Kuwait

Kuwait

Geography | People | Government | Economy | Transport | Communication | Defense | History | Travel


GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 464 km, Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline

499 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

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

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

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

20 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

Note: Strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

PEOPLE

Population

1,950,047 (July 1996 est.)
1,817,397 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

33% (male 334,778; female 317,241) (July 1996 est.)
34% (male 319,659; female 302,908) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

65% (male 757,535; female 507,064) (July 1996 est.)
64% (male 697,849; female 467,163) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

2% (male 18,459; female 14,970) (July 1996 est.)
2% (male 16,342; female 13,476) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

6.65% (1996 est.)
7.46% (1995 est.)

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

Birth Rate

20.28 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
21.07 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

2.2 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
2.2 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

48.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
55.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

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: 1.32 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

11.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
11.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

2.82 children born/woman (1996 est.)
2.93 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)

Labor Force

1 million (1994 est.)

By occupation:

Note: 80% of labor force non-Kuwaiti (1994 est.)

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

KU

Type

Nominal constitutional monarchy

Capital

Kuwait

Administrative Divisions

5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al 'Ahmadi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, Hawalli, Al Farwaniyah

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

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

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

None

Other Political or Pressure Groups

Several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists

Member of

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

National Anthem

Flag

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 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.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $30.8 billion (1995 est.); $30.7 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

3% (1995 est.)
9.3% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$17,000 (1995 est.)
$16,900 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

5% (1994 est.)
3% (1993)

Unemployment Rate

NEGL% (1992 est.)

Budget

Exports

$11.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
$10.5 billion (f.o.b., 1993)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$6.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
$6.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$7.2 billion (December 1989 est.)

Note: External debt has grown substantially in 1991 and 1992 to pay for restoration of war damage

Industrial Production

Growth rate 1% (1995 est.); accounts for 55% of GDP

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Practically none; extensive fishing in territorial waters and Indian Ocean

Economic Aid

Currency

1 Kuwaiti dinar (KD) = 1,000 fils

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)

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Pipelines

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

Ports

Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Merchant Marine

Airports

Heliports

1 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

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

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Guard

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 658,270; males fit for military service 391,586; males reach military age (18) annually 17,544 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $3.5 billion, 12.8% of GDP (FY95/96)

History
World Atlas