Area
17,818 sq km (6,880 sq miles).
Population (2010 est.): 2,789,132 (growth rate: 3.5%); birth rate: 21.6/1000; infant mortality rate: 8.7/1000; life expectancy: 77.9; density per sq km: 145
The unit of currency is the Kuwait Dinar (KD): KD1 = 1,000 fils. The denominations of bank notes are: KD20, 10, 5, 1, 0.500 and 0.250; those of coins are 100 fils, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. KD1 is equal to approximately US$3.3.
Population Density
151.53 per sq km.
Capital
Kuwait City. Population: 1.2 million (UN estimate 2003).
Geography
Kuwait shares borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. To the southeast lies the Persian Gulf, where Kuwait has sovereignty over nine small islands (the largest is Bubiyan and the most populous is Failaka). The landscape is predominantly desert plateau with a lower, more fertile coastal belt.
Language
Arabic, but English is widely understood, especially in commerce and industry.
Religion
95% Muslim (mostly of the Sunni sect), with Christian and Hindu minorities.
Time
GMT + 3.
Social Conventions
Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. It is quite likely that a visitor will be invited to a Kuwaiti’s home, but entertaining is also conducted in hotels and restaurants. A small gift promoting the company, or representing your own country, is always welcome. The visitor will notice that most Kuwaitis wear the national dress of long white dishdashes and white headcloths, and that many women wear yashmaks. It is important for women to dress modestly according to Islamic law. Men do not usually wear shorts in public and should not go shirtless.
All other Islamic rules and customs must be respected. Convicted users of narcotics can expect to receive a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment, plus a heavy fine. ‘No Smoking’ signs are posted in many shops. It is greatly appreciated if visitors learn at least a few words of Arabic. Homosexuality is illegal, as is any public affection between men and women. Cohabitation is also illegal. The import and use of drugs, alcohol, pork products and obscene material are forbidden and can lead to imprisonment.
Electricity
240 volts AC, 50Hz; single phase. UK-type flat three-pin plugs are used.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Muhammed al-Ahmed al-Sabah.
Head of State
Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah since 2006.
Recent History
Following the death of His Highness Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, his Highness Sheikh Sa’ad al-Abdullah al-Salim al-Sabah became Emir in January 2006. He ruled for just nine days before the parliament voted him out of office due to his ill health. Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah took over the role. Kuwait was the first Arab country in the Gulf to have an elected parliament. Moves to change the male-dominated political structure culminated in the granting of full political rights to women in 2005.
Government
Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy, governed by the al-Sabah family.
History
Kuwait is believed to have been part of an early civilization in the 3rd millennium B.C. and to have traded with Mesopotamian cities. Archeological and historical traces disappeared around the first millennium B.C. At the beginning of the 18th century, the 'Anizah tribe of central Arabia founded Kuwait City, which became an autonomous sheikdom by 1756. 'Abd Rahim of the al-Sabah became the first sheik, and his descendants continue to rule Kuwait today. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the sheikdom belonged to the fringes of the Ottoman Empire. Kuwait obtained British protection in 1897 when the sheik feared that the Turks would expand their hold over the area.
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In 1961, Britain ended the protectorate, giving Kuwait independence, but agreed to give military aid on request. Iraq immediately threatened to occupy the area, and the British sent troops to defend Kuwait. Soon afterward, the Arab League sent in troops, replacing the British. Iraq's claim was dropped when the Arab League recognized Kuwait's independence on July 20, 1961. Historically, Kuwait followed a neutral and mediatory policy among Arab states.
Citizenry Benefits from Oil Wealth
Oil was discovered in Kuwait in the 1930s, and proved to have 20% of the world's known oil resources. Since 1946 it has been the world's second-largest oil exporter. The sheik, who receives half of the profits, devotes most of them to the education, welfare, and modernization of his kingdom. In 1966, Sheik Sabah designated a relative, Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah, as his successor. By 1968, the sheikdom had established a model welfare state, and it sought to establish dominance among the sheikdoms and emirates of the Persian Gulf.
Iraq Invades Kuwait
In July 1990, Iraqi president Saddam Hussein blamed Kuwait for falling oil prices. After a failed Arab mediation attempt to solve the dispute peacefully, Iraq invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990, set up a pro-Iraqi provisional government, and drained Kuwait of its economic resources. A coalition of Arab and Western military forces drove Iraqi troops from Kuwait in a mere four days, from Feb. 23–27, 1991, ending the Persian Gulf War. The emir returned to his country from Saudi Arabia in mid-March. Martial law, in effect since the end of the Gulf War, ended in late June. The U.S. sent 2,400 troops to the country in Aug. 1992, ostensibly as part of a training exercise, though it was widely interpreted as a show of strength to Saddam Hussein. Iraqi “training” maneuvers near the Kuwaiti border in Oct. 1994 renewed fears of aggression in the country. A Kuwaiti appeal brought the quick deployment of U.S. and British troops and equipment.
