Kuwait

Native name	دولة الكويتDawlat al-Kuwayt
Conventional long name	State of Kuwait
Common name	Kuwait
Symbol type	Emblem
National anthem	Al-Nasheed Al-Watani
Official languages	Arabic
Demonym	Kuwaiti
Capital	Kuwait City
Largest city	capital
Government type	Constitutional hereditary emirate
Leader title1	Emir
Leader name1	Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Leader title2	Crown Prince
Leader name2	Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Leader title3	Prime Minister
Leader name3	Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah
Leader title4	Speaker of the National Assembly
Leader name4	Jassem Mohammed Abdulmohsen Al-Kharafi
Sovereignty type	Establishment
Established event1	First Settlement
Established date1	1613
Established event2	Anglo-Ottoman Convention
Established date2	1913
Established event3	Independence from the United Kingdom
Established date3	19 June 1961
Area rank	157th
Area magnitude	1 E10
Area km2	17,820
Area sq mi	6,880
Percent water	negligible
Ethnic groups	45.4% Kuwaiti Arabs32.8% Other Arabs14.3% South and East Asian2.1% Iranian5.4% Europeans and Americans
Population estimate	3,566,437
Population estimate year	2010
Population estimate rank	130th
Population density km2	167.5
Population density sq mi	433.8
Population density rank	68th
Gdp ppp	$136.495 billion
Gdp ppp year	2010
Gdp ppp per capita	$37,848
Hdi rank	47th
Hdi year	2010
Hdi category	high
Currency	Kuwaiti dinar
Currency code	KWD
Time zone	AST / KSA
Utc offset	+3
Time zone dst	+4gmt
Utc offset dst	+3
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy (CE)
Drives on	Right
Cctld	.kw
Calling code	965
Website	http://www.e.gov.kw/sites/KgoEnglish/portal/Pages/PortalMain.aspx

The State of Kuwait (; , Dawlat al-Kuwayt) is a sovereign Arab nation situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the Arabic "akwat", the plural of "kout", meaning fortress built near water. The Emirate covers an area of 17,820 square kilometres (6,880 sq mi) and has a population of about 3.6 million.

Historically, the region was the site of Characene, a major Parthian port for trade between India and Mesopotamia. The Bani Utbah Tribe were the first permanent Arab settlers in the region and laid the foundation of the modern emirate. By the 19th century, Kuwait came under the influence of the Ottoman Empire, and after World War I, it emerged as an independent sheikhdom under the protection of the British Empire. Kuwait's large oil fields were discovered in the late 1930s.

After Kuwait gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1961, the nation's oil industry saw unprecedented economic growth. In 1990, Kuwait was invaded and annexed by neighboring Iraq. The seven month-long Iraqi occupation came to an end after a direct military intervention by United States-led forces. Around 773 Kuwaiti oil wells were set ablaze by the retreating Iraqi army resulting in a major environmental and economic catastrophe. Kuwait's infrastructure was badly damaged during the war and had to be rebuilt.

Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government, with Kuwait City serving as the country's political and economic capital. The country has the world's fifth largest oil reserves and petroleum products now account for nearly 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait is the eleventh richest country in the world per capita. In 2007, it had the highest human development index (HDI) in the Arab world. Kuwait is classified as a high income economy by the World Bank and is designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States.

History

In the 4th century BC, the ancient Greeks colonized an island off Kuwait's coast, now known as Failaka, and named it "Ikaros". By 123 BC, the region came under the influence of the Parthian Empire and was closely associated with the southern Mesopotamian town of Charax. In 224 AD, the region fell under the control of Sassanid Empire and came to be known as Hajar. By the 14th century, the area comprising modern-day Kuwait became a part of the Islamic caliphate.

