Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) - Kuwait (2001) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##
Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) - Kuwait (2001)
Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) z Kuwait (2001)
| British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) | Kuwait (2001) | |
 |  | |
| 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 | 1 (2001) | 8 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
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: 60 sq km
land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago |
total:
17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
| Background | Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. | 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 | tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds | dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters |
| Coastline | 698 km | 499 km |
| Constitution | - | approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 |
| Country name | conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT |
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.) |
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 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 | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 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 | Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain | 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 | All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. | 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 | NA kWh | 29.357 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military | 31.567 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m |
lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | 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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch |
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 | - | $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 | white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag | 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 | 6 00 S, 71 30 E | 29 30 N, 45 45 E |
| Geography - note | archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility | strategic location at head of Persian Gulf |
| Heliports | - | 3 (2000 est.) |
| Highways | total: NA km
paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km |
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 | - | $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) | 1 (2000) | 3 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 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 | 0 km | total:
464 km border countries: Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km |
| Land use | arable land: NEGL
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
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 | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply | 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 | Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia |
| Map references | Political Map of the World | Middle East |
| Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
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 - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 | - |
| 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 | NA | 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 | coconuts, fish, sugarcane | 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 | no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.) |
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 | Diego Garcia | Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios | NA | 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: separate facilities for military and public needs are available
domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000) |
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 | NA | 412,000 (1997) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 210,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) |
| Terrain | flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) | 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 | none |
Sitemap:
Compare countries listing (map site) |
Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.