Women Win Suffrage in Kuwait
In 1999, the emir gave women the right to vote and run for parliament, but later that year Parliament defeated the ruler's decree. Kuwaiti society has grown increasingly conservative under the influence of Islamic fundamentalists. In 2003, traditionalists won a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections. The emir and crown prince (who served as prime minister) were elderly and ailing; in July 2003, the country's de facto leader, foreign minister Sheik Sabah, replaced the crown prince as prime minister.
In May 2005, Kuwait abandoned its 1999 ban on women's suffrage, and in June a woman was appointed to the cabinet. In April 2006, women voted for the first time.
In Jan. 2006, the emir, Sheik Jabir, died. His cousin, Crown Prince Sheik Saad, briefly became the nation's ruler, but he was forced to abdicate because of extreme ill health. The prime minister, Sheik Sabah, was then nominated and unanimously confirmed by Parliament as emir. Sheik Sabah named his brother, Sheik Nawaf, as crown prince, and his nephew, Sheik Nasser, as prime minister.
Prime Minister Sheik Nasser Muhammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah dissolved the opposition-led parliament in March 2008 and called for new elections. In May's parliamentary elections, radical Islamists took more than half of the body's 50 seats. No women were elected to Parliament. Prime Minister Sabah and his cabinet resigned in November in a dispute with Parliament over the visit to Kuwait by a controversial Iranian cleric. The emir reappointed Sabah in December, and he formed a new government in Jan. 2009, composed largely of previous cabinet members.
International Airport
Kuwait International Airport (KWI) is 16 km south of Kuwait City. Airport information desks are located in Arrivals (tel: 180 extn. 1523) on the ground floor of the terminal building, in Departures (tel: 180 extn. 1522) and in the transit area. There are two banks, a fax and telephone office and two mobile telephone rental outlets as well as two restaurants and three cafés at the airport. There are two duty-free shops at the airport and a gift shop. There is a nursery, several prayer areas and a medical centre. There are two first-class business lounges on the first floor with fax and Internet facilities.
All major car hire firms such as Al Mulla, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty are all represented. Car hire desks are located in Arrivals. Taxis are available for hire; the taxi desk is located in Arrivals on the ground floor. A limousine service is also available from Arrivals. Buses (journey time: 30 minutes) depart every 45 minutes 0600-2300 from outside Arrivals to take passengers to Kuwait city.
The Safir Airport Hotel is located within the airport restricted zone, next to the east part of the runway; it can be reached by courtesy bus, but can only be used by transit passengers.
Transport
Taxis and buses run 24 hours a day. Although certain taxi fares are fixed, they are generally negotiable. As a visitor you can drive a vehicle with an international driving licence.
Weights and Measures
Kuwait uses the metric system.
Business Hours
Government offices: Saturday to Wednesday; 7:30 am to 2:30 pm Banking hours: Sunday to Thursday, 8 am to 1 pm. All banks have 24-hour automated teller machines (ATMs) throughout the urban areas.
Shopping hours: Saturday to Thursday; 9 am to 1 pm and 4:30 pm to 9 pm. Friday hours vary.
Accommodation
There are more than 20 hotels in Kuwait, including the transit hotel at the airport. These are officially classified as Deluxe, First Class, and Second Class. The 'Deluxe' category is comparable to the best internationally. A number of buildings in Kuwait City have been converted into furnished apartments. A few of these offer services similar to a hotel but at cheaper prices.
Communications:
Telephone : Full IDD is available. Country code: 965. Outgoing international code: 00.
Mobile telephone : GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Network operators include Mobile Telecoms Co and National Mobile Telecommunications Co
Internet : Internet cafes throughout Kuwait provide public access to e-mail and Internet services. ISPs include Gulfnet International and Global Net Kuwait and QualityNet.
Telegram : 24-hour telegram services are available at the Ministry of Post and Telegraph Offices, Abdullah Al Salem Square, Kuwait City, but must be handed to the post office (opening hours: Sat-Wed 0700-1400; Thurs 0700-1200).
Post : Airmail to Western Europe takes about five days.
Source: infoplease, ameinfo |