The first permanent settlers in the region came from Bani Khalid tribe of Nejd and established the state of Kuwait. The current ruling family of Kuwait, al-Sabah, are descendants of Sabah I. During the rule of the Al-Sabah, Kuwait progressively became a center of trade and commerce. It now served as a hub of trade between India, the horn of Africa, the Nejd, Mesopotamia and the Levant. Up until the advent of Japanese pearl farming, Kuwait had one of the largest sea fleets in the Persian Gulf region and a flourishing pearling industry. Trade consisted mainly of pearls, wood, spices, dates and horses.

In 1899, Kuwait entered into a treaty with the United Kingdom that gave the British extensive control over the foreign policy of Kuwait in exchange for protection and annual subsidy. This treaty was primarily prompted by fears that the proposed Berlin-Baghdad Railway would lead to an expansion of German influence in the Persian Gulf. After the signing of the Anglo-Ottoman Convention of 1913, then Emir of Kuwait, Mubarak Al-Sabah, was diplomatically recognized by both the Ottomans and British as the ruler of the autonomous caza of the city of Kuwait and the hinterlands. However, soon after the start of World War I, the British invalidated the convention and declared Kuwait an independent principality under the protection of the British Empire. The 1922 Treaty of Uqair set Kuwait's border with Saudi Arabia and also established the Saudi-Kuwaiti neutral zone, an area of about 5,180 km² adjoining Kuwait's southern border.

On 19 June 1961, Kuwait became fully independent following an exchange of notes between the United Kingdom and the then Emir of Kuwait, Abdullah III Al-Salim Al-Sabah. However, the crisis was short-lived as Kuwait's oil production increased steadily to fill the gap caused by decrease in Iraq's and Iran's oil production levels following the events of the Iran–Iraq War. In 1983, a series of six bomb explosions took place in Kuwait killing five people. The attack was carried out by Shiite Dawa Party to retaliate Kuwait's financial support to Iraq during its war with Iran.

aircraft (F-16, F-15C and F-15E) fly over Kuwaiti oil fires, set by the retreating Iraqi army during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.]]

Kuwait had heavily funded Iraq's eight year-long war with Iran. After the war ended, Kuwait declined an Iraqi request to forgive its US$65 billion debt. An economic warfare between the two countries followed after Kuwait increased its oil production by 40 percent. Tensions between the two countries increased further after Iraq alleged that Kuwait was slant drilling oil from its share of the Rumaila field. Saddam Hussein, then President of Iraq, deposed the Emir of Kuwait, Jaber Al-Sabah, and initially propped up a puppet régime before annexing Kuwait and installing Ali Hassan al-Majid as the new governor of Kuwait. During the Iraqi occupation, about 1,000 Kuwaiti civilians were killed and more than 300,000 residents fled the country. After a series of failed diplomatic negotiations, the United States-led coalition of thirty-four nations fought the Gulf War to remove the Iraqi forces from Kuwait. On 26 February 1991, the coalition succeeded in driving out the Iraqi forces, restoring the Kuwaiti Emir to power. Kuwait paid the coalition forces US$17 billion for their war efforts. It was estimated that by the time Kuwait was liberated from Iraqi occupation, about 5 to of oil was being burned in a single day because of these fires.

Oil and soot accumulation had affected the entire Persian Gulf region and large oil lakes were created holding approximately 25 to of oil and covering 5% of Kuwait's land area. and an additional 2% of Kuwait's of crude oil reserves were burned by the time the oil fires were brought under control. The fires took more than nine months to extinguish fully and it took Kuwait more than 2 years and US$50 billion in infrastructure reconstruction to reach pre-invasion oil output. Kuwait has since largely recovered from the socio-economic, environmental, and public health effects of the Persian Gulf War.

