Statistical information Kuwait 1993

Kuwait in the World
top of pageBackground: 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 completely liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait has spent more than $5 billion dollars to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91.
top of pageLocation:
Middle East, at the head of the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and
Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 17,820 km²
Land: 17,820 km²
Land boundaries: total 464 km, Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
Coastline: 499 km
Continental shelf: not specified
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain
ElevationNatural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Land useArable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 8%
Other: 92%
Irrigated land: 20 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 1,698,077 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 8.67% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Kuwaiti(s)
Adjective: Kuwaiti
Ethnic groups: Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%
Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Religions:
Muslim 85% (Shi'a 30%, Sunni 45%, other 10%), Christian, Hindu,
Parsi, and other 15%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 8.67% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 30.29 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 2.39 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 58.74 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide most of water; air and water pollution; desertification
Current issues note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 13.1 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 74.62 years
Male: 72.47 years
Female: 76.87 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.11 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Total population: 73%
Male: 77%
Female: 67%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: State of Kuwait
Conventional short form: Kuwait
Local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
Local short form: Al Kuwayt
Government type: nominal constitutional monarchy
Capital: Kuwait
Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (mu'hafaz'at, singular - muh'afaz'ah; Al Ah'madi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, 'Hawalli; Farwaniyah
Dependent areasIndependence: 19 June 1961 (from UK)
National holiday: National Day, 25 February
Constitution: 16 November 1962 (some provisions suspended since 29 August 1962)
Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: adult males who resided in Kuwait before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21
Executive branch: amir, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Majlis al 'umma) dissolved 3 July 1986; elections for new Assembly held 5 October 1992
Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal Chief of State: Amir Shaykh JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 31 December 1977) Head of Government: Prime Minister and Crown Prince SA'D al-'Abdallah al-Salim al-Sabah (since 8 February 1978; Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 17 October 1992)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77,
GATT, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad al-Sabah al-Salim al-SABAH
In the us chancery: 2,940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 966-0702
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Edward (Skip) GNEHM, Jr.
From the us embassy:Bneid al-Gar (opposite the Kuwait International Hotel), Kuwait
City
From the us mailing address: P.O. Box 77 SAFAT, 13,001 SAFAT, Kuwait; APO AE 9,880
From the us telephone: 965 242-4,151 through 4,159
From the us fax: 956 244-2,855
Flag description
: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Kuwait is a small and relatively open economy with proven crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Kuwait is rebuilding its war-ravaged petroleum sector and the increase in crude oil production to nearly 2.0 million barrels per day by the end of 1992 led to an enormous increase in GDP for the year. The government ran a cumulative fiscal deficit of approximately $70 billion over its last two fiscal years, reducing its foreign asset position and increasing its public debt to roughly $40 billion. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP and over 90% of export and government revenue.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 80% (1992 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $11,100 (1992 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: practically none; dependent on imports for food; about 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported
Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, building materials, salt, construction
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%; accounts for NA% of GDP
Labor force: 566,000 (1986)
By occupation services: 45.0%
By occupation construction: 20.0%
By occupation trade: 12.0%
By occupation :
70%oflaborforcewasnon-Kuwaiti(1986)
Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1992 est.) capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (FY88)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetTaxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $750 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
Commodoties: oil
Partners: France 16%, Italy 15%, Japan 12%, UK 11%
Imports: $4.7 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
Commodoties: food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
Partners: US 35%, Japan 12%, UK 9%, Canada 9%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1 - 0.3044 (January 1993), 0.2934 (1992), 0.2843 (1991), 0.2915 (1990), 0.2937 (1989), 0.2790 (1988)
top of pageElectricityProduction:6,873,000 kW available out of 7,398,000 kW capacity due to
Persian Gulf war; 12,264 million kWh produced, 8,890 kWh per capita (1992)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion, 7.3% of GDP (FY92/93)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 7
With permanentsurface runways: 4
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 4
With runways 1220-2439 m: 0
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 877 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 165 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine:
42 ships (1,000 GRT or over), totaling 1,996,052
GRT/3,373,088 DWT; includes 7 cargo, 4 livestock carrier, 24 oil tanker, 4 liquefied gas, 3 container
Ports and terminalsKuwait - Transnational issues 1993
top of pageDisputes international:
in April 1991 Iraq officially accepted UN Security
Council Resolution 687, which demands that Iraq accept the inviolability of the boundary set forth in its 1963 agreement with Kuwait, ending earlier claims to Bubiyan and Warbah Islands, or to all of Kuwait; the 20 May 1993 final report of the UN Iraq/Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission was welcomed by the Security Council in Resolution 833 of 27 May 1993, which also reaffirmed that the decisions of the commission on the boundary were final, bringing to a completion the official demarcation of the Iraq-Kuwait boundary;
Iraqi officials still make public statements claiming Kuwait; ownership of
Qaruh and Umm al Maradim Islands disputed by Saudi Arabia
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs