Kuwait

nominal constitutional monarchyIndependence 19 June 1961 (from UK)

Kuwait as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalKuwait

Area17,820 km2

Populationas each edition published it

2.12 million July 1990 · 3.17m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 8.67% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 74.62 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.7 children per woman 1990 · 2.19 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

15 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 7 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $11,100 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 80% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

17,820km2

land area: 17,820 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Coastline

499km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

462km total

Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Disputes

ownership of Warbah and Bubiyan islands disputed by Iraq; ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim Islands disputed by Saudi Arabia

Climate

dry desert;
intensely hot summers;
short, cool winters

Terrain

flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Land use

NEGL% arable land;
0% permanent crops;
8% meadows and pastures;
NEGL% forest and woodland;
92% other;
includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment

some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide most of water;
air and water pollution;
desertification

Note

strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People

14 fields

Population

2,123,711

(July 1990), growth rate 3.8% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

29Death

2Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Kuwaiti 27.9%other Arab 39%South Asian 9%Iranian 4%other 20.1%

Literacy

71%

(est.)

Religion

85% Muslim (30% Shia, 45% Sunni, 10% other), 15% Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other

Language

Arabic (official); English widely spoken

Labor force

566,000 (1986);
45.0% services, 20.0% construction, 12.0% trade, 8.6% manufacturing, 2.6% finance and real estate, 1.9% agriculture, 1.7% power and water, 1.4% mining and quarrying;
70% of labor force is non-Kuwaiti

Organized labor

labor unions exist in oil industry and among government personnel

Government

Nominal constitutional monarchy

18 fields

Administrative divisions

4 governorates (muhafazat, singular--muhafazah);
Al Ahmadi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, Hawalli;
note--there may be a new governorate of Farwaniyyah

Constitution

16 November 1962 (some provisions suspended since 29 August 1962)

Legal system

civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Executive branch

amir, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

National Assembly (Majlis al Umma) dissolved 3 July 1986

Judicial branch

High Court of Appeal Chief of State--Amir Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al SABAH (since 31 December 1977);
Head of Government--Prime Minister and Crown Prince Sad Abdallah al-Salim Al SABAH (since 8 February 1978)

Suffrage

adult males who resided in Kuwait before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21;
note--out of all citizens, only 8.3% are eligible to vote and only 3.5% actually vote National Assembly--dissolved 3 July 1986 and no elections are planned

Other political or pressure groups

large (350,000) Palestinian community; several small, clandestine leftist and Shia fundamentalist groups are active

Arab League, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Shaikh Saud Nasir AL-SABAH;
Chancery at 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 966-0702;
US--Ambassador W. Nathaniel HOWELL;
Embassy at Bneid al-Gar (opposite the Hilton Hotel), Kuwait City (mailing address is P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait City);
telephone [965] 242-4151 through 4159

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side

Economy

The oil sector dominates the economy.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$20.5billion

per capita $10,500; real growth rate 5.0% (1988)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.5%

(1988)

Unemployment rate

External debt

$7.2billion

(December 1989 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$7.1 billionExpenditures

$10.5 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (FY88)

Overview

The oil sector dominates the economy. Of the countries in the Middle East, Kuwait has oil reserves second only to those of Saudi Arabia. Earnings from hydrocarbons generate over 90% of both export and government revenues and contribute about 40% to GDP. Most of the nonoil sector is dependent upon oil-derived government revenues to provide infrastructure development and to promote limited industrial diversification.

The economy is heavily dependent upon foreign labor--Kuwaitis account for less than 20% of the labor force. The early years of the Iran-Iraq war pushed Kuwait's GDP well below its 1980 peak; however, during the period 1986-88, GDP increased each year, rising to 5% in 1988.

Exports

$7.1 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--oil 90%;
partners--Japan, Italy, FRG, US

Imports

$5.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--food, construction material, vehicles and parts, clothing;
partners--Japan, US, FRG, UK

Industrial production

growth rate 3% (1988)

Electricity

8,287,000 kW capacity; 21,500 million kWh produced, 10,710 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, salt, construction

Agriculture

virtually none;
dependent on imports for food;
about 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported

Aid

donor--pledged $18.3 billion in bilateral aid to less developed countries (1979-89)

Currency

Kuwaiti dinar (plural--dinars); 1 Kuwaiti dinar (KD) = 1,000 fils

Exchange rates

Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1--0.2915 (January 1990), 0.2937 (1989), 0.2790 (1988), 0.2786 (1987), 0.2919 (1986), 0.3007 (1985)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June

Communications

7 fields

Merchant marine, 51 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 18container 5livestock carrier 5petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 18liquefied gas 551 ships (1,000 GRT or over), totaling 1,862,010 GRT/2,935,007 DWT

Airports, 8 total, 4 usable

permanent-surface runways

4runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

4runways 1,220-2,439 m

none

Highways

3,000 km total;
2,500 km bituminous;
500 km earth, sand, light gravel

Pipelines

crude oil, 877 km;
refined products, 40 km;
natural gas, 165 km

excellent international, adequate domestic facilities;
258,000 telephones;
stations--3 AM, 2 FM, 3 TV;
satellite earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT;
1 INMARSAT, 1 ARABSAT;
coaxial cable and radio relay to Iraq and Saudi Arabia

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Guard

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49, about

688,516about fit for military service

411,742reach military age (18) annually

18,836

Defense expenditures

5.8%of GDP

or $1.2 billion (FY89)

Branches