Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah has been Emir, also head of state, since 2020 when his predecessor Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah passed away.
In late November, the emir was taken to hospital for an unspecified illness. Since then, his state of health has been uncertain.
The authorities have not stated the cause of death.
The emir’s half-brother, 83-year-old Meshal al-Ahmad al-Jaber, is next in line to the throne and is believed to be the world’s oldest crown prince.