Guide to Kuwait Introduction Background: Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91.
Geography Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 29 30 N, 45 45 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: total
Coastline: 499 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea
Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Land use: arable land
Irrigated land: 60 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to
Geography - note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
People Population: 2,335,648 note
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 3.44% note
Birth rate: 21.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 14.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 2.97 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun
Ethnic groups: Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%
Religions: Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%
Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Literacy: definition
Government Country name: conventional long form
Government type: nominal constitutional monarchy
Capital: Kuwait
Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli
Independence: 19 June 1961 (from UK)
National holiday: National Day, 25 February (1950)
Constitution: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962
Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21 note
Executive branch: chief of state
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections
Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: none; formation of political parties is illegal
Political pressure groups and leaders: several political groups act as de facto parties
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I
Economy Economy - overview: Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 96 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $48 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,300 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
Labor force: 1.42 million note
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA
Unemployment rate: 2.2% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues
Public debt: 29.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: practically no crops; fish
Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, desalination, food processing, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate: -5% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production: 32.43 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Electricity - consumption: 30.16 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 2.319 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption: 293,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: 1.97 million bbl/day (2003)
Oil - imports: NA
Oil - proved reserves: 96.5 billion bbl (2004 est.)
Natural gas - production: 8.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 8.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2002 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2002 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.548 trillion cu m (2004)
Current account balance: $12.04 billion (2004 est.)
Exports: $27.42 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: oil and refined products, fertilizers
Exports - partners: Japan 20.5%, South Korea 13.7%, US 12.4%, Singapore 11.3%, Taiwan 9.9% (2004)
Imports: $11.12 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
Imports - partners: US 12.9%, Germany 11.9%, Japan 7.9%, UK 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%, Italy 5%, France 4.5%, China 4.1% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $7.333 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $15.02 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: NA (2001)
Currency (code): Kuwaiti dinar (KD)
Currency code: KWD
Exchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003), 0.3039 (2002), 0.3067 (2001), 0.3068 (2000)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Telephones - main lines in use: 486,900 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1.42 million (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 1.175 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)
Televisions: 875,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .kw
Internet hosts: 3,437 (2001)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)
Internet users: 567,000 (2003)
Transportation Highways: total
Pipelines: gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud
Merchant marine: total
Airports: 7 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Airports - with unpaved runways: total
Heliports: 3 (2004 est.)
Military Military branches: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense Force), National Guard (2002)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2,584.5 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.3% (2004)
Transnational Issues Disputes - international: Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf
Last updated: 20 October, 2005
| Weather Statistics | Kuwait |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | | Max | 18 C | 21 C | 26 C | 32 C | 39 C | 44 C | 46 C | 45 C | 42 C | 36 C | 27 C | 20 C | | Mean | 13 C | 15 C | 20 C | 25 C | 32 C | 36 C | 38 C | 37 C | 34 C | 28 C | 20 C | 15 C | | Min | 8 C | 9 C | 14 C | 19 C | 24 C | 28 C | 30 C | 29 C | 25 C | 20 C | 14 C | 9 C | | Prcp | 25mm | 17mm | 14mm | 12mm | 4mm | 0mm | 0mm | 0mm | 0mm | 2mm | 16mm | 21mm |
| Source: Global Historical Climatology Network |
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