calling_code = 965The State of Kuwait ( _ar. دولة الكويت; IPA: [Ipa| [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪] ) is a sovereign Arab emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west. The name is a diminutive of an Arabic word meaning "fortress built near water." [ [http://www.arab.de/arabinfo/kuwaithis.htm Kuwait (History) - the name is a diminutive of an Arabic word meaning fortress built near water ] ] It has a population of 3.1 million and an area of 17,818 km². Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government and Kuwait City serves as its political and economic capital.
The history of Kuwait goes back to the year 1612. [http://www.kuwait-info.com/sidepages/nat_history.asp] Tribes from central Arabia settled in Kuwait in the 18th-century after experiencing a massive drought in their native land. These tribes came to be known as the "Utub of Qurain". Qurain, as Kuwait was known before, became a major center for spice trading between India and Europe. By late 18th-century, most of the local people made a living selling pearls. Because of internal conflicts and rivalry with the other rivaling dynasties of the Arabian Peninsula, Benu Khaled's influence over Kuwait gradually waned and the Utub gained greater independence. In 1756, the Utub elected Sabah I bin Jaber as the first emir of Kuwait. [ [http://www.kuwait-info.com/sidepages/nat_history.asp Kuwait's History ] ] The current ruling family of Kuwait, al-Sabah, are descendants of Sabah I.
As the influence of the Ottoman Empire increased in the region, Kuwait was assigned the status of a "caza" of the Ottomans. After the signing of the Anglo-Ottoman Convention of 1913, then emir of Kuwait, Mubarak Al-Sabah, was diplomatically recognized by both the Ottomans and British as the ruler of the autonomous "caza" of the city of Kuwait and the hinterlands. [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35876.htm Kuwait (06/07) ] ] The 1922 Treaty of Uqair set Kuwait's border with Saudi Arabia and also established the Saudi-Kuwaiti neutral zone, an area of about 5,180 km² adjoining Kuwait's southern border. Oil was first discovered in Kuwait in the 1930s and the government became more proactive in establishing internationally recognized boundaries. After World War 1, the Ottoman Empire was financially crippled and the invading [British] forces invalidated the Anglo-Ottoman Convention, declaring Kuwait to be an "independent sheikdom under British protectorate".
Kuwait had heavily funded Iraq's eight year-long war with Iran. After the war ended, Kuwait declined an Iraqi request to forgive its US$65 billion debt. [ [http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_213.shtml Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait; 1990 ] ] An economic warfare between the two countries followed after Kuwait increased its oil production by 40 percent.http://books.google.com/books?id=DejCbO1mvCYC&pg=PA156&dq=Kuwait+slant+drilling&sig=81dk_v5ZZ1F0oRhxuR6Fq7z61Qs] Tensions between the two countries increased further after Iraq alleged that Kuwait was slant drilling oil from its share of the Rumaila field. On 2 August, 1990 Iraqi forces invaded and annexed Kuwait. Saddam Hussein, then President of Iraq, deposed the emir of Kuwait, Jaber Al-Sabah, and installed Ali Hassan al-Majid as the new governor of Kuwait. [ [http://cns.miis.edu/research/iraq/almajid.htm CNS - The Significance of the "Death" of Ali Hassan al-Majid ] ] After a series of failed diplomatic negotiations, the United States-led coalition of thirty-four nations fought the Persian Gulf War to remove the Iraqi forces from Kuwait. The coalition successfully liberated Kuwait from Iraqi occupation on February 26, 1991. [http://ehistory.osu.edu/middleeast/CountryView.cfm?ID=115 Kuwait ] ] Kuwait paid the coalition forces US$17 billion for their war efforts.
