Photo: Jack Versloot · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 05 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Kuwait: Health & Wellbeing
How long, and how well fed, do people live?
Kuwait is placed 49th of 200 countries on health & wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Life Expectancy at Birth 80.4 (2023); Under-Five Mortality Rate 8.104 (2024).
Share
Health & Wellbeing
49th
of 200 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 80.4Life Expectancy at Birth, 2023Years a newborn would live at current death rates
- 8.104Under-Five Mortality Rate, 2024Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
- 3.205Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, 2024Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
- 3.8Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, 2024Population in severe food insecurity (%)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Kuwait on health & wellbeing — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Life Expectancy at Birth
UN DESA Population Division
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
80.4
Years a newborn would live at current death rates
Higher is better
Kuwait: 80.4. Across the 222 countries in this edition, values run from 54.46 (Nigeria) to 86.37 (Monaco); the world median is 74.63.
- World median
- 74.63
- Best in Western Asia
- 82.91 United Arab Emirates
- Land neighbours
- Iraq 72.32 · Saudi Arabia 78.73
Key 2 of 4
Under-Five Mortality Rate
UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
8.104
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
Lower is better
Kuwait: 8.104. Across the 200 countries in this edition, values run from 1.26 (San Marino) to 115.65 (Nigeria); the world median is 14.54.
- World median
- 14.54
- Best in Western Asia
- 3.34 Israel
- Land neighbours
- Iraq 21.84 · Saudi Arabia 5.958
Key 3 of 4
Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Kuwait’s is from 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
3.205
Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
Lower is better
Kuwait: 3.205. Across the 162 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0.518 (Latvia) to 52.8 (Burundi); the world median is 13.8.
- World median
- 13.8
- Best in Western Asia
- 3.205 Kuwait
- Land neighbours
- Iraq 12.64 · Saudi Arabia 10.85
Key 4 of 4
Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
3.8
Population in severe food insecurity (%)
Lower is better
Kuwait: 3.8. Across the 125 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Brazil) to 62.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 4.9.
- World median
- 4.9
- Best in Western Asia
- 0.7 Israel
02Over time
Which way Kuwait is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Years a newborn would live at current death rates · higher is better
KuwaitWorld median
Kuwait rose from 75.87 in 2000 to 80.4 in 2023; the world median went from 70.68 to 74.63.
Every year’s figures
Year Kuwait World median 2023 80.40 74.630 2022 78.79 74.313 2021 77.63 72.433 2020 78.25 73.063 2019 80.02 74.196 2018 79.90 74.081 2017 79.73 74.029 2016 79.52 74.013 2015 79.22 73.783 2014 78.93 73.330 2013 78.58 73.386 2012 78.23 73.210 2011 77.86 73.003 2010 77.50 72.827 2009 77.17 72.426 2008 76.89 72.264 2007 76.69 72.113 2006 76.55 72.027 2005 76.46 71.876 2004 76.39 71.477 2003 76.30 71.409 2002 76.19 71.173 2001 76.04 70.926 2000 75.87 70.678 Under-Five Mortality Rate
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) · lower is better
KuwaitWorld median
Kuwait fell from 12.74 in 2000 to 8.104 in 2024; the world median went from 30.43 to 14.54.
Every year’s figures
Year Kuwait World median 2024 8.10 14.5 2023 8.35 15.2 2022 8.56 14.7 2021 8.72 15.1 2020 8.82 15.3 2019 8.87 15.7 2018 8.89 16.3 2017 8.93 16.8 2016 9.00 17.5 2015 9.13 17.9 2014 9.33 18.3 2013 9.61 18.7 2012 9.95 18.8 2011 10.34 19.0 2010 10.71 19.2 2009 11.01 20.8 2008 11.24 20.7 2007 11.43 21.8 2006 11.59 22.8 2005 11.76 24.0 2004 11.95 25.9 2003 12.15 26.9 2002 12.33 28.0 2001 12.51 29.1 2000 12.74 30.4 Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Population in severe food insecurity (%) · lower is better
KuwaitWorld median
Kuwait fell from 4.9 in 2015 to 3.8 in 2024; the world median went from 3.4 to 4.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Kuwait World median 2024 3.8 4.9 2023 3.4 4.7 2022 3.4 5.4 2021 4.5 5.7 2020 4.9 5.6 2019 4.9 5.0 2018 4.9 4.2 2017 4.9 4.0 2016 4.9 3.4 2015 4.9 3.4
03In context
Kuwait beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 200 countries on health & wellbeing, never a place within the region.
