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Background:
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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. |
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Location:
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Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi
Arabia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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29 30 N, 45 45 E |
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Area:
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total: 17,820 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than New Jersey |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 462 km
border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km |
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Coastline:
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499 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters |
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Terrain:
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flat to slightly undulating
desert plain |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, fish, shrimp,
natural gas |
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Land use:
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arable land:
0.34%
permanent crops: 0.06%
other: 99.6% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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60 sq km (1998 est.)
|
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Natural hazards:
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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
|
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location
at head of Persian Gulf
|
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Population:
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2,183,161
note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)
|
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Median age:
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total: 25.9
years
male: 28.4 years
female: 21.8 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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3.34%
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis
immigration of expatriates (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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21.83 births/1,000
population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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2.45 deaths/1,000
population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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14.04 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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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.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
76.65 years
male: 75.72 years
female: 77.62 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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3.08 children born/woman
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.12% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti |
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Ethnic groups:
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Kuwaiti 45%, other
Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% |
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Religions:
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Muslim 85% (Sunni
70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15% |
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Languages:
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Arabic (official),
English widely spoken |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.5%
male: 85.1%
female: 81.7% (2003 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long
form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local short form: Al Kuwayt
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt |
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Government type:
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nominal constitutional
monarchy |
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Capital:
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Kuwait |
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Administrative divisions:
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5 governorates (muhafazat,
singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah,
Al Jahra', Hawalli |
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Independence:
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19 June 1961 (from
UK) |
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National holiday:
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National Day, 25 February
(1950) |
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Constitution:
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approved and promulgated
11 November 1962 |
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Legal system:
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civil law system with
Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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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 |
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Executive branch:
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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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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High Court of Appeal
|
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Political parties and leaders:
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none; formation of
political parties is illegal |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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several political
groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and
Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists |
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International organization participation:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 |
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Flag description:
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three equal horizontal
bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid
based on the hoist side
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity
- $34.2 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-2% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity
- $15,000 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
0.3%
industry: 60%
services: 39.7% (2000) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
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lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2% (2002) |
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Labor force:
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1.3 million
note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force.
(1998 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture NA, industries
NA, services NA |
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Unemployment rate:
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7% (2002 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $11
billion
expenditures: $17.5 billion, including capital expenditures
of $NA (FY02/03) |
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Industries:
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petroleum, petrochemicals,
desalination, food processing, construction materials |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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-5% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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31.49 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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29.29 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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2.117 million bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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273,000 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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97.68 billion bbl
(January 2002 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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1.548 trillion cu
m (January 2002 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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practically no crops;
fish |
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Exports:
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$16 billion f.o.b.
(2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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oil and refined products,
fertilizers |
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Exports - partners:
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Japan 21.5%, India
15.6%, South Korea 10.9%, US 10.7%, Singapore 6.6%, Netherlands
5.1%, Pakistan 3.8%, UK 2.2% (2001) |
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Imports:
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$7.3 billion f.o.b.
(2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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food, construction
materials, vehicles and parts, clothing |
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Imports - partners:
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US 12.6%, Germany
9.3%, Japan 9.2%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, UK 7.2%, Italy 5.4%, India
4.5% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$10.4 billion (2000
est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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NA |
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Currency:
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Kuwaiti dinar (KD)
|
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Currency code:
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KWD |
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Exchange rates:
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Kuwaiti dinars per
US dollar - 0.3039 (2002), 0.3067 (2001), 0.3068 (2000), 0.3044
(1999), 0.3048 (1998) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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412,000 (1997) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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210,000 (1997) |
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Telephone system:
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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
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 6, FM 11, shortwave
1 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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13 (plus several satellite
channels) (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.kw |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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3 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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200,000 (2002)
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total: 4,450
km
paved: 3,590 km
unpaved: 860 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Pipelines:
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crude oil 877 km;
petroleum products 40 km; natural gas 165 km |
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Ports and harbors:
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Ash Shu'aybah, Ash
Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud
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Merchant marine:
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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.)
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Airports:
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6 (2002) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 |
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Heliports:
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3 (2002)
|
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Military branches:
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Army, Navy, Air Force
(including Air Defense Force), National Police Force, National
Guard, Coast Guard |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age (2003
est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age 15-49:
845,026 (2003 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age 15-49:
508,399 (2003 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males: 18,885
(2003 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$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 |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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5.5% (FY01)
|
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Disputes - international:
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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
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This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003
Source: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ku.html
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