Kuwait (2001) | Morocco (2004) | |
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Administrative divisions | 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli | 16 regions: Casablanca, Chaouia-Ourdigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulmane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate |
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.) |
0-14 years: 32.6% (male 5,355,388; female 5,156,762)
15-64 years: 62.5% (male 10,013,466; female 10,112,060) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 692,465; female 878,960) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | practically no crops; fish | barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock |
Airports | 8 (2000 est.) | 64 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
total: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.) |
Area | total:
17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 446,550 sq km
land: 446,300 sq km water: 250 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than New Jersey | slightly larger than California |
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. | Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997. Parliamentary elections were held for the second time in September 2002 and municipal elections were held in September 2003. |
Birth rate | 21.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 22.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$11.5 billion expenditures: $17.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02) |
revenues: $13.8 billion
expenditures: $14 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1 billion (2004 est.) |
Capital | Kuwait | Rabat |
Climate | dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters | Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior |
Coastline | 499 km | 1,835 km |
Constitution | approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 | 10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996 |
Country name | conventional long form:
State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short form: Morocco local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah local short form: Al Maghrib |
Currency | Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) | Moroccan dirham (MAD) |
Death rate | 2.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 5.71 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $6.9 billion (2000 est.) | $17.32 billion (2003 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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY
embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York |
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 | claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee interdiction, but agreed in 2003 to discuss a comprehensive maritime delimitation; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa |
Economic aid - recipient | $27.6 million (1995) | $565.6 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. | Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries - restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic growth. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible for current account transactions. Reforms of the financial sector are being contemplated. Droughts depressed activity in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy in 2002. Morocco reported large foreign exchange inflows from the sale of a mobile telephone license, and partial privatization of the state-owned telecommunications company and the state tobacco company. Favorable rainfall in 2003 led to a growth of 6%. Formidable long-term challenges include: preparing the economy for freer trade with the EU and US, improving education, and attracting foreign investment to boost living standards and job prospects for Morocco's youth. |
Electricity - consumption | 29.357 billion kWh (1999) | 14.61 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 2.2 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 31.567 billion kWh (1999) | 13.35 billion kWh (2001) |
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 |
lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 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 | land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters |
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 |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% | Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2% |
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) | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000), 9.8044 (1999) |
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 |
chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections |
Exports | $23.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | oil and refined products, fertilizers | clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits, vegetables |
Exports - partners | Japan 23%, US 12%, Singapore 8%, Netherlands 7% (1999) | France 26.5%, Spain 16.7%, UK 7.2%, Germany 5.2%, Italy 5%, US 4% (2003) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side | red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $29.3 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $128.3 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
0% industry: 55% services: 45% (1996) |
agriculture: 22.9%
industry: 35.5% services: 41.5% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2000 est.) | 6% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 29 30 N, 45 45 E | 32 00 N, 5 00 W |
Geography - note | strategic location at head of Persian Gulf | strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar |
Heliports | 3 (2000 est.) | 1 (2003 est.) |
Highways | total:
4,450 km paved: 3,590 km unpaved: 860 km (1999 est.) |
total: 57,707 km
paved: 32,547 km (including 481 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,160 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99) |
Illicit drugs | - | illicit producer of hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe |
Imports | $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing | crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics |
Imports - partners | US 15%, Japan 10%, UK 7%, Germany 7% (1999) | France 20.6%, Spain 12.4%, Italy 7.1%, Germany 5.2%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Russia 4.9%, US 4.1% (2003) |
Independence | 19 June 1961 (from UK) | 2 March 1956 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 1% (1997 est.) | NA |
Industries | petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials | phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 43.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 47.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (2000) | 1.2% (2003 est.) |
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 | ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 3 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 20 sq km (1993 est.) | 12,910 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | High Court of Appeal | Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch) |
Labor force | 1.3 million (1998 est.)
note: 68% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.) |
10.84 million (2003) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | agriculture 40%, industry 15%, services 45% (2003 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
464 km border countries: Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km |
total: 2,017.9 km
border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 0% other: 92% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 19.61%
permanent crops: 2.17% other: 78.22% (2001) |
Languages | Arabic (official), English widely spoken | Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy |
Legal system | civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court |
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 |
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; 295 by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 6 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21, USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 50 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
76.27 years male: 75.42 years female: 77.15 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 70.35 years
male: 68.06 years female: 72.74 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.6% male: 82.2% female: 74.9% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.7% male: 64.1% female: 39.4% (2003 est.) |
Location | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara |
Map references | Middle East | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea:
12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
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.) |
total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 236,131 GRT/252,367 DWT
by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 7, container 7, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger 2 foreign-owned: France 1, Germany 2, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 2, United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Guard, Coast Guard | Royal Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $1.9 billion (FY00/01) | $2,297.2 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 8.7% (FY00/01) | 4.8% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
780,559 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 8,788,971 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
466,521 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 5,529,267 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
18,309 (2001 est.) |
males: 352,711 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | National Day, 25 February (1950) | Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) |
Nationality | noun:
Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti |
noun: Moroccan(s)
adjective: Moroccan |
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 | northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts |
Natural resources | petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas | phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt |
Net migration rate | 14.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 877 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 165 km | gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | none; formation of political parties is illegal | Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Saad Eddine OTHMANI]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI, chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Mohammed El-YAZGHI] |
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 | Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK] |
Population | 2,041,961
note: includes 1,159,913 non-nationals (July 2001 est.) |
32,209,101 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 19% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | 3.38% (2001 est.)
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates |
1.61% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud | Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and Melilla |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998) |
Radios | 1.175 million (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | total: 1,907 km
standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2003) |
Religions | Muslim 85% (Sunni 45%, Shi'a 40%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15% | Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2% |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 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 |
18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003) |
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 |
general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however, density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each 100 persons
domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay international: country code - 212; 7 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 412,000 (1997) | 1,219,200 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 210,000 (1997) | 7,332,800 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) | 35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | flat to slightly undulating desert plain | northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains |
Total fertility rate | 3.2 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2.81 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1.8% (official 1996 est.) | 19% (2003 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |