527,223 ‘I do’s,’ more goodbyes

20/08/2026

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 20: Official statistics released by the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) has revealed that the total number of married Kuwaiti citizens reached 527,223 in mid-2026 -- 274,204 males and 253,016 females. The total number of married Kuwaiti citizens in mid-2017 was 471,136. These figures show a remarkable increase in the number of married Kuwaitis over the past nine years, an increase of more than 56,000 marriages.

The comparison of the distribution with the mid-2026 statistics revealed an almost equal number of husbands and wives, with a slight increase in the number of males registered as married in official records compared to females. The statistics also showed an increase in the number of divorce cases to 84,975 by mid-2026, compared to 83,320 in mid-2025. The registration of 1,655 new divorce cases in just 12 months prompted the executive and social institutions to intensify their efforts in investigating the underlying causes.

On the other hand, the total number of Kuwaiti widows and widowers reached 32,880 by mid-2026, comprising of 27,917 widows (85 percent) and 4,963 widowers. Compared to the mid-2017 statistics when the number of widows and widowers was 31,024, it entails an increase of 1,856 cases or six percent. This increase is considered normal and consistent with the overall population growth and the evolving age demographics of Kuwaiti citizens.

By Najeh Bilal Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff