioeconomic changes.

Kuwait has maintained 100% access to clean cooking fuels, electricity, and safely managed drinking water and sanitation, positioning it at the forefront among high-income countries in ensuring basic needs are met for its entire population.

Kuwait has experienced substantive improvements in human development indicators such as enhanced literacy rates and significant reductions in child mortality, positioning it favorably among high-income countries, yet facing challenges in boosting its learning-adjusted years of schooling to match the progress seen in its Gulf neighbors like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Kuwait has experienced a transition characterized by increasing per capita CO₂ emissions, minimal development in renewable energy sources, persistent scarcity in renewable freshwater resources, and negligible forest area, highlighting the nation's challenges in balancing energy production, water security, and environmental sustainability within its developmental objectives, akin to several of its oil-rich Gulf counterparts.

Kuwait has experienced a significant digital transformation, with Internet usage and mobile subscriptions surging to near-universal levels, underscoring a fast-paced adoption of digital technology akin to its Gulf Cooperation Council peers, yet its relatively modest investment in research and development sets it apart in the region's landscape of technological and innovation progress.

Kuwait has seen a pronounced increase in the expatriate population, a slight improvement in gender inequality, persistent high levels of self-reported life satisfaction, and a moderate decrease in the age dependency ratio, showcasing a unique blend of traditional values and modern societal shifts similar to its Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) peers, yet distinguished by its specific demographic and social dynamics.

Kuwait has shown gradual improvement in governance indicators such as rule of law and corruption perception, while maintaining moderate levels of political civil liberties and press freedom, suggesting a complex governance environment that balances traditional influences with incremental reforms.