Kuwait and the countries it borders
Standing among all 200; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Life Expectancy at BirthYears a newborn would live at current death rates | Under-Five Mortality RateDeaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) | Stunting Prevalence in Children Under FiveChildren under 5 who are stunted (%) | Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityPopulation in severe food insecurity (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuwait | 49th | 80.4 | 8.104 | 3.205 | 3.8 |
 Saudi Arabia | 58th | 78.73 | 5.958 | 10.85 | — |
 Iraq | 113th | 72.32 | 21.84 | 12.64 | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Western Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 200.
Placed either side on health & wellbeing
The countries immediately above and below Kuwait in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Kuwait is ahead of the world, and behind
35 more statistics filed under health & wellbeing, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median22
Statistics on which Kuwait does better than the middle country measured.
Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.461.57627.46▲ Improved since 2013
Kuwait: 1.576 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.
Position 213th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1)WUENIC · 2025 · world median 909990▲ Improved since 2015
Kuwait: 99 · world median 90 · Infants given a first dose of measles vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 13 to 99; higher is better.
Adult Mortality (Probability of Dying Between 15 and 60)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 133.743.53133.7▲ Improved since 2013
Kuwait: 43.53 · world median 133.7 · Deaths before age 60 per 1,000 people alive at 15, at that year's death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 25.15 to 415.44; lower is better.
Position 209th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Births Attended by Skilled Health StaffUNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance) · 2023 · world median 99.310099.3▲ Improved since 2013
Kuwait: 100 · world median 99.3 · Births attended by skilled health staff (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 60.9 to 100; higher is better.
Position 1st of 84 · derived.
Prevalence of UndernourishmentFAO · 2023 · world median 5.22.55.2▼ Worsened since 2013
Kuwait: 2.5 · world median 5.2 · Population undernourished (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 54.2; lower is better.
Position 104th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 PandemicAriel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset) · 2026 · world median 272.35146.6272.35No earlier reading
Kuwait: 146.6 · world median 272.35 · Excess deaths per 100,000 people, March 2020 to the end of each country's data (at most December 2023). Ariel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from -264.9 to 1,013; lower is better.
Vegetable Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 102.69162.89102.69▼ Worsened since 2013
Kuwait: 162.89 · world median 102.69 · Vegetables available as food (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.89 to 412.72; higher is better.
Maternal Mortality RatioMMEIG · 2023 · world median 46.657.7546.65▼ Worsened since 2013
Kuwait: 7.75 · world median 46.65 · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.11 to 992.83; lower is better.
Position 155th of 195 · derived, 1st = worst.
Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.7620.8520.762▲ Improved since 2013
Kuwait: 0.852 · world median 0.762 · HDI score (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.388 to 0.972; higher is better.
Ranked 52nd of 193 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Agreement That Vaccines Are SafeWellcome Trust · 2018 · world median 77.6586.8577.65No earlier reading
Kuwait: 86.85 · world median 77.65 · People aged 15+ who agree that vaccines are safe (% of those who had heard of vaccines). Wellcome Trust, 2018 edition, data for 2018.
Published values in that edition run from 29.29 to 97.91; higher is better.
Position 39th of 144 · derived.
Life Expectancy at Age 65UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 16.3918.3516.39▲ Improved since 2013
Kuwait: 18.35 · world median 16.39 · Further years a 65-year-old would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 12.13 to 23.21; higher is better.
Position 65th of 222 · derived.
Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.1880.351▼ Worsened since 2013
Kuwait: 0.188 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.
Ranked 51st of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.99.420.9▲ Improved since 2015
Kuwait: 9.4 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.
Position 94th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.
Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 2024 · world median 2.8581.6892.858▼ Worsened since 2014
Kuwait: 1.689 · world median 2.858 · Deaths between ages 5 and 14 (per 1,000 children aged 5). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.392 to 59.04; lower is better.
