Kuwait

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.)

Agriculture - products

practically no crops; extensive fishing in territorial waters

Budget

revenues: $10 billion expenditures : $14 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97 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, comparable with Western European incomes, 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 1994-96, 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

6.99 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

12,793 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

21.76 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1 - 0.3010 (January 1997), 0.2994 (1996), 0.2984 (1995), 0.2976 (1994), 0.3017 (1993)

Exports

total value: $13.6 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities : oil partners: Japan 23%, India 16%, US 12%, Singapore 10%, Netherlands 10% (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $32.5 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 0% industry : 42% services: 58% (1994)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $16,700 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $8.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing partners : US 24%, UK 14%, France 13%, Japan 10%, Germany 8% (1995 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

4.5% (1996 est.)

Labor force

total: 1 million (1994 est.) by occupation: industry and agriculture 25%, services 25%, government and social services 50% (1994 est.) note: 72.07% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1997 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.8% (official 1996 est.)

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, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Desertification, 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

Administrative divisions

5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, Hawalli, Al Farwaniyah

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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] 539-5307 or 539-5308

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

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

FAX

[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

Judicial branch

High Court of Appeal

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)

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

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

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 : 663,032 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 393,541 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 18,340 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 33% (male 333,251; female 272,206) 15-64 years : 65% (male 772,612; female 421,205) 65 years and over: 2% (male 21,028; female 13,967) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

21.54 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

2.28 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.44 years male: 74.43 years female: 78.56 years (1997 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

24.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

1,834,269 (July 1997 est.) note: includes 1,381,063 non-nationals (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

4.34% (1997 est.) note : this rate reflects the continued post-Gulf crisis return of expatriates

Religions

Muslim 85% (Shi'a 30%, Sunni 45%, other 10%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.22 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.83 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.51 male(s)/female total population : 1.59 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.54 children born/woman (1997 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 KYRGYZSTAN

Airports

5 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 5 over 3,047 m : 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Heliports

1 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 4,360 km paved: 3,510 km unpaved : 850 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,053,667 GRT/3,246,597 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, container 3, liquefied gas tanker 7, livestock carrier 4, oil tanker 21, vehicle carrier 1 (1996 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