Politics

serves as the seat of the Government of Kuwait]]

Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy and has the oldest directly elected parliament among the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. The head of state is the Emir or Sheikh, a hereditary office. A council of ministers, also known as cabinet ministers, aids the Prime Minister, and appoints and dismisses diplomats. Legislative power is vested in the Emir and the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. The Emir of Kuwait is immune and inviolable: any criticism against him is not tolerated and punishable by law. He can dissolve the National Assembly and call a national election, or in cases of national emergency can dismiss the National Assembly outright and assume supreme authority over the country. The Emir is the commander in chief of Kuwait's armed forces. The Emir has authority to grant pardon from the death penalty or prison. tank during Operation Desert Shield in 1991. Kuwait continues to maintain strong relations with the coalition of the Gulf War.]]

The National Assembly consists of fifty elected members, who are chosen in elections held every four years. Government ministers are also granted membership in the parliament and can number up to sixteen excluding the fifty elected members. According to the Constitution of Kuwait, nomination of a new Emir or Crown Prince by the ruling Al-Sabah family has to be approved by the National Assembly. If the nominee does not win the votes of the majority of the assembly, the royal family must submit the names of three other candidates to the National Assembly, and the Assembly must approve one of them to hold the post. Any amendment to the constitution can be proposed by the Emir but it needs to be approved by more than two-thirds of the members of the National Assembly before being implemented.

There have been several conflicts between the Emir, the government and the National Assembly over various policies. The National Assembly was suspended from 1976 to 1981, from 1986 to 1991 and from May 1999 to July 1999, due to irresolvable conflicts between some members of the government and the Assembly. The Assembly was dissolved again in May 2009 by the Emir leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheik Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah and the rest of the Cabinet. Nationwide elections were held on May 16, 2009.

More than two-thirds of those who reside in Kuwait do not hold Kuwaiti citizenship and thus cannot vote in parliamentary elections. Additionally, prior to 2005, only 15% of the Kuwaiti population were allowed to vote, with all "recently naturalized" citizens (i.e. those of less than thirty years' citizenship), and members of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces excluded. On 16 May 2005, Parliament permitted women's suffrage by a 35-23 vote.

The decision raised Kuwait's eligible voter population from 139,000 to about 339,000. In 2006, Kuwaiti citizens were estimated to be more than 960,000. In 2005, the former Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah announced the appointment of the first woman as a cabinet minister, Massouma Mubarak. She was designated Planning Minister and Minister of State for Administrative Development Affairs. During the 2008 parliamentary elections, 27 of the 275 candidates were women. However, none of them won. In the parliamentary elections on 16 May 2009, 16 female candidates contested for 50 seats for a four-year term. Four female candidates won their seats and became Kuwait's first female lawmakers.

In April 2010, Kuwait's government, unhappy about possible democratic change in Egypt by Mohamed ElBaradei's National Association for Change, deported 17 Egyptians for trying to organize a local chapter of the Association in Kuwait.

Heads of Kuwait

Supreme Commander: Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

Executive Branch: Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

Legislative Branch: Jassem Al-Kharafi

Judicial Branch: Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Kuwait Courts

Foreign relations

Kuwait's foreign policy is based on the principles of clarity, straightforwardness and quiet diplomacy. It aims at strengthening constructive cooperation with other countries on the basis of mutual respect, and non-intervention in the internal affairs in accordance with the principles of fairness and justice. Kuwait's foreign policy is also concerned with the maintenance of its own independence, sovereignty and freedom of political decision.

Kuwait is a member of the Arab League. Kuwait actively supports and works for the advancement of the Arab League's principles and all its associated organizations.

Kuwait is also a member of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council or GCC. The GCC is a group of oil rich (Arab) states located in the Persian Gulf, including Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. Citizens of the GCC can travel to other GCC countries with their civil identification (ID). The GCC functions in a similar way to the European Union.

Kuwait joined the United Nations on May 14, 1963 thereby becoming the 111th member of the world body.