Position 140th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Infant Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 12.267.01812.26No real change since 2014
Kuwait: 7.018 · world median 12.26 · Deaths before age one (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.214 to 71.87; lower is better.
Position 139th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Neonatal Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 8.1344.4258.134▼ Worsened since 2014
Kuwait: 4.425 · world median 8.134 · Deaths in the first 28 days (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.544 to 39.47; lower is better.
Position 138th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Immunisation Coverage, DTP3WUENIC · 2025 · world median 919591▼ Worsened since 2015
Kuwait: 95 · world median 91 · Infants given a third dose of DTP vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 39 to 99; higher is better.
Institutional DeliveriesUNICEF · 2025 · world median 96.998.796.9No earlier reading
Kuwait: 98.7 · world median 96.9 · Live births delivered in a health facility (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.5 to 100; higher is better.
Stillbirth RateUN IGME · 2023 · world median 8.1635.28.163▼ Worsened since 2013
Kuwait: 5.2 · world median 8.163 · Stillbirths (per 1,000 total births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.18 to 34.9; lower is better.
Position 130th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Fruit Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 84.8392.884.83▼ Worsened since 2013
Kuwait: 92.8 · world median 84.83 · Fruit available as food, excluding wine (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.27 to 379.63; higher is better.
Wasting Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 3.5463.5183.546No earlier reading
Kuwait: 3.518 · world median 3.546 · Children under 5 who are wasted (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.1 to 22.74; lower is better.
Position 85th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and TubersFAO · 2022 · world median 414041▼ Worsened since 2012
Kuwait: 40 · world median 41 · Share of dietary energy supply from cereals, roots and tubers (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 21 to 82; lower is better.
Behind the world median6
Statistics on which Kuwait does worse than the middle country measured.
Human Capital IndexWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 0.5640.5630.564▲ Improved since 2010
Kuwait: 0.563 · world median 0.564 · HCI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.292 to 0.879; higher is better.
Position 87th of 172 · derived.
Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern MethodsUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 71.2567.671.25▼ Worsened since 2013
Kuwait: 67.6 · world median 71.25 · Share of women aged 15–49 wanting to avoid pregnancy who use a modern method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 8.4 to 92.4; higher is better.
Position 107th of 196 · derived.
Low Birthweight PrevalenceUNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates) · 2020 · world median 10.2114.3710.21▼ Worsened since 2010
Kuwait: 14.37 · world median 10.21 · Live births weighing under 2,500 g (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 3.993 to 27.44; lower is better.
Position 39th of 158 · derived, 1st = worst.
Overweight Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 5.510.085.5▼ Worsened since 2014
Kuwait: 10.08 · world median 5.5 · Children under 5 who are overweight (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.623 to 26.43; lower is better.
Position 36th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.48182.283.48No real change since 2015
Kuwait: 182.28 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.
PM2.5 Air Pollution ExposureAtmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis · 2023 · world median 14.4548.214.45No real change since 2013
Kuwait: 48.2 · world median 14.45 · Population-weighted PM2.5 concentration (µg/m³). Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 68.2; lower is better.
Position 7th of 220 · derived, 1st = worst.
Level with the median, or no median to compare1
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.250.25▲ Improved since 2014
Kuwait: 0.25 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
No better end6
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8945.7538.89No real change since 2015
Kuwait: 45.75 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 16th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Meat Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 57.8362.5457.83Moved since 2013
Kuwait: 62.54 · world median 57.83 · Meat available as food (kg per person per year, carcass weight). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.49 to 156.95.
Fish and Seafood Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 16.1712.9716.17Moved since 2013
Kuwait: 12.97 · world median 16.17 · Fish and seafood available as food (kg per person per year, live-weight equivalent). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.38 to 83.81.
Modern Contraceptive PrevalenceUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 35.429.435.4Moved since 2013
Kuwait: 29.4 · world median 35.4 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using a modern contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2 to 73.8.
