Greece (2002) | Kuwait (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos | 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 14.8% (male 814,605; female 765,613)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 3,579,945; female 3,564,068) 65 years and over: 18.1% (male 851,087; female 1,070,025) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 304,200; female 292,900)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 934,115; female 527,331) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 34,106; female 18,909) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products | practically no crops; fish |
Airports | 79 (note - new Athens airport at Spata opened in March 2001) (2001) | 7 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 66
over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 9 (2002) |
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 13 14
914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (2002) |
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 131,940 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km |
total: 17,820 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Alabama | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
Background | Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories with Greek-speaking populations. Following the defeat of Communist rebels in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. Democratic elections in 1974 and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992). | 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 completely liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. |
Birth rate | 9.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 21.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $45 billion
expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $11.5 billion
expenditures: $17.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02 ) |
Capital | Athens | Kuwait |
Climate | temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers | dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters |
Coastline | 13,676 km | 499 km |
Constitution | 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001 | approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 |
Country name | conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece |
conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt |
Currency | euro (EUR); drachma (GRD)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries |
Kuwaiti dinar (KD) |
Death rate | 9.79 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 2.46 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $63.4 billion (2002 est.) | $6.9 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. MILLER
embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 101 60 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 725-3025 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki |
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. JONES
embassy: Bayan, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (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, ext. 2240 FAX: [965] 538-0282 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryious SAVVAIDES
chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans |
chief of mission: Ambassador Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al Jaber AL SABAH
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517 |
Disputes - international | Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over its name | 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, although the Iraqi Government continues periodic rhetorical challenges |
Economic aid - recipient | $5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.) | NA |
Economy - overview | Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about half of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the Big Four European economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the last few years, as the government tightened policy in the run-up to Greece's entry into the EU's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 2001. Major challenges remaining include the reduction of unemployment and further restructuring of the economy, including privatizing several state enterprises, undertaking social security reforms, overhauling the tax system, and minimizing bureaucratic inefficiencies. Economic growth is forecast at roughly 4% in 2003. | Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of 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 envisioned 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 | 46.099 billion kWh (2000) | 29.016 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 1.74 billion kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 1.729 billion kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 49.581 billion kWh (2000) | 31.2 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 92%
hydro: 7% nuclear: 0% other: 2% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m |
Environment - current issues | air pollution; water pollution | 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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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 | Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece |
Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001); drachmae per US dollar - 380.21 (December 2000), 365.40 (2000), 305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997)
note: in January 2001, the drachma became a participating currency within the Eurosystem, and the euro market rate became applicable to all transactions |
Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.3075 (January 2002), 0.3066, (2001), 0.3067 (2000), 0.3044 (1999), 0.3047 (1998), 0.3033 (1997) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA February 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90% |
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 | $12.6 billion f.o.b. (2002) | $16.2 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Exports - commodities | food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles | oil and refined products, fertilizers |
Exports - partners | EU 51.6% (Germany 15.9%, Italy 13.5%, UK 6.4%), US 5.7% (1999) | Japan 23%, US 14%, South Korea 13%, Singapore 7%, Netherlands 6%, Pakistan 6%, Indonesia 4%, UK 2% (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $201.1 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $30.9 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 9%
industry: 22% services: 70% (2000) (2000) |
industry: 60%
services: 40% agriculture: 0% (2000) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $15,100 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.5% (2002 est.) | 4% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 39 00 N, 22 00 E | 29 30 N, 45 45 E |
Geography - note | strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands | strategic location at head of Persian Gulf |
Heliports | 7 (2002) | 3 (2002) |
Highways | total: 117,000 km
paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,594 km (1996) |
total: 4,450 km
paved: 3,590 km unpaved: 860 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25% (1993 est.) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime | - |
Imports | $31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002) | $7.4 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals | food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing |
Imports - partners | EU 66.2% (Italy 15.6%, Germany 15%, France 9.2%, Netherlands 6.4%) (1999) | US 12%, Japan 8%, UK 8%, Germany 7%, China 5%, France 4%, Australia 3%, Netherlands 2% (2000) |
Independence | 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire) | 19 June 1961 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 7% (2000 est.) | 1% (1997 est.) |
Industries | tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum | petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials |
Infant mortality rate | 6.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 10.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.6% (2002) | 2.7% (2001) |
International organization participation | Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC | 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, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 27 (2000) | 3 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 14,220 sq km (1998 est.) | 60 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council | High Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 4.32 million (1999 est.) | 1.3 million
note: 68% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.) (1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 21%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.) | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
Land boundaries | total: 1,228 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 246 km |
total: 462 km
border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km |
Land use | arable land: 22.12%
permanent crops: 8.47% other: 69.41% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0.34%
permanent crops: 0.06% other: 99.6% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Greek 99% (official), English, French | Arabic (official), English widely spoken |
Legal system | based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts | civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held by NA April 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%, KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party - PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6; note - seats by party as of January 2002 - PASOK 156, ND 122, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6, independents 5 |
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: 78.74 years
male: 76.17 years female: 81.48 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 76.46 years
male: 75.56 years female: 77.39 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% male: 98.5% female: 96% (1999) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.6% male: 82.2% female: 74.9% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Europe | Middle East |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 6 NM |
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 802 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,998,523 GRT/49,458,125 DWT
ships by type: bulk 294, cargo 54, chemical tanker 25, combination bulk 7, combination ore/oil 5, container 45, liquefied gas 7, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 13, petroleum tanker 265, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 23, short-sea passenger 54, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Ireland 1, Japan 1, Liberia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,274,515 GRT/3,627,835 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 19 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1, Saudi Arabia 1 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, Police, National Guard | Army, Navy, Air Force (including Air Defense Force), National Police Force, National Guard, Coast Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $6.12 billion (FY99/00 est.) | $1,967.3 million (FY01)
note: Kuwait is changing its fiscal year; the above figure is for July-March 2001; future budget years will be April-March annually |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 4.91% (FY99/00 est.) | 5.5% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 2,668,872 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 812,059 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 2,034,192 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49: 486,906 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 21 years of age (2002 est.) | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 77,976 (2002 est.) | males: 18,309 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 25 March (1821) | National Day, 25 February (1950) |
Nationality | noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek |
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti |
Natural hazards | severe earthquakes | sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April; they 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 |
Natural resources | bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential | petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas |
Net migration rate | 1.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 13.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km | crude oil 877 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 165 km |
Political parties and leaders | Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS] | none; formation of political parties is illegal |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists |
Population | 10,645,343 (July 2002 est.) | 2,111,561
note: includes 1,159,913 non-nationals (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.2% (2002 est.) | 3.33%
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos | Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 5.02 million (1997) | 1.175 million (1997) |
Railways | total: 2,571 km
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified) narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack-type railway for steep grades) dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2001 est.) |
0 km |
Religions | Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% | Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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: 1.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 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: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) |
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 | 5.431 million (1997) | 412,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 937,700 (1997) | 210,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995) | 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands | flat to slightly undulating desert plain |
Total fertility rate | 1.34 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 3.14 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 10.3% (2002 est.) | 1.8% (1996 est.) |
Waterways | 80 km
note: system consists of three coastal canals including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also three unconnected rivers |
none |