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Compare Kuwait (2005) - Israel (2002)

Compare Kuwait (2005) z Israel (2002)

 Kuwait (2005)Israel (2002)
 KuwaitIsrael
Administrative divisions 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.2% (male 323,382/female 311,700)


15-64 years: 70.1% (male 1,045,589/female 591,243)


65 years and over: 2.7% (male 40,439/female 23,295) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 27.1% (male 837,491; female 798,695)


15-64 years: 63% (male 1,905,677; female 1,889,525)


65 years and over: 9.9% (male 257,066; female 341,075) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products practically no crops; fish citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products
Airports 7 (2004 est.) 54 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 28


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total: 24


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Area total: 17,820 sq km


land: 17,820 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 20,770 sq km


land: 20,330 sq km


water: 440 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Jersey slightly smaller than New Jersey
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. Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip) and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement. But progress toward a permanent status agreement has been undermined by the outbreak of Palestinian-Israeli violence since September 2000.
Birth rate 21.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 18.91 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $35.82 billion


expenditures: $19.53 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $40 billion


expenditures: $42.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Kuwait Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv
Climate dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
Coastline 499 km 273 km
Constitution approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law
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: State of Israel


conventional short form: Israel


local long form: Medinat Yisra'el


local short form: Yisra'el
Currency - new Israeli shekel (ILS)
Death rate 2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $15.02 billion (2004 est.) $42.8 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON


embassy: Bayan, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City


mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880-9000


telephone: [965] 539-5307, 5308


FAX: [965] 538-0282
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER


embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv


mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830


telephone: [972] (3) 519-7457/7369/7454/7458/7453


FAX: [972] (3) 517-4390


consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah


chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702


FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel AYALON


chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500


FAX: [1] (202) 364-3607


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
Disputes - international Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights)
Economic aid - recipient NA (2001) NA
Economy - overview Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 96 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. Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel is largely self-sufficient in food production except for grains. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and military aid. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR during the period 1989-99 coupled with the opening of new markets at the end of the Cold War, energized Israel's economy, which grew rapidly in the early 1990s. But growth began moderating in 1996 when the government imposed tighter fiscal and monetary policies and the immigration bonus petered out. Growth was a strong 6.4% in 2000. But the bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict, increasingly the declines in the high-technology and tourist sectors, and fiscal austerity measures in the face of growing inflation have led to declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002.
Electricity - consumption 30.16 billion kWh (2002) 34.897 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 1.27 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 12 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 32.43 billion kWh (2002) 38.876 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: unnamed location 306 m
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Har Meron 1,208 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 limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%, Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab) (1996 est.)
Exchange rates Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003), 0.3039 (2002), 0.3067 (2001), 0.3068 (2000) new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.2757 (December 2001), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 31 December 1977); Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdullah al-Salim al-Sabah


head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior 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: President Moshe KATSAV (since 31 July 2000)


head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset


elections: president elected by the Knesset for a seven-year term; election last held 31 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2007); following legislative elections, the president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition; election last held 28 January 2003 (next to be held fall of 2007)


election results: Moshe KATSAV elected president by the 120-member Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES, received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARON continues as prime minister after Likud Party victory in January 2003 Knesset elections; Likud won 38 seats and then formed coalition government with Shinui, the National Religious Party, and the National Union
Exports 1.97 million bbl/day (2003) $28 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities oil and refined products, fertilizers machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel
Exports - partners Japan 20.5%, South Korea 13.7%, US 12.4%, Singapore 11.3%, Taiwan 9.9% (2004) US 42.8%, Benelux 7.4%, Hong Kong 6.8%, Germany 4.8%, UK 4.8%, Japan 3.2% (2001)
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; design, which dates to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag
GDP - purchasing power parity - $122 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 0.4%


industry: 60.5%


services: 39.1% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 30%


services: 67% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $21,300 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.8% (2004 est.) -1.1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 N, 45 45 E 31 30 N, 34 45 E
Geography - note strategic location at head of Persian Gulf there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.); Sea of Galilee is an important freshwater source
Heliports 3 (2004 est.) 3 (2002)
Highways total: 4,450 km


