KUWAIT CITY, Oct 22: Despite comprehensive government support in areas such as education, employment, and marriage, nearly half of the country's citizens remain unmarried. According to new official statistics, there are 409,201 single Kuwaitis—215,000 males and 194,000 females—in a citizen population of just over 1.065 million. These figures highlight societal challenges that discourage many from marrying.

The data also revealed an unexpected trend regarding early marriages. More than 2,000 Kuwaitis were married between the ages of 15 and 19, with a significant majority being young women. Of these early marriages, 1,984 involved females, while only 104 were males.

In contrast, rising divorce rates are raising concerns about marital stability in Kuwait. The Ministry of Justice reported 38,786 divorces among Kuwaitis, with the highest rates occurring among individuals aged 35 to 39. Alarmingly, 800 couples separated within the first year of their marriage.

The statistics further illuminate a gender imbalance among widows and widowers in Kuwait. Of the 35,319 widowed citizens, 30,739 are women, roughly six times the number of men who have lost their spouses.