Geography and climate

over Kuwait in April, 2003]] Located in the north-east corner of the Arabian Peninsula, Kuwait is one of the smallest countries in the world in terms of land area. It lies between latitudes 28° and 31° N, and longitudes 46° and 49° E. The flat, sandy Arabian Desert covers most of Kuwait. The country is generally low lying, with the highest point being above sea-level. With an area of , the Bubiyan is the largest island in Kuwait and is connected to the rest of the country by a long bridge. The land area is considered arable The resulting soil contamination due to oil and soot accumulation had made eastern and south-eastern parts of Kuwait uninhabitable. Sand and oil residue had reduced large parts of the Kuwaiti desert to semi-asphalt surfaces.

The spring season in March is warm and pleasant with occasional thunderstorms. The frequent winds from the northwest are cold in winter and spring and hot in summer. Southeasterly winds, usually hot and damp, spring up between July and October; hot and dry south winds prevail in spring and early summer. The shamal, a northwesterly wind common during June and July, causes dramatic sandstorms.

Governorates

Kuwait is divided into six governorates (muhafazat, sing. muhafadhah):

Al Ahmadi

Al Farwaniyah

Al Asimah

Al Jahra

Hawalli

Mubarak Al-Kabeer

The governorates are subdivided into districts.

The major cities are the capital Kuwait City and Jahra (a thirty-minute drive northwest of Kuwait City). The main residential and commercial areas are Salmiya and Hawalli. The main industrial area is Shuwaikh within the Al Asimah Governorate. The Emir conducts the country's business from the Bayan Palace which is also where the government headquarters are located.

Economy

, the main economic hub of the country]] (KPC) in Ahmadi.]] Kuwait has a GDP (PPP) of US$167.9 billion and a per capita income of US$81,800, In March 2007, Kuwait's foreign exchange reserves stood at US$213 billion. The Kuwait Stock Exchange, which has about 200 firms listed, is the second-largest stock exchange in the Arab world with a total market capitalization of US$235 billion. In 2007, the Kuwaiti government posted a budget surplus of US$43 billion.

Kuwait has a proven crude oil reserves of 104 billion barrels (15 km³), Being a tax-free country, Kuwait's oil industry accounts for 80% of government revenue. Petroleum and petrochemicals accounts for nearly half of GDP and 95% of export revenues. Increase in oil prices since 2003 resulted in a surge in Kuwait's economy.

Kuwait's current oil production of 2.8 million bpd is expected to increase to 4 million bpd by 2020. To realize this production target, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation plans to spend US$51 billion between 2007 to 2012 to upgrade and expand the country's existing refineries. However, the country's economy was badly affected by the global financial crisis of 2008. In 2009, the Central Bank of Kuwait devised a US$5.15 billion stimulus package to help boost the economy.

Other major industries include shipping, construction, cement, water desalination, construction materials and financial services. Other prominent financial institutions based in Kuwait include the Gulf Bank of Kuwait and Burgan Bank, which is named after the largest oilfield in the country.

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. The government is keen on decreasing Kuwait's dependence on oil to fuel its economy by transforming it into a regional trading and tourism hub. The planned US$77 billion Madinat al-Hareer (City of Silk) is the largest real estate development project in the Middle East.

In 2007, estimated exports stood at US$59.97 billion and imports were around US$17.74 billion. Petroleum, petrochemical products, fertilizers and financial services are major export commodities. Kuwait imports a wide range of products ranging from food products and textiles to machinery. Kuwait's most important trading partners are Japan, United States, India, South Korea, Singapore, China, European Union and Saudi Arabia.

Education

The State of Kuwait is directing its attention towards Inclusive Education, which provides opportunity to all children, irrespective of their social class, including children with special needs. It is ranked 29th on Human Development Index(HDI) by UNESCO, highest among other Arab countries. Kuwait education system is marked by several achievements in recent years. As of 2005/06 Kuwait allocates 13 percent of all public expenditure to education, which is comparable to the allocation of public funds to education in many OECD countries but lower than other Arab countries. For the same years the public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP was 3.9 percent in 2005/12 which is well below the percentage of GDP spent by OECD countries on education.

