Kuwait
State of KuwaitDawlat al Kuwayt
nominal constitutional monarchyIndependence 19 June 1961 (from UK)
Kuwait as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 88 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq | and Saudi Arabia
15 fieldsLand useshare of 17,820 sq km
International disputes
- 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;
- ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim islands disputed by Saudi Arabia
Terrain
flat to slightly undulating desert plain
- lowest point:
- Persian Gulf 0 m
- highest point:
- unnamed location 306 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
- 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
- international agreements:
- party to - Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection;
- signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1996 est.)
Male · female(1996 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 33% (male 334,778; female 317,241)
- 15-64 years:
- 65% (male 757,535; female 507,064)
- 65 years and over:
- 2% (male 18,459; female 14,970) (July 1996 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.49 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.23 male(s)/female
- all ages:
- 1.32 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Government
Nominal constitutional monarchy; Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) is a hereditary monarch of the MUBARAK line of the ruling Sabah family
22 fieldsLegislature, 50 seatsone dot, one seat
Name of country
- conventional long form:
- State of Kuwait
- conventional short form:
- Kuwait
- local long form:
- Dawlat al Kuwayt
- local short form:
- Al Kuwayt
Administrative divisions
5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, Hawalli, Al Farwaniyah
Legal system
civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 will be eligible to vote
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) is a hereditary monarch of the MUBARAK line of the ruling Sabah family
- 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), and Second Deputy Prime Minister Nasir Abdallah al-RUDAN (since NA) were appointed by the Amir
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister and approved by the amir
National Assembly (Majlis al-umma)
- elected members serve four-year terms;
- elections last held 5 October 1992 (next to be held NA September 1996);
- results - percent of vote NA;
- seats - (50 total) independents 50;
- note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly
Other political or pressure groups
several political groups act; as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists
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 (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim Al SABAH
- chancery:
- 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 966-0702
US diplomatic representation
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER
- embassy:
- Bneid al-Gar (opposite the Kuwait International Hotel), Kuwait City
- mailing address:
- P.O. Box 77, SAFAT, 13001 SAFAT, Kuwait; Unit 6900, APO AE 09880-9000
- telephone:
- [965] 2424151 through 2424159
Flag
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side
Economy
Kuwait is a small and relatively open economy | with proved crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels - 10% of | world reserves.
20 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 7,070,000 kW
Economic overview
Kuwait is a small and relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Kuwait has rebuilt its war-ravaged petroleum sector; its crude oil production averaged 2.0 million barrels per day in 1994. The government continues to record large fiscal deficits.
Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90% of export revenues, and 70% of government income. Kuwait lacks water and has practically no arable land, thus preventing development of agriculture. With the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported.
Because of its high per capita income, comparable with Western European incomes, Kuwait provides its citizens with extensive health, educational, and retirement benefits. Per capita military expenditures are among the highest in the world. The economy improved moderately in 1994-95, with the growth in industry and finance.
The World Bank has urged Kuwait to push ahead with privatization, including in the oil industry, but the government will move slowly on this front.
Labor force
1 million (1994 est.); by occupation: industry and agriculture 25.0%, services 25.0%, government and social services 50.0% note: 80% of labor force non-Kuwaiti (1994 est.)
Industries
petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials, salt, construction
Exports
$11.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
- commodities:
- oil
- partners:
- US 23%, Japan 13%, Germany 10%, UK 9%, France 8%
Imports
$6.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
- commodities:
- food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
- partners:
- US 14%, Japan 12%, Germany 8%, UK 7%, France 6% (1994 est.)
Exchange rates
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1 - 0.2993 (January 1996), 0.2984 (1995), 0.2976 (1994), 0.3017 (1993), 0.2934 (1992), 0.2843 (1991)
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 4 in all
Networkskm
Merchant marine
- total:
- 46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,053,667 GRT/3,242,305 DWT
- ships by type:
- cargo 10, container 3, liquefied gas tanker 7, livestock carrier 4, oil tanker 21, vehicle carrier 1 (1995 est.)
Communications
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, Ministry of | Interior Forces, Coast Guard
9 fieldsTelephone system
the civil network suffered some damage as a result of the Gulf war, but most of the telephone exchanges were left intact and, by the end of 1994, domestic and international telecommunications had been restored to normal operation; 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;
- satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Arabsat
Manpower availability
- males age 15-49:
- 658,270
- males fit for military service:
- 391,586
- males reach military age (18) annually:
- 17,544 (1996 est.)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Kuwait.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/kuwait/1996.