Kuwait

Demographic trends

Until the Iraqi invasion, Palestinians, some of them third-generation residents of Kuwait, were the largest single expatriate group, numbering perhaps 400,000. Popular Palestinian support for Iraq during the war and persistent Palestinian demands for political inclusion led the Kuwaiti government to deport most of them following the restoration of authority, and by early 1992 their number had fallen to 50,000. They have been largely replaced by Egyptians, Syrians, Iranians, and South Asians.

Life expectancy in Kuwait is high, with males living to about 75 years and females to 77. Although Kuwait’s birth rate is roughly equal to the world average, its low death rate has led to a high rate of natural increase. The leading cause of death is circulatory disease. The country is young, with roughly three-fifths of the population under the age of 21.