Kuwait's Population Hits 5 Million, Expats Dominate At 69%

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- Kuwait's population has approached the 5-million mark, with expatriates continuing to dominate the demographic landscape, according to newly released figures by the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI).

Indians lead the expatriate population at over 1 million, followed by 657,280 Egyptians. Together, they make up nearly half of all expats.

As of December 2024, according to a report by the Gulf News, the country's population stood at 4,987,826, with non-Kuwaitis comprising 68.6%, or 3,419,843 residents. Kuwaiti nationals numbered 1,567,983. The Indian community remains the largest foreign group, totaling 1,007,961 people, representing 21% of the total population and 29% of the expatriate demographic. Egyptians followed with 657,280 residents, reflecting a 2% year-on-year increase.

Employment data continues to reveal a sharp divide as per this report: Kuwaitis constitute 78% of the public sector workforce, yet only 4% in the private sector, where non-Kuwaitis make up 96%. In total, expatriate workers numbered 2.56 million, outnumbering the 540,878 working Kuwaitis nearly five to one. Notably, domestic workers alone accounted for 780,930, highlighting the heavy reliance on foreign labor in households.

Household composition also varies significantly. The average Kuwaiti family consists of seven members, compared to just two per expatriate household. Birth rates further reflect this disparity, with Kuwaitis recording 21 births per 1,000 people, in contrast to only four among non-Kuwaitis.

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In terms of occupation, Kuwaitis predominantly hold executive, government, and education roles, while expatriates are mostly employed in domestic work, manual labor, and low-wage services such as driving, cleaning, and waiting tables.

Gender statistics show that Kuwaiti women (794,923) slightly outnumber men (773,060), yet men constitute 61% of the total population, largely due to the male-skewed expatriate workforce.

Across the GCC, Kuwait's expatriate share is high but not the highest. In the UAE, expats constitute around 88% of the population, while Qatar follows closely with about 85%. In Bahrain, expats make up roughly 52%, and in Oman, around 41%. Saudi Arabia has a lower ratio, with expatriates comprising approximately 38% of the population.

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