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Kuwait

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Countries; Middle Eastern
Countries

                         دولة الكويت
   Dawlat al Kuwayt
   State of Kuwait

   Flag of Kuwait Coat of arms of Kuwait
   Flag           Coat of arms
   Anthem: Al-Nasheed Al-Watani
   Location of Kuwait
        Capital       Kuwait City
                      29°22′N 47°58′E
      Largest city    Salimiyah
   Official languages Arabic
   Government         Constitutional monarchy^1
    - Emir            Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
    - Crown Prince    Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
    - Prime Minister  Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah
      Independence
    - from the UK     June 19, 1961
                                 Area
    - Total           17,818 km² ( 157th)
                      6,880 sq mi
    - Water (%)       negligible
                              Population
    - 2006 estimate   3,100,000^2 ( n/a)
    - Density         131/km² ( 68th)
                      339/sq mi
       GDP ( PPP)     2005 estimate
    - Total           $48 billion ( 79th)
    - Per capita      $16,300 ( 44th)
      HDI  (2006)     0.871 (high) ( 33rd)
        Currency      Kuwaiti dinar ( KWD)
       Time zone      ( UTC+3)
    - Summer ( DST)   ( UTC+3)
      Internet TLD    .kw
      Calling code    +965
   ^1 Nominal.
   ^2 Figure includes approx. 2 million non-nationals (2005 estimate)

   The State of Kuwait (Arabic: الكويت ‎) is a small constitutional
   monarchy on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed by Saudi Arabia to
   the south and Iraq to the north. The name is a diminutive of an Arabic
   word meaning "fortress built near water."

History

   Kuwait was established in the sixteenth century when several clans met
   in the area now known as "the Kuwait Bay". Bedouins from the "Al Azimi"
   tribe were in this area before others have joined. Some groups from the
   "Al Aniza" tribe migrated to Kuwait from Najd in centre of the Arabian
   Peninsula. On the other hand, other people such as, Iraqi Assyrians,
   migrated to the same area; while, Iranian people migrated from Iran,
   crossing the Persian gulf. A well-built hut was discovered near the
   shores, they call it a “Kut”. From this name, "Kuwait" was derived.

   The current rulers of the country are descended from Sabah I, who was
   chosen by the community, which was composed mainly of traders. The
   duties of the rulers include administering the affairs of the State,
   including foreign affairs and taxation/duties. This is unlike most
   other Arab emirates of the Persian Gulf, where the rulers seized and
   maintained their authority by force.

   The seventeenth century saw the Arabian Peninsula experience some
   tumultuous times. The area that is now Kuwait was occupied by tribes
   and used for spice trading from India. By the eighteenth century, most
   of the local people made a living selling pearls. But as pearl farming
   developed in Japan during the 1930s, Kuwait became impoverished. In
   1899, growing British influence led to Kuwait becoming a British
   protectorate. Oil later transformed Kuwait into one of the richest
   countries in the Arab peninsula and in 1953 the country became the
   largest exporter of oil in the Persian Gulf. This massive growth
   attracted many immigrant labourers who were rarely granted citizenship.
   Having amassed great wealth, Kuwait was the first of the Persian Gulf
   Arab states to declare independence, on June 19, 1961. This declaration
   was challenged by Iraq which claimed that Kuwait was an integral part
   of Iraqi territory. It threatened to invade Kuwait but was deterred by
   the British, who flew in troops.

