Government and power in Kuwait
Who leads Kuwait, how the World Bank's governance indicators score it, how many women sit in parliament and government, what the state spends and taxes, and the official bodies that hold power to account. System of government: Unitary constitutional monarchy (emirate).
Who leads Kuwait?
- Head of state: Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (Amir of the State of Kuwait)
- Head of government: Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait)
- Foreign minister: Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (Minister for Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait)
Source: Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers for Foreign Affairs: Public List (United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service), list dated 15 October 2026. All world leaders.
Governance scores
The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators combine surveys of households and firms with assessments by public, private and non-governmental bodies. Each score runs from 0 to 100; higher means the sources rate governance better. They measure perceptions, and each has a margin of error.
- Voice and accountability
- Measures how far citizens can choose their government, and freedom of expression, association and the media.
- Political stability and absence of violence
- Measures the likelihood of political instability or politically motivated violence, including terrorism.
- Government effectiveness
- Measures the quality of public services and the civil service, and how independent they are from political pressure.
- Regulatory quality
- Measures the government's ability to make and carry out policies that let the private sector develop.
- Rule of law
- Measures confidence in and respect for the rules of society, including contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts.
- Control of corruption
- Measures how far public power is used for private gain, including petty and grand corruption and "capture" of the state by elites.
How does Kuwait score on voice and accountability?
Voice and accountability: 40.9 out of 100 in 2025, 137th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 37.4). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 47.4.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Kuwait score on political stability?
Political stability and absence of violence: 73 out of 100 in 2025, 75th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 54). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 63.2.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Kuwait score on government effectiveness?
Government effectiveness: 57.6 out of 100 in 2025, 72nd highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 50.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 56.8.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Kuwait score on regulatory quality?
Regulatory quality: 61.7 out of 100 in 2025, 58th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 47.6). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 55.4.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Kuwait score on the rule of law?
Rule of law: 61.9 out of 100 in 2025, 77th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 52.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 58.6.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Kuwait score on control of corruption?
Control of corruption: 53.8 out of 100 in 2025, 69th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 37.9). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 43.1.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many women are in Kuwait's parliament?
Women held 3.1% of seats in the national parliament (single or lower chamber) in 2023, 182nd highest of 186 countries with data. Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union, via the World Bank.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many of Kuwait's ministers are women?
Women held 11.8% of ministerial posts in 2025, 146th highest of 190.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much does Kuwait spend on the military?
Military spending was 4.7% of GDP in 2025, 9th highest of 149 (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, via the World Bank).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow big are the armed forces of Kuwait?
Armed forces personnel numbered 25,000 in 2020.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow good are Kuwait's official statistics?
The World Bank's Statistical Performance Indicator, which scores how well a country's official statistics system works, was 63.4 out of 100 in 2024, 120th highest of 187.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many people in Kuwait use the internet?
100.0% of people used the internet in 2025.
Source: World Bank · saved copyOfficial bodies that hold power in Kuwait
Government
- Kuwait Government OnlinePublishes government services, official announcements and ministry information.
Courts
- Ministry of JusticePublishes court services, judicial announcements and legal information.
Public audit
- State Audit BureauPublishes annual reports on the audit of state accounts and public bodies.
Public contracts
- Central Agency for Public TendersPublishes public tenders, award decisions and procurement rules for Kuwaiti government bodies.
Laws and the official gazette
- Kuwait Al-Youm (Official Gazette)Publishes the Official Gazette with Amiri decrees, laws and ministerial decisions.
Government below the national level
- Governorates (6): Governor appointed by Amiri decree
- Kuwait Municipality (one national municipality): Municipal Council: under the 2016 Municipality Law, 10 members elected and 6 appointed; Director-General appointed
- Residential areas: Mukhtar appointed by the Ministry of Interior for each area
How local power works in Kuwait
Places in Kuwait
Sources
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Voice and accountability (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 70f2804fd1e2…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Political stability and absence of violence (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1317de0c85e1…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Government effectiveness (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a775e808dc65…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Regulatory quality (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83b57e36ff8c…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Rule of law (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0bccc3c054e8…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Control of corruption (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3b15a5340cdd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Seats held by women in national parliament (SG.GEN.PARL.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1ae1dc13981a…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Women in ministerial positions (SG.GEN.MNST.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a4e448a5b8bd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Military spending (MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a7f6913a783b…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Armed forces personnel (MS.MIL.TOTL.P1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fa4663c743ba…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Statistical Performance Indicator (overall score) (IQ.SPI.OVRL), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08ac7cde9129…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: People using the internet (IT.NET.USER.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0d78dc658329…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.