Contraceptive Prevalence (Any Method)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 41.2535.541.25Moved since 2013
Kuwait: 35.5 · world median 41.25 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using any contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.6 to 78.7.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.553.264.55Moved since 2017
Kuwait: 3.26 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
No current reading for Kuwait
Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry On, Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four Visits, Caesarean Section Rate, Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Children with Functional Difficulties, Dietary Energy Supply, Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, HPV Vaccination Coverage, Girls, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Pesticide Use per Hectare, Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet and Violent Discipline of Children. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Health & Wellbeing among Kuwait’s 15 topics
Health & Wellbeing is Kuwait’s 3rd best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Work & Labour12th of 1824/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 47th of 1984/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing49th of 2004/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience62nd of 1933/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 61st of 1842/4 keys
- Development & Human Capitaljoint 76th of 1963/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions76th of 1944/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation87th of 1764/4 keys
- Mobility & Tradejoint 91st of 1773/4 keys
- Peace & Security103rd of 1774/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 136th of 1984/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge138th of 1983/4 keys
- Energy121st of 1653/3 keys
- Gender & Equality178th of 1833/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability184th of 1863/4 keys
No standing on Poverty & Inequality: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on health & wellbeing
The three countries placed highest of 200, and the leaders Kuwait can most readily be measured against.
1
San MarinoSouthern Europe
1st of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Matl derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
MonacoWestern Europe
2nd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
AndorraSouthern Europe
3rd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest placed on all 4 keys
South Korea5th4/4 keysHighest in Western Asia
Israel10th3/4 keysThis page
Kuwait49th4/4 keys
Positions out of 200 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Kuwait and health & wellbeing
On health & wellbeing
Global Hunger Index 2025: Countries with the Most Alarming Hunger Crisis
Thirteen countries scored across four editions — 2000, 2008, 2016 and 2025 — and five the report could not score at all. DR Congo and South Sudan share 121st place on 37.5.
On health & wellbeing
World Happiness Report 2025: Finland Leads Again as the US and UK Face Major Declines
The ten highest life evaluations of 2025, drawn on a world map, and the six things the report uses to explain them. Costa Rica and Mexico are the only two outside Europe and the Middle East.
08Questions
Kuwait on health & wellbeing: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Kuwait rank on health & wellbeing?
Kuwait is placed 49th of 200 countries on Health & Wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Life Expectancy at Birth, Under-Five Mortality Rate, Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five and Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Life Expectancy at Birth figure for Kuwait?
80.4 in 2023 (years a newborn would live at current death rates), according to UN DESA Population Division. The world median in the same edition was 74.63.
What is the latest Under-Five Mortality Rate figure for Kuwait?
8.104 in 2024 (deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)), according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). The world median in the same edition was 14.54.
How does Kuwait compare with Iraq on health & wellbeing?
Iraq is placed 113th of 200, and Kuwait 49th. Life Expectancy at Birth: Iraq 72.32, Kuwait 80.4; Under-Five Mortality Rate: Iraq 21.84, Kuwait 8.104; Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five: Iraq 12.64, Kuwait 3.205.
How have Kuwait’s health & wellbeing figures changed?
Life Expectancy at Birth rose from 75.87 in 2000 to 80.4 in 2023; Under-Five Mortality Rate fell from 12.74 in 2000 to 8.104 in 2024; Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity fell from 4.9 in 2015 to 3.8 in 2024.
Which health & wellbeing statistics are missing for Kuwait?
No current reading is published for Kuwait on Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry On, Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four Visits, Caesarean Section Rate, Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Children with Functional Difficulties, Dietary Energy Supply, Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, HPV Vaccination Coverage, Girls, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Pesticide Use per Hectare, Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet and Violent Discipline of Children. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Health spending, hospital beds and doctors per person are not measured, because more of any of them does not guarantee better outcomes. Mental health and self-reported happiness are not part of this topic. Food supply per person is measured under Food & Agriculture. Maternal mortality and many other indicators are published here as context; maternal mortality is a key in Development & Human Capital instead.
How the Health & Wellbeing standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The health & wellbeing method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Life Expectancy at Birth — UN DESA Population Division, CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Under-Five Mortality Rate — UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five — UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 35 statistics on this page come from 16 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Kuwait’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Kuwait (banner) — Jack Versloot, CC BY 2.0
- San Marino — Matl derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monaco — Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Andorra — Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Kuwait: Health & Wellbeing — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/kuwait/health