   An important period in Kuwait's political, social and economic
   development was the Souk Al-Manakh stock market crash of 1982. This was
   a major crash that had widespread consequences and has endured in the
   public memory even decades later.
   USAF aircraft (F-16, F-15C and F-15E) fly over Kuwaiti oil fires, set
   by the retreating Iraqi army during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
   Enlarge
   USAF aircraft ( F-16, F-15C and F-15E) fly over Kuwaiti oil fires, set
   by the retreating Iraqi army during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

   After being allied with Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War until its end in
   1988 (Kuwait paid Iraq to protect it from what it perceived as a threat
   posed by Iran), Kuwait was invaded and annexed by Iraq (under Saddam
   Hussein) on August 2, 1990. Hussein's primary justifications included a
   charge that Kuwaiti territory was in fact an Iraqi province, and that
   annexation was retaliation for the "economic warfare" that Kuwait
   allegedly had waged through slant drilling into oil supplies on Iraqi
   territories. Hussein deposed the monarchy after the annexation and
   installed a new Kuwaiti governor.

   Authorized by the UN Security Council, an American-led coalition of
   thirty-four nations fought the Persian Gulf War to liberate Kuwait.
   After six weeks of fierce fighting in early 1991, the coalition forced
   Iraq to withdraw its troops from Kuwait on February 26, 1991. During
   their retreat, the Iraqi armed forces exacted a scorched earth policy
   by setting fire to Kuwaiti oil wells. The fires took more than nine
   months to extinguish fully and the cost of repairs to the oil
   infrastructure exceeded $5 billion. Certain buildings and
   infrastructural facilities (including Kuwait International Airport)
   were also severely damaged during the war. Kuwait remains under the
   governance of the Emir, Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jabir Al-Sabah (since 29
   January 2006) as an independent state and is of strategic importance to
   the United States.

Politics

   Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy and has the oldest directly elected
   parliament of the Persian Gulf Arab countries. Chief of state is the
   Emir (Amir), a hereditary title. The Emir appoints the prime minister,
   who until recently was also the crown prince. A council of ministers
   aids the prime minister in his task as head of government which must
   contain at least one of elected members of the parliament. The number
   of ministers must not exceed ⅓ of the elected members of the
   parliament.

   The parliament has the power to dismiss the prime minister or anyone of
   his cabinet through a series of constitutional procedures. According to
   the constitution, nomination of a new crown prince by the ruling family
   has to be confirmed by the National Assembly. If he does not win the
   votes of an absolute majority of the assembly, the Emir must submit the
   names of three candidates to the National Assembly, and the Assembly
   must select one of these to be the new crown prince. The parliament
   known as the Majlis Al-Umma (National Assembly), consists of elected
   fifty members, who are chosen in elections held every four years.
   Government ministers, according to the Constitution of the State, are
   given automatic membership in the parliament, and can number up to
   fifteen.

   Prior to 2005, only 15% of the Kuwaiti citizen population was allowed
   to vote, with all women, "recently naturalized" citizens (i.e. those of
   less than thirty years' citizenship), and members of the armed forces
   excluded. On May 16, 2005, Parliament permitted women's suffrage by a
   35-23 vote, subject to Islamic law and effective for the 2006
   Parliamentary Election. The decision could raise Kuwait's voter rolls
   from 139,000 to as many as 339,000 if all eligible women register; the
   total number of Kuwaitis is estimated at more than 960,000. Recently,
   the former Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah announced the
   appointment of Dr Massouma Mubarak as planning minister and minister of
   state for administrative development affairs. The appointment of a
   woman as a cabinet minister was a major breakthrough in Kuwaiti
   political system and it makes Kuwait the third country in the
   conservative Persian Gulf Arab monarchies to have a woman cabinet
   minister.

Geography and climate

   South-eastern Kuwait from space. The majority of Kuwait's population
   lives in coastal areas.
   Enlarge
   South-eastern Kuwait from space. The majority of Kuwait's population
   lives in coastal areas.

