Governorates of Kuwait

{{Short description|Top-level administrative divisions}} {{for|the former Iraqi military occupation|Kuwait Governorate}} {{More citations needed|date=October 2025}} {{Infobox subdivision type | name = Governorates of Kuwait | map = Kuwait governorates english.png | category = Governorate | territory = State of Kuwait {{flagicon|KUW}} | start_date = | current_number = 6 Governorates | number_date = 27 November 1999 | population_range = Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate - 254,999 (lowest); Farwaniya Governorate - 1,169,312 (highest) | area_range = Hawalli Governorate - {{Convert|85|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} (smallest); Jahra Governorate - {{Convert|11230|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} km² (largest) | government = Government of Kuwait | subdivision = Areas of Kuwait }} {{Politics of Kuwait}}

'''Kuwait''' is divided into 6 '''governorates''' (''muhafazah'').<ref>{{cite web |title=Governorates of Kuwait |url=https://e.gov.kw/sites/kgoenglish/Pages/Visitors/AboutKuwait/KuwaitGovernorates.aspx |website=Kuwait Government Online |access-date=6 October 2025}}</ref> The governorates are further subdivided into areas. Each governorate is headed by a Governor appointed by a ministerial decree for a period of 4 years which can be renewed upon the proposal of the Prime Minister.

==History== The beginning of the formation of governorates in the State of Kuwait started in 1962 with the Emiri decree No. 6 which divided the Kuwait into three governorates i.e. Asimah Governorate, Hawalli Governorate and Ahmadi Governorate. Later, Jahra Governorate, Farwaniya Governorate and Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate were formed in three periods of time: 1979, 1988 and 1999 respectively.

==Governorates== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0;" |+ ! Governorate ! ISO 3166-2:KW ! data-sort-type="date" |Formation ! Population ! Area (km<sup>2</sup>) ! Notes |- ! scope="row" | Ahmadi Governorate |KW-AH |1962 | align="right" |959,009 | align="right" |5,120 | It was named after Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 10th ruler of Kuwait. |- ! scope="row" | Asimah Governorate |KW-KU |1962 | align="right" |568,567 | align="right" |175 | It houses most of Kuwait's financial and business centres such as the Kuwait Stock Exchange. |- ! scope="row" | Farwaniya Governorate |KW-FA |1988 | align="right" |1,169,312 | align="right" |204 | It is the most populated governorate. |- ! scope="row" | Hawalli Governorate |KW-HA |1962 | align="right" |939,792 | align="right" |85 | It is the smallest and most densely populated governorate. |- ! scope="row" | Jahra Governorate |KW-JA |1979 | align="right" |540,910 | align="right" |11,230 | It is the largest governorate and contains the agricultural area. |- ! scope="row" | Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate |KW-MU |1999 | align="right" |254,999 | align="right" |104 | The newest governorate of Kuwait, founded in 1999 and the least populated governorate in Kuwait. |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Governorates of Kuwait}} {{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of Asian countries}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Governorates of Kuwait}} Category: Governorates of Kuwait Category: Subdivisions of Kuwait Kuwait, Governorates Kuwait 1 Governorates, Kuwait Category: Kuwait geography-related lists Kuwait