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This page was last updated on 20 March, 2008


Map of Kuwait



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Kuwait Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since returning to power in 1991, and reestablished an elected legislature that in recent years has become increasingly assertive.
   Geography    Kuwait Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
29 30 N, 45 45 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Middle East
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 17,820 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 462 km
border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
499 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0.84%
permanent crops: 0.17%
other: 98.99% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
130 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
0.02 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
total: 0.44 cu km/yr (45%/2%/52%)
per capita: 164 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
   People    Kuwait Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,505,559
note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 26.7% (male 340,814/female 328,663)
15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,128,231/female 636,967)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 44,542/female 26,342) (2007 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 26 years
male: 27.9 years
female: 22.4 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
3.561%
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
21.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.39 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
16.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.037 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.771 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.691 male(s)/female
total population: 1.526 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 77.36 years
male: 76.25 years
female: 78.52 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.86 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.12% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.3%
male: 94.4%
female: 91% (2005 census)
   Government    Kuwait Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
local short form: Al Kuwayt
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
constitutional emirate
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Kuwait
geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak Al Kabir
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
19 June 1961 (from UK)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
National Day, 25 February (1950)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
approved and promulgated 11 November 1962
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
NA years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah
head of government: Prime Minister NASIR MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006) and Faysal al-HAJJI (since 5 April 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the amir
elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime minister and deputy prime ministers
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all cabinet ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National Assembly)
elections: last held 29 June 2006 (next election to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by bloc - NA; seats by bloc - Islamic Bloc (Sunni) 17, Popular Bloc 9, National Action Bloc (liberals) 8, independents 16
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
High Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
none; formation of political parties is in practice illegal, but is not forbidden by law
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
a number of political groups act as de facto parties; several legislative blocs operate in the National Assembly: tribal groups, merchants, Shi'a activists, Islamists, secular liberals and pro-government deputies; in mid-2006, a coalition of Islamists, liberals, and Shia campaigned successfully for electoral reform to reduce corruption
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
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, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Alan MISENHEIMER
embassy: Bayan 36302, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City
mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880-9000
telephone: [965] 259-1001
FAX: [965] 538-0282
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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    Kuwait Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 104 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. High oil prices in recent years have helped build Kuwait's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. As a result of this positive fiscal situation, the need for economic reforms is less urgent and the government has not earnestly pushed through new initiatives. Despite its vast oil reserves, Kuwait experienced power outages during the summer months in 2006 and 2007 because demand exceeded power generating capacity. Power outages are likely to worsen, given its high population growth rates, unless the government can increase generating capacity. In May 2007 Kuwait changed its currency peg from the US dollar to a basket of currencies in order to curb inflation and to reduce its vulnerability to external shocks.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$138.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$103.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$55,300 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 54.7%
services: 44.9% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.167 million
note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.2% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.9% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
20.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $66.92 billion
expenditures: $36.39 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
practically no crops; fish
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
41.11 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
36.28 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.669 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
333,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.2 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,611 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
104 billion bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11.8 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11.8 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.521 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$51.49 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$59.57 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
oil and refined products, fertilizers
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Japan 20.4%, South Korea 16.2%, Taiwan 10.8%, Singapore 9.7%, US 9%, Netherlands 5.3%, China 4.1% (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$17.74 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 14.1%, Germany 7.9%, Japan 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, China 5.7%, UK 5.4%, Italy 4.6% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$2.6 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$19.63 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$33.61 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$818 million (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$13.3 billion (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$128.9 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Kuwaiti dinar (KD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 April - 31 March
   Communications    Kuwait Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
510,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.536 million (2006)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones
international: country code - 965; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.kw
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,013 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
816,700 (2006)
   Transportation    Kuwait Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
4 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2007)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 5,749 km
paved: 4,887 km
unpaved: 862 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 38 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,195,831 GRT/3,566,308 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 3, petroleum tanker 21
registered in other countries: 28 (Bahrain 3, Comoros 1, Liberia 1, Libya 1, Panama 1, Qatar 7, Saudi Arabia 6, UAE 8) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi
   Military    Kuwait Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Land Forces, Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya), National Guard (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; reserve obligation to age 40 with 1 month annual training; women have served in police forces since 1999 (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 864,745
females age 18-49: 467,120 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 737,292
females age 18-49: 405,207 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 18,743
females age 18-49: 20,065 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.3% (2006)
   Transnational Issues    Kuwait Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf
Trafficking in persons:
Definition Field Listing
current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men and women who migrate legally from South and Southeast Asia for domestic or low-skilled labor, but are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by employers in Kuwait including conditions of physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement to the home, and withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of movement; Kuwait is reportedly a transit point for South and East Asian workers recruited for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this work, and others are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude in Iraq; in past years, Kuwait was also a destination country for children exploited as camel jockeys, but this form of trafficking appears to have ceased
tier rating: Tier 3 - insufficient efforts in 2006 to prosecute and punish abusive employers and those who traffic women for sexual exploitation; the government failed for the third year in a row to live up to promises to provide shelter and protective services for victims of involuntary domestic servitude and other forms of trafficking

This page was last updated on 20 March, 2008


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