   Kuwait consists mostly of desert and little difference in altitude. It
   is the only country in the world with no natural lake or water
   reservoir. It has nine islands, the largest one being Bubiyan, which is
   linked to the mainland by a concrete bridge. (Following Kuwait's
   liberation in 1991, the island was converted to a military base from
   which civilians are barred.) The islands are:
     * Auhah Island
     * Bubiyan Island
     * Failaka Island
     * Kubbar Island
     * Miskan Island

                       * Qaruh Island
                       * Umm al Maradim Island
                       * Umm an Namil Island
                       * Warbah Island

   Kuwait enjoys a variable continental climate. Summers (April to
   October) are extremely hot and dry with temperatures exceeding 51°C
   (124°F) in Kuwait City. Winters (November to February) are cool with
   limited precipitation and the temperature level dropping below 21°C
   (70°F). The spring season is cool and pleasant.

Administrative divisions

   Map of Kuwait
   Enlarge
   Map of Kuwait

   Kuwait is divided into six governorates (muhafazat, sing. muhafadhah):
     * Al Ahmadi
     * Al Farwaniyah
     * Al Asimah
     * Al Jahra
     * Hawalli
     * Mubarak Al-Kabeer

   The major cities are the capital Kuwait City and Jahrah (a
   thirty-minute drive northwest of Kuwait City). The main residential and
   business areas are Salmiya and Hawalli. The main industrial area is
   Shuwaikh within the Al Asimah Governorate.

Economy

   Kuwait for the size of the country is a very rich and a relatively open
   economy with proven crude oil reserves of 96 billion barrels (15 km³),
   estimated to be 10% of the world's 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. Higher oil
   prices put the FY99/00 budget into a €1.7 billion ($2 billion) surplus.
   The FY00/01 budget covers only nine months because of a change in the
   fiscal year. The budget for FY01/02 envisioned higher expenditures for
   salaries, construction, and other general categories. Kuwait continues
   its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the
   northern part of the country. By 1990, the country earned more from
   foreign investment than from oil exports. The expenses of the Iraqi
   invasion and postwar reconstruction placed a heavy economic burden on
   the country, but by the mid-1990s Kuwait had resumed its pre-invasion
   prosperity. Gross domestic product (GDP) for 2005 was $53.31 billion,
   giving Kuwait a per-capita GDP of $22,800. The labour force totals
   1,670,000 people, only about one-fifth of whom are Kuwaiti citizens.

   The Central Bank of Kuwait in the capital city issues Kuwait’s
   currency, the Kuwaiti dinar. The dinar is currently valued at 0.351676
   KWD per 1EUR and at 0.292010 KWD per 1USD, making it the highest-valued
   currency in the world.

Oil industry

   Since the government owns the oil industry, it controls most of the
   country's economy; in all, about 75 percent of the GDP. Kuwait’s oil
   exports vary depending on internal needs – almost all of Kuwait’s
   energy is derived from oil – and on international demand and prices and
   production quotas fixed by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting
   Countries (OPEC), of which Kuwait is a member. OPEC’s quotas, however,
   are difficult to enforce, and Kuwait and other countries have been
   accused of violating them. In 2002 oil production was 692 million
   barrels.

   Kuwait's chief oil companies are:

   Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC)
          International marketing and mother company.

   Kuwait Oil Company (KOC)
          Crude oil exploration and development company.

   Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC)
          Runs oil refineries across Kuwait.

   Petrochemicals Industries Company (PIC)
          Petrochemical and fertilizer manufacturer.

   Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI, also known as "Q8")
          Runs refining and marketing business overseas.

   Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC)
          International oil exploration company.

   Equate (or "EQUATE")
          A petrochemical company formed by PIC and Dow Chemical.

   Petroleum Training Centre (PTC)
          Responsible for all training and career development within the
          KPC companies.

   Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC)
          Crude oil shipping

   Kuwait Aviation Fuelling Company (KAFCO)
          Aircraft fuel

   Kuwait Gulf Oil Company (KGOC)
          Oil and gas exploration and production in the divided zone;
          joint venture with Saudi Arabia.

   Oil Sector Services Company (OSSC)
          Handles all construction projects, maintenance, security,
          fire-fighting, and medical services to all oil sector employees
          and their families.

