The State of Kuwait

Geographical

Location of Kuwait

About Kuwait

                 “GOVERNMENT

 

                  Formal Name: State of Kuwait (Dawlat al Kuwayt)

 

                  Short Form: Kuwait (Al Kuwayt)

 

                  Capital: Kuwait City

 

                  Government Type: Constitutional monarchy

 

                  Date of Independence: June 19, 1961

 

                  Constitution: Approved and promulgated November 11, 1962

 

                  Executive: Power exercised by the Amir through Council of

                  Ministers (frequently referred to as "the government") headed

                  by a prime minister who is chosen by the Amir after

                  traditional consultations

 

                  Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1/31/77-present)

 

                  Prime Minister Sheikh Saad Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah

                  (2/8/78-present)

 

                  Judicial System: Based on the Egyptian model, it is an amalgam

                  of Islamic law, English common law, and the Ottoman civil

                  code. Personal and family matters such as divorce and

                  inheritance are

                  governed by separate family courts operating under religious

                  laws, each religious tradition (e.g. Sunni, Shia, Christian)

                  having its own set of laws and courts.

 

                  Legislature: Unicameral Naional Assembly (Majlis al-Umma) of

                  50 members elected by popular vote to serve 4-year terms

 

                  Political Parties: Not permitted, though there are formal

                  political groupings that back MPs and candidates

 

                  Suffrage: Male citizens 21 and older. With the median age

                  below the age of majority, the national constituency is

                  approximately 113,000, making up roughly 15 percent of Kuwaiti

                  nationals. To avoid politicizing certain groups tied to the

                  government, neither judges, nor the uniformed services (i.e.  

                  police and military personnel) vote.

 

                  GEOGRAPHY

 

                  Land Area: 17,818 square kilometers (6,880 square miles),

                  including the Kuwaiti share of the Neutral Zone (2,590 sq km).

 

                  Topography: Almost entirely flat desert.

 

                  Climate: Although summers are long, hot, and mostly dry, with

                  daily temperatures between 43º and 47ºC (110º and 120ºF) and

                  high humidity in August. The fall and spring are pleasant and

                  mild; winters are short and relatively cool. Sandstorms in

                  June and July; some rain, mainly in winter and spring.

 

                  Boundaries: Border with Saudi Arabia set in 1922 Treaty of

                  Al-Uqair, which also established Kuwait-Saudi Arabia Neutral

                  Zone. In 1966 Kuwait and Saudi Arabia agreed to divide the

                  Neutral Zone; the partitioning agreement making each country

                  responsible for administration in its portion was signed in

                  December 1969.

 

                  Iraq: Accepted the mutual border in 1963, based on earlier

                  agreements. Historical border definitively demarcated by a UN

                  commission 1992; Iraq accepted the demarcation in November

                  1994.

 

                  PEOPLE

 

                  Nationality:  Kuwaiti(s); adjectival form, Kuwaiti

 

                  Population: (total) 2.257 million

                      (Source: CIA Fact Book estimate July 2004)

 

                  Kuwaitis: 792,400 (35.1% of total)

 

                  Non-Kuwaitis: 1.465 million (64.9% of total)

 

                  Urban population: 97.1% (1996)

 

                  Adult Literacy Rate: 85%  (age 15+)

 

                  Male/Female Ratio: 1.57 Males for every Female

 

                  Religion: Most Kuwaitis are Sunni Muslims. About 25% of

                  citizens are Shia Muslims. Freedom of religion is guaranteed

                  by law and foreigners practice Islam and Christianity as well

                  as other religions. There are several Christian churches in

                  Kuwait.

 

                  Languages: Arabic (official). English is widely understood

 

                  BASIC DATA

 

                  Currency: Kuwaiti Dinar (KD) = 1,000 fils. Exchange rate on

                  December 20th, 2004: US$1.00 = KD 0.2948

 

                  Time: 3 hours ahead of GMT; 8 hours ahead of EST.

 

                  Country Code: + (965) Kuwait has no city codes

 

                  Weights and Measures: Metric system and regional measures

 

                  Public Holidays: Thursday and Friday are the official weekly

                  days off. Most banks and the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and

                  most of its affiliate companies take Friday and Saturday off.

 

                  Holidays: Include New Year's Day (January 1), Kuwait

                  National Day (February 25), and Liberation Day (February 26), 

                  Prophet's Birthday, the Ascension of the Prophet, and the

                  Hijra New Year. For Eid Al-Fitr, the "breaking of the fast"'

                  at the end of Ramadan, there is usually a three-day holiday.

                  For  Eid Al-Adha there is usually a four-day holiday. ( Note:The

                  dates of religious holidays change yearly, because Kuwait uses

                  the Islamic or hijra calendar, dating from the year 622 AD and

                  based on the lunar year, which is roughly 11 days  shorter

                  than the Gregorian year.”

                  

 

 

 

                      Information Courtesy of Kuwait Information Office, Washington, DC

                       Additional Sources: CIA Fact Book and www.countryreports.org.

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