Kuwait has secured the top position among Arab and Gulf countries in the 2026 Global Prosperity Index released by the Legatum Institute. Kuwait ranked 50th globally among 161 countries assessed in the latest edition of the index.
The index does not measure prosperity based solely on GDP or economic growth. Instead, it considers a broader range of factors, including development, living conditions, personal freedom, economic opportunities, health and the social environment to provide a wider assessment of a country’s prosperity.
The 2026 edition is the first to use the institute’s updated methodology since 2023. The new approach uses a mathematical method known as P-averaging, designed to ensure that strong performance in one area does not simply offset serious weaknesses in another when determining a country’s overall prosperity ranking.
Kuwait performed particularly well in living conditions and economic freedom, ranking 22nd and 21st globally in these areas respectively. The country ranked 37th in health and 42nd in development, while its rankings for personal freedom and civil peace were 59th and 62nd.
Kuwait ranked 70th in social security and 105th in education, indicating areas where further improvement could strengthen its overall prosperity performance. The results highlight both the country’s strengths and the sectors where greater progress could contribute to a higher global ranking.
The overall ranking places Kuwait ahead of other Arab and Gulf countries and highlights its position in the region when a wider range of economic, social and quality-of-life indicators are taken into account.
