1998 Edition

Area

total: 17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate

dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Coastline

499 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment-international agreements

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

Geographic coordinates

29 30 N, 45 45 E

Geography-note

strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Irrigated land

20 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 464 km border countries: Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 0% other: 92% (1993 est.)

Location

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Natural resources

petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Terrain

flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Age structure

0-14 years: 32% (male 338,933; female 279,087) 15-64 years: 66% (male 811,713; female 444,679) 65 years and over: 2% (male 23,642; female 15,231) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

20.97 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

2.29 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Infant mortality rate

10.74 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.78 years male: 74.76 years female: 78.91 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.6% male: 82.2% female: 74.9% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti

Net migration rate

22.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

1,913,285 (July 1998 est.) note: includes 1,168,185 non-nationals (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

4.1% (1998 est.) note: this rate reflects the continued post-Gulf crisis return of expatriates

Religions

Muslim 85% (Sunni 45%, Shi'a 40%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.21 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.82 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.55 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.44 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

5 governorates (muhafazat, singular-muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli

Constitution

approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Country name

conventional long form: State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt

Data code

KU

Executive branch

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); Second Deputy Prime Minister SALIM al-Sabah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 7 October 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the amir elections: none; the amir is a hereditary monarch of the MUBARAK line of the ruling Sabah family; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the amir

FAX

[1] (202) 966-0517 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James LAROCCO embassy: Bneid al-Gar (opposite the Kuwait International Hotel), Kuwait City mailing address: P.O. Box 77, SAFAT, 13001 SAFAT, Kuwait; Unit 69000, APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 539-5307 or 539-5308

[965] 538-0282

Flag description

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

Government type

nominal constitutional monarchy

Independence

19 June 1961 (from UK)

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 the 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

Judicial branch

High Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: none 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

Legal system

civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted 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 7 October 1996 (next to be held NA October 2000) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 50; note-all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly

National capital

Kuwait

National holiday

National Day, 25 February (1950)

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

Agriculture-products

practically no crops; extensive fishing in territorial waters

Budget

revenues: $10.3 billion expenditures: $14.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)

Currency

1 Kuwaiti dinar (KD) = 1,000 fils

Debt-external

$8 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid

$NA

Economy-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 million barrels per day in 1996. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90% of export revenues, and 75% 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, Kuwait provides its citizens with extensive health, educational, and retirement benefits. The bulk of the work force is non-Kuwaiti, living at a considerably lower level. Per capita military expenditures are among the highest in the world. The economy improved moderately in 1994-97, 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 opening the petroleum sector.

Electricity-capacity

6.988 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

13,756 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

25 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1-0.3055 (January 1998), 0.3033 (1997), 0.2994 (1996), 0.2984 (1995), 0.2976 (1994), 0.3017 (1993)

Exports

total value: $14.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: oil and refined products, fertilizers partners: Japan 29%, US 16%, Netherlands 13%, Singapore 12% (1996 est.)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$46.3 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 0% industry: 53% services: 47% (1996)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$22,300 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

1% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $7.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities : food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing partners: US 31%, UK 14%, Japan 13%, Germany 8%, Italy 7% (1996 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (1997 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

3.2% (1996)

Labor force

total: 1.1 million (1996 est.) by occupation: government and social services 50%, services 40%, industry and agriculture 10% (1996 est.) note: 68% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

720,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone 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

Telephones

548,000 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

3 (1986 est.)

Televisions

800,000 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.8% (official 1996 est.)

Airports

8 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Heliports

1 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 4,450 km paved: 3,587 km unpaved: 863 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,965,633 GRT/3,109,720 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, container 3, liquefied gas tanker 7, livestock carrier 3, oil tanker 19 (1997 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 877 km; petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 165 km Ports and harbors: Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Railways

0 km

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces, Coast Guard

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$3.5 billion (FY95/96)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

12.8% (FY95/96)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 690,989 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 409,563 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

18 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 19,553 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

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