Kuwait

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 completely liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91.

• dry desert;
• intensely hot summers;
• short, cool winters

• sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April;
• they 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

• 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

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

0-14 years:

28.3% (male 304,200; female 292,900)

15-64 years:

69.2% (male 934,115; female 527,331)

65 years and over:

2.5% (male 34,106; female 18,909) (2002 est.)

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:

1.8 male(s)/female

total population:

1.52 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

noun:

Kuwaiti(s)

adjective:

Kuwaiti

conventional long form:

State of Kuwait

conventional short form:

Kuwait

local short form:

Al Kuwayt

local long form:

Dawlat al Kuwayt

chief of state:

Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977)

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);
• Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamud Al Sabah (since NA) and MUHAMMAD KHALID al-Hamed Al Sabah (since NA)

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 mission:

Ambassador Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al Jaber AL SABAH

FAX:

[1] (202) 966-0517

telephone:

[1] (202) 966-0702

chancery:

2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

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

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

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, 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

total:

4,450 km

paved:

3,590 km

unpaved:

860 km (1999 est.)

• crude oil 877 km;
• petroleum products 40 km;
• natural gas 165 km

total:

38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,274,515 GRT/3,627,835 DWT

ships by type:

bulk 1, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 19

note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1, Saudi Arabia 1 (2002 est.)

• 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, although the Iraqi Government continues periodic rhetorical challenges