Kuwait (2002) (compare) | |
Kuwait (2003) (compare) | |
Kuwait (2004) (compare) | |
Kuwait (2005) (compare) | |
Kuwait (2006) (compare) | |
Kuwait (2007) (compare) | |
Kuwait (2008) (compare) |
Administrative divisions | 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
28.76% (male 299,080; female 288,125) 15-64 years: 68.82% (male 897,839; female 507,527) 65 years and over: 2.42% (male 31,843; female 17,547) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | practically no crops; fish |
Airports | 8 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
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 to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. |
Birth rate | 21.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$11.5 billion expenditures: $17.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02) |
Capital | Kuwait |
Climate | dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters |
Coastline | 499 km |
Constitution | approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 |
Country name | conventional long form:
State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt |
Currency | Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) |
Death rate | 2.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $6.9 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador James A. LAROCCO embassy: Bayan, near the Bayan palace, Kuwait City mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait Unit 69000, APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 539-5307 FAX: [965] 538-0282 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517 |
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 |
Economic aid - recipient | $27.6 million (1995) |
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'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. Higher oil prices put the FY99/00 budget into a $2 billion surplus. The FY00/01 budget covers only nine months because of a change in the fiscal year. The budget for FY01/02, which begins 1 April, contains higher expenditures for salaries, construction, and other general categories. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country. |
Electricity - consumption | 29.357 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 31.567 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m |
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:
Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping |
Ethnic groups | Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% |
Exchange rates | Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.3057 (January 2001), 0.3067 (2000), 0.3044 (1999), 0.3047 (1998), 0.3033 (1997), 0.2994 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) head of government: Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978); First Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamud Al Sabah (since NA) and MUHAMMAD KHALID al-Hamed Al Sabah (since NA) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch |
Exports | 0 kWh (1999) |
Exports | $23.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | oil and refined products, fertilizers |
Exports - partners | Japan 23%, US 12%, Singapore 8%, Netherlands 7% (1999) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $29.3 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
0% industry: 55% services: 45% (1996) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 29 30 N, 45 45 E |
Geography - note | strategic location at head of Persian Gulf |
Heliports | 3 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total:
4,450 km paved: 3,590 km unpaved: 860 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | 0 kWh (1999) |
Imports | $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing |
Imports - partners | US 15%, Japan 10%, UK 7%, Germany 7% (1999) |
Independence | 19 June 1961 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 1% (1997 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials |
Infant mortality rate | 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (2000) |
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, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 3 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 20 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | High Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 1.3 million (1998 est.)
note: 68% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
Land boundaries | total:
464 km border countries: Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 0% other: 92% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Arabic (official), English widely spoken |
Legal system | civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 July 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
76.27 years male: 75.42 years female: 77.15 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.6% male: 82.2% female: 74.9% (1995 est.) |
Location | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea:
12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,461,072 GRT/3,966,645 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 6, container 6, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 20 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Guard, Coast Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $1.9 billion (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 8.7% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
780,559 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
466,521 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
18,309 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | National Day, 25 February (1950) |
Nationality | noun:
Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti |
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 |
Natural resources | petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas |
Net migration rate | 14.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 877 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 165 km |
Political parties and leaders | none; formation of political parties is illegal |
Political pressure groups and leaders | several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists |
Population | 2,041,961
note: includes 1,159,913 non-nationals (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% |
Population growth rate | 3.38% (2001 est.)
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates |
Ports and harbors | Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 1.175 million (1997) |
Railways | 0 km |
Religions | Muslim 85% (Sunni 45%, Shi'a 40%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15% |
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: 1.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.51 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time |
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, open wire, and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones international: 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 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 412,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 210,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) |
Terrain | flat to slightly undulating desert plain |
Total fertility rate | 3.2 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1.8% (official 1996 est.) |
Waterways | none |