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. 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. The country witnessed the historic election in May 2009 of four women to its National Assembly.

Geographic coordinates: 29 30 N 45 45 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 17,818 km²
Rank: 157
Land: 17,818 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries
Total: 462 km
Border countries: (2) Iraq 240 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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources: petroleum fish shrimp natural gas

Land use
Arable land: 0.84%
Permanent crops: 0.17%
Other: 98.99% (2005)

Irrigated land: 130 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 0.02 km³ (1997)

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

Geography
Note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Population: 2,691,158
Rank: 139
Note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)
Growth rate: 3.547%
Growth rate rank: 3
Growth rate note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2009 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Kuwaiti
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% (Sunni 70% Shia 30%) other (includes Christian Hindu Parsi) 15%

Age structure
0-14 years: 26.4%
15-64 years: 70.7% (male 1,219,075/female 683,587)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 49,163/female 29,665) (2009 est.)

Median age
Total: 26.2 years
Male: 28.1 years
Female: 22.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.547%
Rank: 3
Note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2009 est.)

Birth rate: 21.81 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 86

Death rate: 2.35 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 220

Net migration rate: 16.02 migrant(s)/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 4

Urbanization
Urban population: 98% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.78 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.66 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.54 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 8.96 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 159
Male: 9.94 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 7.95 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.71 years
Rank: 53
Male: 76.51 years
Female: 78.95 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.76 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 80

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (2001 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 112
People living with hivaids: NA (2007 est.)
Deaths: NA

Education expenditures: 3.8% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 119

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 93.3%
Male: 94.4%
Female: 91% (2005 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 13 years (2006)

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: constitutional emirate

Capital
Name: Kuwait City
Geographic coordinates: 29 22 N 47 58 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 6 governorates (muhafazat singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi Al 'Asimah Al Farwaniyah Al Jahra' Hawalli Mubarak al Kabir

Independence: 19 June 1961 (from the 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: 21 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
Chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah ; Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah
Head of government: Prime Minister NASIR AL-MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR AL-MUBAREK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD AL-SABAH al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006)
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: 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 16 May 2009 (next election to be held in 2013)
Election results: percent of vote by bloc - NA; seats by bloc - Sunni Muslim groups 11 liberals 7 Shiite Muslim groups 6 Popular Action Bloc 3 unaffiliated tribal groups 23

Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: none; formation of political parties is in practice illegal but is not forbidden by law

International organization participation: ABEDA AfDB (nonregional member) 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 chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah
In the us chancery: 2,940 Tilden Street NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
In the us fax: [1] (202) 364-2,868
In the us consulate general: Los Angeles
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah K. JONES
From the us embassy: Bayan 36,302 Block 13 Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace) Kuwait City
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13,001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 9,880-9,000
From the us telephone: [965] 259-1001
From the us fax: [965] 538-0282

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 overview: Kuwait is a small rich relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 104 billion barrels - 8% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP 95% of export revenues and 80% of government income. Kuwait experienced rapid economic growth over the last several years on the back of high oil prices and in 2008 posted its tenth consecutive budget surplus. As a result of this positive fiscal situation the need for economic reforms was less urgent and the government did not push through new initiatives. The drop in oil prices in late 2008 will reduce Kuwait's fiscal surplus in 2009. The global financial crisis may slow the pace of investment and development projects but Kuwait has vowed to use its considerable financial resources to stabilize the economy if necessary.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 58
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 21

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 6
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.3%
Industry: 52.2%
Services: 47.5% (2008 est.)

Agriculture products: practically no crops; fish

Industries: petroleum petrochemicals cement shipbuilding and repair water desalination food processing construction materials

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2008 est.)
Rank: 24

Labor force: 2.088 million
Rank: 119
Note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force (2008 est.)
By occupation agriculture: NA%
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Unemployment rate: 2.2% (2004 est.)
Rank: 23

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $105.2 billion
Expenditures: $58.08 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt: 29.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Rank: 116

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.5% (2007 est.)
Rank: 156

Central bank discount rate: 6.25% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 70

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 8.54% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 100

Stock of domestic credit: $78.25 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 40

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 40

Current account balance: $47.48 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 7

Exports: $63.68 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 40
Commodities: oil and refined products fertilizers
Partners: Japan 18.4% South Korea 14.6% India 11.5% US 8.9% Singapore 7.9% China 6.1% (2008)

Imports: $20.63 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 70
Commodities: food construction materials vehicles and parts clothing
Partners: US 11.9% Japan 9.2% Germany 8.1% China 7.6% Saudi Arabia 7% Italy 4.8% UK 4.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $16.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 56

Debt external: $33.62 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 58

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $942 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 95

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $16.93 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 37

Exchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.2679 (2008 est.) 0.2844 (2007) 0.29 (2006) 0.292 (2005) 0.2947 (2004)

Electricity
Production: 45.83 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 50
Consumption: 40.21 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 50
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 12.7 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 37
Consumption: 12.7 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 43
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 79
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 155
Proven reserves: 1.794 trillion m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 19

Telephones
Main lines in use: 541,000 (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 94
Mobile cellular: 2.907 million (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 110

Telephone system
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 - 6 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean 1 Inmarsat - Atlantic Ocean and 2 Arabsat)

Internet
Country code: .kw
Hosts: 2,305 (2009)
Hosts rank: 148
Users: 1 million (2008)
Users rank: 88

Military expenditures: 5.3% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 16

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory and 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women age 18-30 may be subject to compulsory military service; conscription suspended in 2001 (2009)

Airports: 7 (2009)
Rank: 168
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 3
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports: 4 (2009)

Pipelines: gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2008)

Roadways
Total: 5,749 km
Rank: 150
Paved: 4,887 km
Unpaved: 862 km (2004)

Merchant marine
Total: 38
Rank: 79
By type: bulk carrier 2 cargo 1 carrier 3 container 6 liquefied gas 4 petroleum tanker 22
Registered in other countries: 34 (Bahrain 5 Comoros 1 Libya 1 Panama 2 Qatar 7 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1 Saudi Arabia 7 UAE 10) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Ash Shu'aybah Ash Shuwaykh Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud) Mina' 'Abd Allah Mina' al Ahmadi

Disputes international: Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf