Kuwait

Internet country code

.kw

Internet hosts

2,305 (2009) country comparison to the world: 148

Internet users

1 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 88

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: country code - 965; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 6 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 1 Inmarsat - Atlantic Ocean, and 2 Arabsat)

Telephones - main lines in use

541,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 94

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.907 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 110

Television broadcast stations

13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Agriculture - products

practically no crops; fish

Budget

revenues: $105.2 billion expenditures: $58.08 billion (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate

3.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 70 6.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

7.61% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 8.54% (31 December 2007)

Current account balance

$64.78 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7 $47.48 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$36.89 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $33.62 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Economy - overview

Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 104 billion barrels - 8% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait experienced rapid economic growth over the last several years on the back of high oil prices and in 2008 posted its tenth consecutive budget surplus. As a result of this positive fiscal situation, the need for economic reforms was less urgent and the government did not push through new initiatives. The drop in oil prices in late 2008 will reduce Kuwait's fiscal surplus in 2009. The global financial crisis may slow the pace of investment and development projects, but Kuwait has vowed to use its considerable financial resources to stabilize the economy if necessary.

Electricity - consumption

40.21 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

45.83 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Exchange rates

Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.2679 (2008 est.), 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004)

Exports

$86.94 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $63.68 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports - partners

Japan 18.4%, South Korea 14.6%, India 11.5%, US 8.9%, Singapore 7.9%, China 6.1% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$158.1 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$149.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 $137.8 billion (2007 est.) $131.6 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 0.3% industry: 52.2% services: 47.5% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$57,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $55,000 (2007 est.) $54,400 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

8.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 4.7% (2007 est.) 6.3% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$22.94 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $20.63 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Imports - partners

US 11.9%, Japan 9.2%, Germany 8.1%, China 7.6%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Italy 4.8%, UK 4.2% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Industries

petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 5.5% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

18.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Labor force

2.088 million country comparison to the world: 119 note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$107.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 $188 billion (31 December 2007) $128.9 billion (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

12.7 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 79

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Natural gas - production

12.7 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.794 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Oil - consumption

325,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Oil - exports

2.349 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Oil - production

2.741 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Oil - proved reserves

104 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

7.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 29.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$17.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 $16.78 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$25.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $16.93 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$1.22 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $942 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$88.77 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 40 $78.25 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$15.31 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 38 $15.12 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$63.08 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 26 $55.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

2.2% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Area

total: 17,818 sq km country comparison to the world: 157 land: 17,818 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.44 cu km/yr (45%/2%/52%) per capita: 164 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

29 30 N, 45 45 E

Geography - note

strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Irrigated land

130 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 0.84% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 98.99% (2005)

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

Total renewable water resources

0.02 cu km (1997)

Administrative divisions

6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir

Capital

name: Kuwait City geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah K. JONES embassy: Bayan 36302, Block 13, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 259-1001 FAX: [965] 538-0282

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Executive branch

chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah head of government: Prime Minister NASIR AL-MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR AL-MUBAREK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD AL-SABAH al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the amir elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime minister and deputy prime ministers

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I

Government type

constitutional emirate

Independence

19 June 1961 (from the UK)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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; all cabinet ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National Assembly) elections: last held 16 May 2009 (next election to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote by bloc - NA; seats by bloc - Sunni Muslim groups 11, liberals 7, Shiite Muslim groups 6, Popular Action Bloc 3, unaffiliated tribal groups 23

National holiday

National Day, 25 February (1950)

Political parties and leaders

none; formation of political parties is in practice illegal but is not forbidden by law

Political pressure groups and leaders

other: Islamists; merchants; political groups; secular liberals and pro-governmental deputies; Shia activists; tribal groups

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years

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. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since returning to power in 1991 and reestablished an elected legislature that in recent years has become increasingly assertive. The country witnessed the historic election in May 2009 of four women to its National Assembly.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,032,408 females age 16-49: 568,657 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 935,525 females age 16-49: 519,854 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 18,122 female: 18,865 (2009 est.)

Military branches

Kuwaiti Land Forces (KLF), Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya), Kuwaiti National Guard (KNG) (2008)

Military expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 16

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for compulsory and 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women age 18-30 may be subject to compulsory military service; conscription suspended in 2001 (2009)

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.4% (male 361,150/female 348,518) 15-64 years: 70.7% (male 1,219,075/female 683,587) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 49,163/female 29,665) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

21.81 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Death rate

2.35 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

Education expenditures

3.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 119

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.12% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 8.96 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 159 male: 9.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.71 years country comparison to the world: 53 male: 76.51 years female: 78.95 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 94.4% female: 91% (2005 census)

Median age

total: 26.2 years male: 28.1 years female: 22.7 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti

Net migration rate

16.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Population

2,691,158 country comparison to the world: 139 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Population growth rate

3.547% country comparison to the world: 3 note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2009 est.)

Religions

Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2006)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.78 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.66 male(s)/female total population: 1.54 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.76 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Urbanization

urban population: 98% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men and women who migrate legally from South and Southeast Asia for domestic or low-skilled labor, but are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by employers in Kuwait including conditions of physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement to the home, and withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of movement; Kuwait is reportedly a transit point for South and East Asian workers recruited for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this work, and others are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude in Iraq tier rating: Tier 3 - insufficient efforts in 2007 to prosecute and punish abusive employers and those who traffic women for sexual exploitation; the government failed for the fourth year in a row to live up to promises to provide shelter and protective services for victims of involuntary domestic servitude and other forms of trafficking (2008)

Airports

7 (2009) country comparison to the world: 168

Airports - with paved runways

total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports

4 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 38 country comparison to the world: 79 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, carrier 3, container 6, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 22 registered in other countries: 34 (Bahrain 5, Comoros 1, Libya 1, Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saudi Arabia 7, UAE 10) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2008)

Ports and terminals

Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi

Roadways

total: 5,749 km country comparison to the world: 150 paved: 4,887 km unpaved: 862 km (2004)