Kuwait's population reaches 3.4 million

The expatriate population in the oil-rich Gulf state rose by 8.5 per cent to 2.345 million, while the native population rose 3.1 per cent to 1.055 million, or just 31 per cent of the total, Al Shall Economic Consultants said in a report based on figures from the Public Authority for Civil Information.

The percentage of native Kuwaitis has been dropping every year as recruitment of foreign manpower, especially from Asia, has risen dramatically.

Kuwait's labour force increased by 6.7 per cent in 2007 to 2.092 million, with foreigners representing a massive 84.5 per cent of the total.

The number of Kuwaitis in the workforce dropped by about five per cent to 324,000 largely due to retirement, Al Shall said.

Over 255,000 of them or almost 79 per cent are employed in government jobs, the report said. Native Kuwaitis account for more than 70 per cent of public sector workers but just 3.9 per cent of the 1.8 million in the private sector.

Asians, who number well over one million, make up the largest contingent in Kuwait. (AFP)