Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy, with a parliamentary system of government. In 2023, the population of Kuwait was 4.3 million people, 70% of whom were expatriates. In 2022, the life expectancy at birth for Kuwaitis was 80 years old. In 2019, 74% of deaths in Kuwait were attributed to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs with communicable diseases and injuries attributing to 11% and 12% respectively. Kuwait’s per capita GDP in 2023 of US$ 33,730 makes it one of the world’s richest countries.
Kuwait provides universal health coverage through its National Health Service system, which also allows citizens to seek medical care without charge in public hospitals and even pays for health care abroad if the service is not available locally. Universal health care consists of primary, secondary and tertiary care, provided through a network of 102 primary healthcare centres, six general hospitals and 11 special hospitals. The private sector and oil companies operate private clinics and hospitals to cater to the rising demand of expatriates and affluent citizens.
