Islam in Kuwait

Grand Mosque of Kuwait

Islam is the main religion of Kuwait, with the majority of Kuwaiti citizens being Muslim. More recent estimates from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the media suggest that about 70% of Kuwaiti citizens are Sunni Muslims, and around 30% are Shia Muslims. Estimates from the early 2000s similarly reported a Sunni majoirty and a Shia minority within Kuwait's Muslim population. In 2001, there were an estimated 525,000 Sunni Kuwaiti citizens and 300,000 Shia Kuwaiti citizens. In 2002, the US Department of State reported that Shias formed 30%-40% of Kuwait's citizen population, noting there were 525,000 Sunni Kuwaiti citizens and 855,000 Kuwaiti citizens in total (61% Sunnis, 39% Shias). In 2004, there were an estimated 600,000 Sunni Kuwaiti citizens, 300,000-350,000 Shia Kuwaiti citizens and 913,000 Kuwaiti citizens in total.

Among expatriates, roughly 62.7% are Muslim with approximately 5% being Shia Muslim. Some other minor Muslim sects do exist in Kuwait's society, but in very small or rare numbers.