paved: 3,587 km


unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)
total: 15,965 km


paved: 15,965 km (including 56 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 28% (1992) (1997)
Illicit drugs - increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and increasingly Jordan
Imports NA $30.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, consumer goods
Imports - partners US 12.9%, Germany 11.9%, Japan 7.9%, UK 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%, Italy 5%, France 4.5%, China 4.1% (2004) US 23.5%, Benelux 10.2%, Germany 7.9%, uk 6.7%, Switzerland 6.0%, Italy 5.2% (2001)
Independence 19 June 1961 (from UK) 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Industrial production growth rate -5% (2002 est.) -1.5% (2002 est.)
Industries petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, desalination, food processing, construction materials high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting
Infant mortality rate total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.96 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
7.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.3% (2004 est.) 5.7% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO BSEC (observer), CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 21 (2000)
Irrigated land 60 sq km (1998 est.) 1,990 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Court of Appeal Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)
Labor force 1.42 million


note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2004 est.)
2.4 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA public services 31%, manufacturing 20%, finance and business 13%, commerce 13%, construction 8%, personal and other services 6%, transport, storage, and communications 6%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3% (1996) (1996)
Land boundaries total: 462 km


border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
total: 1,017 km


border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
Land use arable land: 0.73%


permanent crops: 0.11%


other: 99.16% (2001)
arable land: 17.02%


permanent crops: 4.17%


other: 78.81% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), English widely spoken Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language
Legal system civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept 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 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
unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 27 January 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - Likud Party 29.4%, Labor 14.5%, Shinui 12.3%, Shas 8.2%, National Union 5.5%, Meretz 5.2%, United Torah Judaism 4.3%, National Religious Party 4.2%, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3.0%, One Nation 2.8%, National Democratic Alliance 2.3%, YBA 2.2%, United Arab List 2.1%, Green Leaf Party 1.2%, Herut 1.2%, other 1.6%; seats by party - Likud 38, Labor 19, Shinui 15, Shas 11, National Union 7, Meretz 6, National Religious Party 6, United Torah Judaism 5, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3, One Nation 3, National Democratic Alliance 3, YBA 2, United Arab List 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.03 years


male: 76.01 years


female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)
total population: 78.86 years


male: 76.82 years


female: 81.01 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83.5%


male: 85.1%


female: 81.7% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95%


male: 97%


female: 93% (1992 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
Map references Middle East Middle East
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,319,082 GRT/3,768,828 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 3, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 20


registered in other countries: 19 (2005)
total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 595,319 GRT/704,544 DWT


ships by type: container 15, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense Force), National Guard (2002) Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (includes ground, naval, and air components with Air Defense Forces), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military services
Military expenditures - dollar figure $2,584.5 million (2004) $8.97 billion (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.3% (2004) 8.75% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,542,835


females age 15-49: 1,499,830 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,262,973


females age 15-49: 1,223,939 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 51,666


females: 49,207 (2002 est.)
National holiday National Day, 25 February (1950) Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May
Nationality noun: Kuwaiti(s)


adjective: Kuwaiti
noun: Israeli(s)


adjective: Israeli
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 sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes
Natural resources petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand
Net migration rate 14.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 2.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2004) crude oil 708 km; petroleum products 290 km; natural gas 89 km
Political parties and leaders none; formation of political parties is illegal Center Party [Dan MERIDOR]; Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) [Muhammad BARAKA]; Democratic Movement [Roman BRONFMAN]; Gesher [David LEVI]; Herut [michael KLEINER]; Labor Party [Binyamin BEN-ELIEZER]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meimad [Rabbi Michael MELCHIOR]; Meretz [Yossi SARID]; National Democratic Alliance (Balad) [Azmi BISHARA]; National Religious Party [Yitzhak LEVY]; National Union [Benyamin ELON] (includes Tekuma and Moledet); One Israel [Ra'anan COHEN]; One Nation [Amir PERETZ]; Shas [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Shinui [Tommy LAPID]; United Arab List [Abd al-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Meir PORUSH]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya or YBA [Natan SHARANSKY]; Yisra'el Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]
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 Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha (settler) Council promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise; B'Tselem monitors human rights abuses
Population 2,335,648


note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)
6,029,529 (July 2002 est.)


note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, more than 5,000 in the Gaza Strip, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (February 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 3.44%


note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2005 est.)
1.48% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios - 3.07 million (1997)
Railways - total: 647 km


standard gauge: 647 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)
Religions Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15% Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2.1%, other 3.2% (1996 est.)
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: 1.74 male(s)/female


total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 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
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: country code - 965; 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: most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest


domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital


international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 486,900 (2003) 2.8 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.42 million (2003) 2.5 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) 17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)
Terrain flat to slightly undulating desert plain Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
Total fertility rate 2.97 children born/woman (2005 est.) 2.54 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 2.2% (2004 est.) 10.4% (2002 est.)
Waterways - none
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