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.

Geographic coordinates: 29 30 N 45 45 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Coastline: 499 km

Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short cool winters

Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Natural resources: petroleum fish shrimp natural gas

Irrigated land: 20 km² (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April; they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March and August

Geography
Note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Population: 1,973,572
Growth rate: 3.44% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Ethnic groups: Kuwaiti 45% other Arab 35% South Asian 9% Iranian 4% other 7%

Languages: Arabic (official) English widely spoken

Religions: Muslim 85% (Sunni 45% Shi'a 40%) Christian Hindu Parsi and other 15%

Population growth rate: 3.44% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 22.04 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 2.45 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 14.77 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

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

Infant mortality rate: 11.55 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.26 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: none

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 IHO (pending member) ILO IMF IMO Inmarsat Intelsat Interpol IOC ISO (correspondent) ITU NAM OAPEC OIC OPCW OPEC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

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

Economy overview: Kuwait is a small relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP 90% of export revenues and 75% 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. Higher oil prices reduced the budget deficit from $5.5 billion to $3 billion in 1999 and prices are expected to remain relatively strong throughout 2000. The government is proceeding slowly with reforms. It inaugurated Kuwait's first free-trade zone in 1999 and will continue discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country.

Real gdp growth rate: 1.1% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $22,500 (1999 est.)

Agriculture products: practically no crops; fish

Industries: petroleum petrochemicals desalination food processing construction materials salt construction

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 1.3 million (1998 est.)
By occupation government and social services: 50%
By occupation services: 40%
By occupation industry and agriculture: 10% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 1.8% (official 1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2% (1999 est.)

Exports: $13.5 billion (f.o.b. 1999 est.)
Commodities: oil and refined products fertilizers
Partners: Japan 24% India 16% US 13% South Korea 11% Singapore 8% (1997)

Imports: $8.1 billion (f.o.b. 1999 est.)
Commodities: food construction materials vehicles and parts clothing
Partners: US 22% Japan 15% UK 13% Germany 8% Italy 6% (1997)

Debt external: $9.27 billion (1998 est.)

Exchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1 - 0.3042 (January 2000) 0.3044 (1999) 0.3047 (1998) 0.3033 (1997) 0.2994 (1996) 0.2984 (1995)

Electricity
Production: 26.995 billion kWh (1998)
Consumption: 25.105 billion kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 411,600 (1997)
Mobile cellular: 150,000 (1996)

Telephone system: 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

Internet
Service providers isps: 2 (1999)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $2.518 billion (FY99/00)
Percent of gdp: 8% (FY99/00)

Airports: 7 (1999 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1999 est.)

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

Railways: 0 km

Disputes international: in November 1994 Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991) 773 (1993) and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands; ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim islands disputed by Saudi Arabia