Kuwait

§1. Kuwait Introduction

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.

§2. Kuwait Geography

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

Geographic coordinates:
  29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references:
  Middle_East

Area:
  total: 17,820 km²
  land: 17,820 km²
  water: 0 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
  total: 462 km
  border countries: 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
  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:
  60 km² (1998 est.)

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

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

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
    Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
    Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note:
  strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

§3. Kuwait People

Population:
  2,418,393
  note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.9% (male 331,768/female 319,895)
  15-64 years: 70.3% (male 1,085,721/female 613,746)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 42,460/female 24,803) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.9 years
  male: 28 years
  female: 22.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.52%
  note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of
    expatriates (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.94 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  2.41 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  15.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.2 years
  male: 76.13 years
  female: 78.31 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.91 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Kuwaiti(s)
  adjective: Kuwaiti

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

Religions:
  Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.5%
  male: 85.1%
  female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

§4. Kuwait Government

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 hereditary emirate

Capital:
  Kuwait

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

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 are not in the military forces, and adult females (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 (since 29 January
    2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Sabah
  head of government: Prime Minister NASIR al-Muhammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah
    (since 7 February 2006); 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 Muhammad
    Dhayfallah SHARAR (since 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved
    by the amir
  elections: none; the amir is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime
    ministers appointed by the amir

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected
  by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Islamists 21, government
    supporters 14, liberals 3, independents 12; note - all cabinet ministers
    are also ex officio members of the National Assembly

Judicial branch:
  High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  none; formation of political parties is illegal

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  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, and secular liberals

International organization participation:
  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, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah
  chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON
  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, 259-1002
  FAX: [965] 259-1438, 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

§5. Kuwait Economy

Economy - overview:
  Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported crude
  oil reserves of about 96 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum
  accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of
  government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural development.
  Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food
  imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Kuwait
  continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in
  the northern part of the country.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $53.31 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $55.8 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.6% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $22,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 0.5%
  industry: 52.1%
  services: 47.4% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  1.67 million
  note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  2.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.5% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  6.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $47.21 billion
  expenditures: $20.77 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  17.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  practically no crops; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  -5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  38.19 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  35.52 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  2.418 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  305,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1.97 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
  96.5 billion bbl (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  8.3 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  8.3 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2002 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 m³ (2002 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.572 trillion m³ (2005)

Current account balance:
  $31.51 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $44.43 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports - partners:
  Japan 20.5%, South Korea 13.7%, US 12.4%, Singapore 11.3%, Taiwan 9.9%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $12.23 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Imports - partners:
  US 12.9%, Germany 11.9%, Japan 7.9%, UK 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%, Italy 5%,
  France 4.5%, China 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $9.296 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $14.93 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA (2001)

Currency (code):
  Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Exchange rates:
  Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003),
  0.3039 (2002), 0.3067 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

§6. Kuwait Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  497,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2 million (2004)

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; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
    to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf
    (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2
    Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
  13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kw

Internet hosts:
  2,439 (2005)

Internet users:
  600,000 (2005)

§7. Kuwait Transportation

Airports:
  7 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2005)

Heliports:
  4 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 4,450 km
  paved: 3,587 km
  unpaved: 863 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
  total: 38 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,294,233 GRT/3,730,776 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock
    carrier 4, petroleum tanker 20
  foreign-owned: 1 (Iran 1)
  registered in other countries: 29 (Bahrain 3, Comoros 1, Liberia 1, Libya
    1, Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saudi Arabia 6, UAE 8) (2005)

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

§8. Kuwait Military

Military branches:
  Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense Force), National Guard
  (2002)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; since 1999
  women have served in police forces (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 864,745 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 737,292 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 18,743 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.01 billion (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.2% (2005 est.)

§9. Kuwait Transnational Issues

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


<Factbook 2006>
