Kuwait

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

3 (2000)

Internet country code

.kw

Internet users

200,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Telephone system

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, and 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

Telephones - main lines in use

412,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

210,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Agriculture - products

practically no crops; fish

Budget

revenues: $11 billion expenditures: $17.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 02/03)

Currency

Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Currency code

KWD

Debt - external

$10.4 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

NA

Economy - overview

Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 98 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country. Oil production declined by an estimated 8% in 2002 but is expected to return to the 2001 level in 2003.

Electricity - consumption

29.29 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

31.49 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.3 (2002), 0.31 (2001), 0.31 (2000), 0.3 (1999), 0.3 (1998)

Exports

$16 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports - partners

Japan 24.4%, South Korea 12.9%, US 11.9%, Singapore 10.1%, Taiwan 7%, Netherlands 4.5%, Pakistan 4.4% (2002)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $36.85 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 60% industry: 39.7% services: 0.3% (2000)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-2% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$7.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Imports - partners

US 13.1%, Japan 11.1%, Germany 9.7%, Saudi Arabia 6.6%, UK 6%, Italy 5.4%, France 5.2% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

-5% (2002 est.)

Industries

petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (2002 est.)

Labor force

1.3 million note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force. (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA

Natural gas - consumption

9.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

9.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.548 trillion cu m (37257)

Oil - consumption

273,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

2.117 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

97.68 billion bbl (37257)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

7% (2002 est.)

Area

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

60 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Land use

arable land: 0.34% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 99.6% (1998 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 and 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

Natural resources

petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Terrain

flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Kuwait

Constitution

approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Sheikh SALIM al-Abdallah Jabir Al Sabah FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Executive branch

chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister NAWWAF al-Ahmad Al Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad Al Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003) 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

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, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, 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 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Islamists 21, government supporters 14, liberals 3, and independents 12; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly

National holiday

National Day, 25 February (1950)

Political parties and leaders

none; formation of political parties is illegal

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

Background

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

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force (including Air Defense Force), National Police Force, National Guard, Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1,967.3 million (FY01) note: Kuwait is changing its fiscal year; the above figure is for July-March 2001; future budget years will be April-March annually

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

5.5% (FY01)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 845,026 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 508,399 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 18,885 (2003 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.9% (male 310,008; female 298,474) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 970,282; female 547,753) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 36,306; female 20,338) (2003 est.)

Birth rate

21.83 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate

2.45 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 10.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.65 years male: 75.72 years female: 77.62 years (2003 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.5% male: 85.1% female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 25.9 years male: 28.4 years female: 21.8 years (2002)

Nationality

noun: Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti

Net migration rate

14.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

2,183,161 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

3.34% note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2003 est.)

Religions

Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%

Sex ratio

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: 1.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Disputes - international

the Kuwait 1994 land and Khawr 'Abd Allah channel boundary demarcation ended Iraqi claims to Kuwait and Bubiyan and Warbah islands; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are negotiating maritime boundary with Iran

Airports

6 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Heliports

3 (2002)

Highways

total: 4,450 km paved: 3,587 km unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,273,628 GRT/3,638,645 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 19, roll on/roll off 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1, Saudi Arabia 1 (2002 est.)

Pipelines

gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2003)

Ports and harbors

Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none