Compare Kuwait (2003) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2004)

Compare Kuwait (2003) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2004)

	Kuwait (2003)	British Indian Ocean Territory (2004)

Administrative divisions	5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli	-
Age structure	0-14 years: 27.9% (male 310,008; female 298,474) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 970,282; female 547,753) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 36,306; female 20,338) (2003 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	practically no crops; fish	-
Airports	6 (2002)	1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)	-
Area	total: 17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than New Jersey	about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	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 liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91.	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 that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate	21.83 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $11 billion expenditures: $17.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 02/03)	-
Capital	Kuwait	-
Climate	dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	499 km	698 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	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Currency	Kuwaiti dinar (KD)	-
Death rate	2.45 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Debt - external	$10.4 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	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	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Sheikh SALIM al-Abdallah Jabir Al Sabah chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international	the Kuwait 1994 land and Khawr 'Abd Allah channel boundary demarcation ended Iraqi claims to Kuwait and Bubiyan and Warbah islands; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are negotiating maritime boundary with Iran	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; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricted access to the largest island in the chain
Economic aid - recipient	NA	-
Economy - overview	Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 98 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% 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. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country. Oil production declined by an estimated 8% in 2002 but is expected to return to the 2001 level in 2003.	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.
Electricity - consumption	29.29 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - production	31.49 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 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	NA
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 - 0.3 (2002), 0.31 (2001), 0.31 (2000), 0.3 (1999), 0.3 (1998)	-
Executive branch	chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister NAWWAF al-Ahmad Al Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad Al Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003) 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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Charles A. HAMILTON (since 2002); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports	NA (2001)	-
Exports - commodities	oil and refined products, fertilizers	-
Exports - partners	Japan 24.4%, South Korea 12.9%, US 11.9%, Singapore 10.1%, Taiwan 7%, Netherlands 4.5%, Pakistan 4.4% (2002)	-
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	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
GDP	purchasing power parity - $36.85 billion (2002 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 60% industry: 39.7% services: 0.3% (2000)	-
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2002 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	-2% (2002 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	29 30 N, 45 45 E	6 00 S, 71 30 E
Geography - note	strategic location at head of Persian Gulf	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
Heliports	3 (2002)	-
Highways	total: 4,450 km paved: 3,587 km unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)	total: NA km paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	-
Imports	NA (2001)	-
Imports - commodities	food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing	-
Imports - partners	US 13.1%, Japan 11.1%, Germany 9.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.6%, UK 6%, Italy 5.4%, France 5.2% (2002)	-
Independence	19 June 1961 (from UK)	-
Industrial production growth rate	-5% (2002 est.)	-
Industries	petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials	-
Infant mortality rate	total: 10.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2% (2002 est.)	-
International organization participation	ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO	-
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	3 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	60 sq km (1998 est.)	0 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	High Court of Appeal	-
Labor force	1.3 million note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force. (1998 est.)	-
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA	-
Land boundaries	total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0.34% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 99.6% (1998 est.)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Languages	Arabic (official), English widely spoken	-
Legal system	civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Islamists 21, government supporters 14, liberals 3, and independents 12; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 76.65 years male: 75.72 years female: 77.62 years (2003 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.5% male: 85.1% female: 81.7% (2003 est.)	-
Location	Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references	Middle East	Political Map of the World
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,273,628 GRT/3,638,645 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 19, roll on/roll off 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1, Saudi Arabia 1 (2002 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 (including Air Defense Force), National Police Force, National Guard, Coast Guard	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$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	5.5% (FY01)	-
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 845,026 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 508,399 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - military age	18 years of age (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 18,885 (2003 est.)	-
National holiday	National Day, 25 February (1950)	-
Nationality	noun: Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti	-
Natural hazards	sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and 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	NA
Natural resources	petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas	coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate	14.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Pipelines	gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2003)	-
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	2,183,161 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)	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 in the 1960s and 1970s, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; 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 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	-
Population growth rate	3.34% note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2003 est.)	-
Ports and harbors	Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud	Diego Garcia
Radio broadcast stations	AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	0 km	-
Religions	Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), 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: 1.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2003 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, and 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: 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)
Telephones - main lines in use	412,000 (1997)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	210,000 (1997)	-
Television broadcast stations	13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)	1 (1997)
Terrain	flat to slightly undulating desert plain	flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate	3.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	7% (2002 est.)	-
Waterways	none	-

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