   Oil Development Company (ODC)

Demographics

   As of the end of 2005, Kuwait had a total population of 2.992 million
   people which included approximately 2 million non-nationals. Kuwaiti
   citizens are therefore a minority of those who reside in Kuwait. The
   government only rarely grants citizenship to non-citizens (who are
   generally referred to as expatriates). About 57% of the Kuwaiti
   population is Arab; Arab expatriates include a large group of stateless
   Arabs, locally known as Bidoon (an Arabic word meaning "without" and
   distinct from " Bedouin"), along with Egyptians, Lebanese and other
   Arabs. Other large groups of expatriates include Pakistanis, Indians,
   Bangladeshis and Filipinos. In 2003, more than 400,000 Indian nationals
   lived in Kuwait, making them the largest expatriate community there.
   Kuwait formerly had a large Palestinian population, though most of them
   were forced out of the country after PLO leader Yassir Arafat's support
   for Iraq during the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait.

   The official language is Arabic, although English is generally
   understood. Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi Bengali, Malayalam and other Indian
   languages are largely spoken by expatriates from the Indian
   subcontinent. About 85% of Kuwait's population are Muslims (70% Sunni
   and 30% Shia). The remaining population is primarily comprised of
   Christians and Hindus.

Infrastructure

   The skyline of Kuwait City. At 372 m (1,220 ft), the Liberation Tower
   (seen in background) is the world's thirteenth-tallest free-standing
   structure.
   Enlarge
   The skyline of Kuwait City. At 372 m (1,220  ft), the Liberation Tower
   (seen in background) is the world's thirteenth-tallest free-standing
   structure.

   Kuwait's infrastructure was severely damaged during the First Persian
   Gulf War. Hundreds of oil wells were set on fire and the country's oil
   production had come to standstill. Much has changed since the end of
   the Persian Gulf War. The Kuwaiti government has spent billions of
   dollars to construct an elaborate roadway system and in 2003, the
   telecommunication industry achieved an incredible growth rate. Kuwait
   City boasts more than a dozen five-star hotels and resorts and several
   skyscrapers dominate the city's skyline. Kuwait Infrastructure
   Maintenance Management System overlooks the oil-rich country's
   infrastructure. Kuwait's energy sector is the main source for 47% of
   the country's annual income.

   Kuwait has also planned one of the biggest sea front projects in the
   world, Madinat al-Hareer. If completed, this project would include the
   world's tallest tower, and numerous housing, health, education,
   environmental, business, and tourism centres.

Transportation

   Kuwait’s transportation system is modern and efficient, with a road
   system that is well developed by regional standards. Roads total 4,450
   kilometers (2,765  mi), of which 81% are paved and 350 kilometers
   (217 mi) are freeways. The network includes over 250 bridges, although
   many of these are of surprisingly poor quality. Most people travel by
   automobile.

   There is no railway system in Kuwait although public and private bus
   systems are operated. An international airport is located in the
   southern outskirts of the Kuwait city metropolitan area and Kuwait
   Airways is the national airline owned by the government. There is a new
   airline company called Jazeera Airways. The country has three modern
   seaports, one of which specializes in oil exports.

Education

   Oil revenues have allowed Kuwait to build an extensive educational
   system, yielding a literacy rate of 90 percent. Public school is free
   and compulsory from the age of 6 to 13, and several private schools
   also teach this age group. The first private co-educational school to
   open was the New English School in Jabriya, opened by Mr. Tareq S Rajab
   in 1969. It was the first day-school to offer a British style
   curriculum. Kuwait University is Kuwait's only public university, but
   has a prestigious reputation in the Middle East. Both the extensive
   library system at Kuwait University and the collection at Kuwait
   National Museum (1957) were heavily damaged and looted during the Iraqi
   occupation in the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

   The Gulf University for Science and Technology is the first private
   university established in Kuwait. Other private universities are the
   American University of Kuwait and the Australian College of Kuwait.

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