Map of Kuwait | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 17,820 km²
Land: 17,820 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: Total 464 km, Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline: 499 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea:12 nm

Climate: Dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain: Flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Highest point: 306 m

Elevation

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 8%
Forests and woodland: 0%
Other: 92%

Irrigated land: 20 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population:
Growth rate:
Growth rate note: This rate reflects the continued post-Gulf crisis return of nationals and expatriates

Nationality
Noun: Kuwaiti(s)
Adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups:

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Religions:

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:
Note: This rate reflects the continued post-Gulf crisis return of nationals and expatriates

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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
Current issues Natural hazards: sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April, they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and duststorms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August
International agreements: party to_Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified_Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping
International agreements note: Strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.49 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.23 male(s)/female
All ages:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.92 (1996 est.); 75.64 years (1995 est.)
Male: 73.59 years (1996 est.); 73.33 years (1995 est.)
Female: 78.38 years (1996 est.); 78.06 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 78.6%
Male: 82.2%
Female: 74.9%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional 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 (muhafazat, singular_muhafazah; Al 'Ahmadi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, Hawalli, Al Farwaniyah

Dependent areas

Independence: 19 June 1961 (from U.K.)

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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: Only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for thirty years will be eligible to vote

Executive branch
Chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) is a hereditary monarch of the MUBARAK line of the ruling Sabah family
Head of government: Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978), First Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992), and Second Deputy Prime Minister Nasir Abdallah al-RUDAN (since NA) were appointed by the Amir
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the Prime Minister and approved by the Amir

Legislative branch: Unicameral National Assembly (Majlis Al-umma):Dissolved 3 July 1986; new elections were held on 5 October 1992 with a second election in the 14th and 16th constituencies held February 1993 (next to be held NA September 1996; elected members serve four-year terms; results_percent of vote NA; seats_(50 total) independents 50; note_all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly

Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Kuwait is a small and relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels_10% of world reserves. Kuwait has rebuilt its war-ravaged petroleum sector; its crude oil production averaged 2.0 million barrels per day in 1994. The government continues to record large fiscal deficits. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90% of export revenues, and 70% of government income. Kuwait lacks water and has practically no arable land, thus preventing development of agriculture. With the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Because of its high per capita income, comparable with Western European incomes, Kuwait provides its citizens with extensive health, educational, and retirement benefits. Per capita military expenditures are among the highest in the world. The economy improved moderately in 1994-95, with the growth in industry and finance. The World Bank has urged Kuwait to push ahead with privatization, including in the oil industry, but the government will move slowly on this front.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: Practically none; extensive fishing in territorial waters and Indian Ocean

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 1% (1995 est.), accounts for 55% of GDP

Labor force: 1 million (1994 est.)
By occupation Industry and agriculture: 25.0%
By occupation Services: 25.0%
By occupation Government and social services: 50.0%
By occupation note: 80% of labor force non-Kuwaiti (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1992 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $9.7 billion (FY95/96 est.); $9 billion (FY92/93)
Expenditures: $14.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96 est.); $13 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (FY92/93)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July_30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports:
Commodities: Oil
Partners:

Imports
Total value:
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $7.2 billion (December 1989 est.)
Note: External debt has grown substantially in 1991 and 1992 to pay for restoration of war damage

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1_0.2993 (January 1996), 0.2984 (1995), 0.2976 (1994), 0.3017 (1993), 0.2934 (1992), 0.2843 (1991), 0.2915 (1990)


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Electricity
Capacity: 7,070,000 kW
Production: 11 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 6,007 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 548,000 telephones (1991 est.); the civil network suffered some damage as a result of the Gulf war, but most of the telephone exchanges were left intact and, by the end of 1994, domestic and international telecommunications had been restored to normal operation; 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, open wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait and the country is well supplied with pay telephones
International: 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 1 Arabsat

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $3.5 billion, 12.8% of GDP (FY95/96)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 4
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1995 est.)

Pipelines: Crude oil 877 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 165 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,053,667 GRT/3,242,305 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 10, container 3, liquefied gas tanker 7, livestock carrier 4, oil tanker 21, vehicle carrier 1 (1995 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs