More Love, More Loss? Kuwait's Marriage & Divorce Numbers Revealed
Divorces also edged upward. The number of divorces that occurred in the same year of marriage rose by 8.3%, from 710 in 2023 to 769 in 2024. The overall divorce rate also increased by 3.9%, with total cases reaching 8,168, up from 7,865 the year before. University graduates accounted for the highest share of divorce cases, with Ahmadi Governorate reporting the highest regional divorce rates.
Breakdown of Marriages in 2024
1. Nationality
Kuwaiti couples made up 72.2% of all marriages.
Non-Kuwaiti couples represented 14.9%.
Marriages between Kuwaiti men and non-Kuwaiti women accounted for 9.6%.
Marriages between non-Kuwaiti men and Kuwaiti women stood at 3.3%.
2. Educational Background
Among husbands, 44.1% held university degrees, followed by diploma holders (21.7%), secondary school graduates (19.1%), and intermediate-level education (11%).
Among wives, 55.6% had university degrees, followed by secondary school (23.2%), diploma (13.6%), and intermediate-level education (4.8%).
3. Age Distribution
Most husbands were aged 25–29 years (40.2%), followed by 30–34 years (21.3%), and 20–24 years (15.3%).
Wives were mostly aged 20–24 years (32%), followed closely by 25–29 years (31.2%) and 30–34 years (12.9%).
Ratification Cases and Trends
Ratification cases rose from 1,285 in 2023 to 1,348 in 2024—a 4.9% increase. Marriages involving a Kuwaiti husband and a non-Kuwaiti wife were the most common in ratification cases, comprising 59.1% of the total.
Statistically, the annual average number of marriages over 2020–2024 stood at 14,212, with a standard deviation of 1,358. The crude marriage rate rose from 276 per 100,000 people in 2023 to 294 in 2024—a 6.5% rise. This equated to 2.9 marriages per 1,000 people in 2024.
Marriage Projections for 2025
The Ministry forecasts an annual average of 14,776 marriages in the future, with a 95% confidence interval predicting figures between 12,952 and 16,601 for 2025.
Divorce Trends and Demographics
1. Nationality
Kuwaiti couples accounted for 62.5% of all divorce cases.
Non-Kuwaiti couples made up 17.3%.
Divorces between Kuwaiti husbands and non-Kuwaiti wives represented 13.9%.
Cases involving non-Kuwaiti husbands and Kuwaiti wives were 6.3%.
2. Duration of Marriage
33.8% of divorces occurred within 1–5 years of marriage.
19.7% occurred between 10–20 years.
18.7% between 5–10 years.
17.3% were within the first year.
10.5% involved marriages lasting over 20 years.
3. Educational Background
Among husbands: 32.7% of divorced men had university degrees, followed by intermediate (20.9%), secondary (20.1%), and diploma holders (19.8%).
Among wives: 44.4% were university graduates, followed by diploma holders (20.8%), secondary school graduates (19.5%), and intermediate-level education (10.5%).
4. Age Distribution
- Husbands aged 45+ made up 29.8% of divorce cases.
- Other groups included 30–34 years (19.8%), 35–39 years (16.7%), and 25–29 years (16.6%).
- Wives aged 25–29 years represented the highest divorce rate at 20.5%, followed by 30–34 years (19.6%), 45+ (17.9%), and 35–39 years (17.3%).
5. By Governorate
The highest rates of divorce among wives were recorded in:
Hawalli (19.1%)
Ahmadi (18.7%)
Ahmadi (18.7%)
Farwaniya (17.7%)
Capital Governorate (15.3%)
Types of Divorce
First revocable divorces: 56.5% (up 4% from 2023)
First irrevocable divorces: 28% (up 4.2%)
Second revocable divorces: 9.4% (up 0.5%)
Second irrevocable divorces: 2.5% (up 23.2%)
Third irrevocable divorces: 3.6% (down 3%)
Divorce among couples with remaining wives increased by 2.6%, from 1,252 cases in 2023 to 1,285 in 2024.
Divorce Types
Certificate-based divorces: 73.6% (up 3.5%)
Mukhala (mutual separation): 19.1% (a sharp 145% rise)
Court-judgment-based divorces: 7.3% (down 57.8%)
Divorces Before Consummation Rose from 600 in 2023 to 633 in 2024, a 5.5% increase.
