Kuwait

nominal constitutional monarchyIndependence 19 June 1961 (from UK)

Kuwait as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 68 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

2.2 million July 1991 · 2.12m in 1990

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 1991 · 3.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

15 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 15 in 1990

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

11 fields

Total area

17,820km2

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

Land boundaries

462km total

Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline

499 km Continental shelf: not specific; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Disputes

Iraqi forces invaded and occupied Kuwait from 2 August 1990 until 27 February 1991;
in April 1991 official Iraqi acceptance of UN Security Council Resolution 687, which demands that Iraq accept its internationally recognized border with Kuwait, ended earlier claims to Bubiyan and Warbah Islands or to all of Kuwait;
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

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

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

13 fields

Population

2,204,400

(July 1991), growth rate 3.6% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

29Death

2Net migration

Literacy

74%

(male 78%, female 69%) age 15 and over can read and write (1985)

Ethnic divisions

Kuwaiti 27.9%, other Arab 39%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 20.1% Muslim 85% (Shia 30%, Sunni 45%, other 10%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%

Language

Arabic (official); English widely spoken

Labor force

566,000 (1986);
services 45.0%, construction 20.0%, trade 12.0%, manufacturing 8.6%, finance and real estate 2.6%, agriculture 1.9%, power and water 1.7%, mining and quarrying 1.4%;
70% of labor force was 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 Shaykh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-SABAH (since 31 December 1977);
Head of Government--Prime Minister and Crown Prince Sad al-Abdallah al-Salim al-SABAH (since 8 February 1978);
Deputy Prime Minister Salim al-Sabah al-Salim al-SABAH

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;
new elections are scheduled for October 1992

Other political or pressure groups

large (150,000) Palestinian community;
several small, clandestine leftist and Shia fundamentalist groups are active;
prodemocracy opposition

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Shaykh Saud Nasir al-SABAH;
Chancery at 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 966-0702;
US--Ambassador Edward (Skip) GNEHM;
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

Up to the invasion by Iraq in August 1990, the oil sector had dominated the economy.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$19.8billion

per capita $9,700; real growth rate 3.5% (1989)

Inflation, consumer prices

3.3%

(1989)

Unemployment rate

(1989)

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

Up to the invasion by Iraq in August 1990, the oil sector had dominated the economy. Kuwait has the third-largest oil reserves in the world after Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Earnings from hydrocarbons generated over 90% of both export and government revenues and contributed about 40% to GDP. Most of the nonoil sector has traditionally been dependent upon oil-derived government revenues.

Iraq's destruction of Kuwait's oil industry during the Gulf war has devastated the economy. Iraq destroyed or damaged more than 80% of Kuwait's 950 operating oil wells, as well as sabotaging key surface facilities. Western firefighters had brought about 140 of the 600 oil well fires and blowouts under control as of early June 1991. It could take two to three years to restore Kuwait's oil production to its prewar level of about 2.0 million barrels per day.

Exports

$11.5 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities--oil 90%;
partners--Japan, Italy, FRG, US

Imports

$6.3 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities--food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing;
partners--Japan, US, FRG, UK

Industrial production

growth rate 3% (1988); accounts for 52% of GDP

Electricity

8,290,000 kW capacity; 10,000 million kWh produced, 5,000 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

Economic 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, 31 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 1livestock carrier 4petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 20liquefied gas 5bulk; note--all Kuwaiti ships greater than 1,000 GRT were outside Kuwaiti waters at the time of the Iraqi invasion; many of these ships transferred to the Liberian flag or to the flags of other Persian Gulf states; Kuwaiti tankers are currently managed from London and Kuwaiti cargo and container ships are managed from Dubai 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over), totaling 1,332,159 GRT/2,099,303 DWT

Airports, 7 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