As of 2005, the literacy rate of Kuwait is 93.3 percent. Kuwait is facing challenges in improving the quality of education at all levels and to build capacities of students' from a young age. The Ministry of Education is also making efforts to incorporate women into the educated workforce through various programs, for instance the 1989 initiative to establish daytime literacy clinics for women. The Kuwaiti government also offers scholarships to students accepted in universities in United States, United Kingdom and other foreign institutes.

There is also higher education, which has improved drastically in the past years. The largest university is Kuwait University which is free for Kuwaitis and has over 1,500 faculty members and 22,000 students. There are also a number of private institutions such as American University of Kuwait, Gulf University for Science and Technology, the Australian University of Kuwait. The American University of The Middle East, Box Hill College Kuwait and Maastricht Business School Kuwait.

Kuwait has the highest literacy rate among the Arab world with 94%, up from 93.3% in 2005 (as stated above).

Demographics

As of 2007, Kuwait's population was estimated to be 3 to 3.5 million people, which included approximately 2 million non-nationals. Kuwaiti citizens are therefore a minority of those who reside in Kuwait. The government rarely grants citizenship to foreigners to maintain status quo. In 2008, 68.4% of the population consisted of expatriates. The net migration rate of the country stood at 16.01, the third highest in the world.

Ethnic groups

About 57% of the population in Kuwait is Arab, 39% South and East Asian, and 4% are classified Bidoon ('without' - stateless Arabs). In 2003, there were also an estimated 260,000 Egyptians, 100,000 Syrians and 80,000 Iranians in Kuwait. After Kuwait was liberated from the Iraqi invasion and occupation, most of the 400,000 Palestinians living in Kuwait were expelled because of their government's open support for the Iraqi Forces.

Languages

Kuwait's official language is Arabic, and English is the second language.

Religion

in Kuwait City.]] About 85% of the population in Kuwait identify themselves as Muslims. Between 70% to 80% of Muslims in Kuwait belong to the Sunni Sect and 20-30% are Shi'as. Majority of the Shias follow the Twelvers school. Despite Islam being the state religion,, Kuwait has a large community of Christians (est. 300,000 to 400,000), Hindus (est. 300,000), Buddhists (est. 100,000), and Sikhs (est. 10,000). Hindus account for the largest number of expatriates in Kuwait.

Members of religious groups not mentioned in the Quran, such as Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, are not allowed to build places of worship or other religious facilities. However, such groups are allowed to practise privately in their homes and can engage in religious activities, including public marriage and other celebrations, without Kuwaiti government interference.

Culture

The influence of Islamic and Arab Culture on its architecture, music, attire, cuisine and lifestyle is prominent as well. The most distinctive characteristic of local Kuwaiti culture are diwaniya that is explained below. Briefly, it involves large reception rooms used for male social gatherings attended mostly by family members and close friends.

While, unlike neighbouring Saudi Arabia, the Islamic dress code is not compulsory, many of the older Kuwaiti men prefer wearing dish dasha, an ankle-length white shirt woven from wool or cotton while the minority of women wear abaya, black over-garment covering most parts of the body. This attire is particularly well-suited for Kuwait's hot and dry climate. Western style clothing is very popular among the youth of Kuwait.

Seafood has been the mainstay of the Kuwaiti diet for centuries. The Arabs in the Persian Gulf region played a crucial role in the spice trade between India and Europe and spices have remained an important ingredient of Kuwaiti cuisine. Traditional Kuwaiti cuisine includes "Machboos diyay, machboos laham, maraq diyay laham" which borrows heavily from South Asian cuisine and Arabian cuisine. "Imawash" is another popular dish. As in other Arab states of the Persian Gulf, Kuwait takes part in the tradition of Qarqe'an during the month of Ramadan. 74.2% of adults aged 15 and over are overweight in Kuwait, making the country the 8th fattest in the world.