Medical Referrals
The report also recorded a 6.1% increase in medical referrals for marital issues, from 1,083 in 2023 to 1,149 in 2024. Most cases (63.7%) involved Kuwaiti couples.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
2 hours ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait's social security to disburse KD 20 pension increase starting August 1
KUWAIT CITY, July 27: The Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS) announced on Sunday that the next pension increase of KD 20 (approximately USD 65.4) will be disbursed starting August 1. In a post on its official ' X' account, the PIFSS confirmed that the increment will cover Kuwaiti retirees as well as individuals treated as Kuwaitis. It will also include those eligible for pensions based on their entitlement percentages. The institution clarified that the pension increase will be deposited automatically, and beneficiaries do not need to take any action or visit the PIFSS to receive the additional amount.
Arab Times
8 hours ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait Just Changed Driving License Rules, Here is what you need to know
KUWAIT CITY, July 27: The Official Gazette Kuwait Alyom has published Ministry of Interior Resolution No. 1257 of 2025, introducing amendments to Clause 1 of Article 85 of Ministerial Resolution No. 81/76, which outlines the Executive Regulations of the Traffic Law and its amendments. According to the revised clause, a "Private License" is now defined as a license issued to operate private vehicles carrying no more than seven passengers, transport vehicles with a load capacity not exceeding two tons, taxis, and ambulances. The updated regulation sets new validity periods based on the holder's residency status: 15 years for Kuwaiti citizens and citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, 5 years for expatriates (non-Kuwaitis), Valid according to card review for stateless (Bedouns) The resolution also authorizes the acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior to enforce the decision, which takes effect immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette.
Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait's Forgotten Tyre Graveyard: Push for Urgent Cleanup Plan
KUWAIT CITY, July 26: Municipal Council member Alia Al-Farsi has submitted a question to the executive body of Kuwait Municipality regarding tyre landfills and dumping sites, pointing out that Kuwait has scarce and undiversified natural resources, while it has large quantities of waste that can be utilised in the economic sector. Al-Farsi said the Environmental Affairs Committee in the council discussed this issue in its first workshop -- held on June 26, 2024 -- under the title, 'Tyre Landfills and Dumping Sites and their Impact on Public Health and Environmental Safety - Current Situation and Sustainable Solutions,' which resulted in the issuance of a set of urgent and long-term recommendations. She included in her question the most important recommendations presented at the workshop -- the need for coordination between the Municipality, Environment Public Authority (EPA) and Public Authority for Industry (PAI) to gradually eliminate tyre accumulation, particularly at the Kilometer 65 site in Salmi, with the participation of factories licensed by PAI and Kuwaiti entrepreneurs approved by the Municipality. She said this should be part of a comprehensive plan that includes studying the specifications of the accumulated tyres (both new and old) and the mechanism for distributing them to treatment facilities, under the supervision of the Municipality and according to a clear timetable. She added that the plan must also include meeting the requirements of the Kuwait Fire Force (KFF) at tyre collection sites, such as establishing temporary water basins, developing a comprehensive plan to manage tyre disposal in line with sustainable development goals, and rehabilitating waste transporters in light of the new regulations for municipal waste management and public hygiene. She enumerated the other recommendations as follows: Promote modern tyre processing methods; Prepare a procedures manual for the use of recycled building materials in coordination with Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Ministry of Public Works and Kuwait University; Specify legislative frameworks through the Regulations Review Committee at the Municipality; Monitor the results of experiments conducted by some entities using rubber asphalt extracted from tyres, in preparation for developing technical specifications and expanding the scope of application in road projects; Invest in recycled waste within road maintenance contracts at the Ministry of Public Works; Support and encourage the private sector to implement projects that promote sustainable development and the green economy Al-Farsi pointed out that more than a year had passed since the issuance of these recommendations, which prompted her to present a series of questions to the executive body in the Municipality, about the measures taken regarding the tyres landfill in Salmi (Kilometer 65) and the extent of the commitment of the Municipality to implement the recommendations; especially concerning the disposal of tyre waste in line with the sustainable development goals. She also inquired about the mechanism followed in measuring and managing the quantities of accumulated tyres, as well as the increase and disposal rates.
