The Arabian Peninsula Partnership
The Gospel for every person and a church for every people in the Arabian Peninsula amongst indigenous peoples
Information about Kuwait
An oil-rich wedge of desert between Iraq and Saudi Arabia at the northwest end of the Arabian Gulf.
| Population |
Annual Growth |
Density |
| 2000: 1,971,634 |
+3.14% |
111 per sq. km. |
| 2010: 2,419,713 |
+1.85% |
136 per sq. km. |
| 2025: 2,974,454 |
+1.12% |
167 per sq. km. |
| Capital: Kuwait city |
Urbanites: 97% |
Arabs: 68% of total population:
Kuwaiti: 37%
Foreign Arab: 24.6% (Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese, Palestinian)
Non-Arabs: 32%. Filipino, Pakistani, Indian, Iranian, Europeans etc.
Literacy: 79%. Official language: Arabic
The massive capital and petroleum reserves of this oil rich state were seriously damaged by the Iraqi invasion and Gulf War in 1990-91, but due to generous aid/loans, the oil is again being pumped out to the permitted OPEC limits. Warning signs: the budget deficit is ballooning, and 83% of the workforce is foreign. Income/person $20,470
Former British protectorate; became independent in 1961. Constitutional monarchy, but with the Amir and his family exercising quasi-autocratic control. Stuttering democratic progress since 1986. The 1990s were marked by politicized xenophobia due to the Iraqi invasion, suspicions of Kuwaiti-based Iraqi collaborators, and increasing Islamist agitation.
Sunni Islam is the state religion with a large Shi'a minority. Immigrant religious minorities are permitted some worship facilities. Diverse Christian community in a relatively liberal Islamic regime. Proselytizing Muslims is forbidden. Persecution index 20th in the world.
| Religions |
Population % |
Adherents |
| Muslim |
87.43 |
1,723,800 |
| Christian |
8.17 |
161,082 |
| Hindu |
2.50 |
49,291 |
| non-Religious |
1.10 |
21,688 |
| Baha'i |
0.50 |
9,858 |
| Buddhist |
0.30 |
5,915 |
| Christians |
Denom. |
Affiliation |
,000 |
| Protestant |
30 |
0.46 |
9 |
| Independent |
15 |
0.25 |
5 |
| Anglican |
1 |
0.01 |
0 |
| Catholic |
2 |
3.91 |
77 |
| Orthodox |
5 |
3.54 |
70
|
| Churches |
Congregations |
Members |
Affiliates
|
| Catholic |
8 |
46,584 |
75,000 |
| Coptic Orthodox |
6 |
31,579 |
60,000 |
| National Evangelical |
3 |
1,250 |
5,000 |
| Indepedent |
28 |
2,778 |
5,000 |
| Armenian Apostolic |
1 |
2564 |
4,000 |
| Greek Orthodox |
1 |
2244 |
3,500 |
| Syrian Orthodox |
2 |
1366 |
2,200 |
| Mar Thoma Syrian |
2 |
1242 |
2,000 |
| Melkite Greek Catholic |
1 |
1,111 |
2,000 |
| Pentecostal Churches |
6 |
974 |
1,500 |
| 16 other denominations |
11 |
689 |
1,231 |
| Total Christians |
69 |
92,381 |
161,431 |
Operation World
Pray for Kuwait