Before the discovery of oil, pearling formed a crucial part of Kuwait's economy. Pearl fishery, known as ghaus, suffered decline after the advent of Japanese pearl farming. However, Kuwait's pearl industry laid the foundation of its rich maritime history. Dhows, large wooden ships made from teak wood imported from India,

Kuwait's architecture is largely inspired by Islamic architecture. The most prominent landmark in country, the Kuwait Towers, were designed by Swedish architect Sune Lindström and are a unique blend of traditional minaret and modern architectural designs. The National Assembly of Kuwait, another famous landmark building, was designed by the famous Danish architect Jørn Utzon and completed in 1972.

Sawt is the most prominent style of Kuwaiti music and is performed by oud (plucked lute) and mirwas (a drum), with a violin later supplementing the arrangement. The Bedouins are known for an instrument called the rubabah, while the use of oud, tanbarah (string instrument) and habban (bagpipe) are also widespread.

Transportation

Kuwait has an extensive, modern and well-maintained network of highways. Roadways extended 5,749 km, of which 4,887 km is paved. The government plans to construct US$11 billion rail network which will include a city metro for its capital. Bus services are provided by City Bus and state-owned Kuwait Public Transportation Corporation.

Kuwait has speed cameras in all highways and main roads and traffic lights, which captures the cars that speed or cross a red light, the Kuwaiti government spent over 450 million USD on these speed cameras in cooperation with the traffic Police. There is only one civil airport in Kuwait. Kuwait International Airport serves as the principal hub for international air travel. State-owned Kuwait Airways is the largest airline in the country. In 2001, the airline carried 2,084,600 passengers on domestic and international flights. In 2005, the second private airline, Wataniya Airways of Kuwait was founded.

Kuwait has one of the largest shipping industries in the Persian Gulf region. The Kuwait Ports Public Authority manages and operates ports across Kuwait. The country’s principal commercial seaports are Shuwaikh and Shuaiba which handled combined cargo of 753,334 TEU in 2006. Mina Al-Ahmadi, the largest port in the country, handles most of Kuwait's oil exports. Construction of another major port located in Bubiyan island started in 2005. The port is expected to handle 1.3 million TEU when operation starts in 2008.

Media

(leftmost) is the main communication tower of Kuwait.]] Kuwait has one of the most vocal and transparent media in the Arab World. Though the government funds several leading newspapers and satellite channels, Kuwaiti journalists enjoy greater freedom than their regional counterparts. The state-owned Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) is the largest media house in the country. The Ministry of Information regulates all media and communication industry in Kuwait.

In 1998, there were 15 media stations, which are 6 AM and 11 FM radio stations and 13 television stations. In 2000, there were 624 radios and 486 television sets for every 1,000 people. In 2001, there were 165,000 Internet subscribers served by three service providers. Kuwait has ten satellite television channels of which four are controlled by the Ministry of Information. State-owned Kuwait Television (KTV) offered first colored broadcast in 1974 and operates five television channels. However, no such restraint is observed while criticizing the government.

Celebrations

Each year, the people of Kuwait celebrate 25th and 26th of February, as the national and liberation day respectively.

See also

Outline of Kuwait

Architecture of Kuwait

Human rights in Kuwait

Index of Kuwait-related articles

List of Kuwaitis

Military of Kuwait

Telecommunications in Kuwait

List of companies of Kuwait

References

External links

The Office of the Emir of Kuwait

Diwan of the Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait

The Economy of Kuwait at FedBrain

Kuwait Answers website WKuwait Answers Network

Category:Member states of the Arab League Category:Western Asian countries Category:Arabic-speaking countries and territories Category:Constitutional monarchies Category:Emirates Category:Member states of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf Category:Middle Eastern countries Category:Member states of OPEC Category:Member states of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference Category:Persian Gulf countries Category:States and territories established in 1961 Category:Western Asia Category:Member states of the United Nations