During their retreat, the Iraqi armed forces carried out a scorched earth policy by damaging 700 oil wells in Kuwait, of which approximately 600 were set on fire.http://earthshots.usgs.gov/Iraq/Iraqtext] It was estimated that by the time Kuwait was liberated from Iraqi occupation, about 5 to convert|6|Moilbbl|m3 of oil was being burned in a single day because of these fires. [http://www.american.edu/TED/kuwait.htm Kuwait Ted Case ] ] Oil and soot accumulation had affected the entire Persian Gulf region and large oil lakes were created holding approximately 25 to convert|50|Moilbbl|m3 of oil [ [http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2003/0321kuwaitfire.html NASA - Top Story - 1991 KUWAIT OIL FIRES - March 21, 2003 ] ] and covering 5% of Kuwait's land area. In total, about convert|11|Moilbbl|m3 of oil was released into the Persian Gulf [ [http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/gulf.war/legacy/environment/index.html CNN.com In-Depth Specials - Gulf War ] ] and an additional 2% of Kuwait's convert|96|Goilbbl|m3 of crude oil reserves were burned by the time the oil fires were brought under control. [ [http://www.espionageinfo.com/Ke-Lo/Kuwait-Oil-Fires-Persian-Gulf-War.html Kuwait Oil Fires, Persian Gulf War - █ further reading: ] ] The fires took more than nine months to extinguish fully and it took Kuwait more than 2 years and US$50 billion in infrastructure reconstruction to reach pre-invasion oil output. [http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?sf=2813&art_id=qw104820750289B262&click_id=2813&set_id=1] Kuwait has since largely recovered from the socio-economic, environmental, and public health effects of the Gulf war.
The National Assembly consists of fifty elected members, who are chosen in elections held every four years. Government ministers are also granted membership in the parliament and can number up to sixteen excluding the fifty elected members. According to the Constitution of Kuwait, nomination of a new Emir or Crown Prince by the ruling Al-Sabah family has to be approved by the National Assembly. If the nominee does not win the votes of the majority of the assembly, the royal family must submit the names of three other candidates to the National Assembly, and the Assembly must approve one of them to hold the post. Any amendment to the constitution can be proposed by the Emir but it needs to be approved by more than two-thirds of the members of the National Assembly before being implemented. [ [http://www.majlesalommah.net/enrun.asp?id=226 National Assembly - Kuwait ] ] There have been several conflicts between the Emir, the government and the National Assembly over various policies. The National Assembly was suspended from 1976 to 1981, from 1986 to 1991 and from May 1999 to July 1999 due to irresolvable conflicts between some members of the government and the Assembly.
Located in the north-east corner of the Arabian Peninsula, Kuwait is one of the smallest countries in the world in terms of land area. The flat, sandy Arabian Desert covers most of Kuwait. Kuwait is the only country in the world which has no natural lake or water reservoir. [ [http://www.canadiancontent.net/profiles/Kuwait.html Kuwait - Quick facts, statistics and cultural notes ] ] There is little difference in the country's altitude with the highest point in the country being 306 m above sea-level. It has nine islands, all of which with the exception of Failaka Island are uninhabited. [ [http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-82709/Bubiyan Bubiyan (island, Kuwait) - Britannica Online Encyclopedia ] ] With an area of 860 km², the Bubiyan is the largest island in Kuwait and is connected to the rest of the country by a 2,380 m long bridge. [ [http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?ID=s0000613 Structurae [en: Bubiyan Bridge (1983) ] ] Sparse vegetation is found along its 499 km long coastline. Kuwait City is located on Kuwait Bay, a natural deep-water harbor.
Kuwait has a warm tropical climate. Summer, which last from April to September, is extremely hot and dry with temperatures easily crossing 55 °C (131 °F) in the desert station of Mitribah during daytime. [ [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761563200/Kuwait_(country).html Kuwait (country) - MSN Encarta ] ] Winter season, from November through February, is cool with some precipitation and average temperatures around 13 °C (56 °F) with extremes from -2 °C to 27 °C. Annual rainfall averages less than 127 mm and occurs chiefly between October and April. [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-45144/Kuwait Kuwait :: Climate - Britannica Online Encyclopedia ] ] The spring season in March is warm and pleasant with occasional thunderstorms. The frequent winds from the northwest are cool in winter and spring and hot in summer. Southeasterly winds, usually hot and damp, spring up between July and October; hot and dry south winds prevail in spring and early summer. The shamal, a northwesterly wind common during June and July, causes dramatic sandstorms.
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. The main palace is the As-Seef Palace in the old part of Kuwait City where the Emir runs the daily matters of the country whilst the government headquarters are in the Bayan Palace and the Emir lives in Dar Salwa.
80% of Kuwait's population practices Islam. Despite Islam being a state religion, [ [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51603.htm http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51603.htm] ] Kuwait has large communities of Christians (est. 300,000 to 400,000), Hindus (est. 300,000), Buddhists (est. 100,000), and Sikhs (est. 10,000).cite web| url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71425.htm |title=Kuwait: International Religious Freedom Report 2006 |author=U.S. Department of State |accessdate=2007-10-07] Of the Muslims in Kuwait, 70% are Sunni and 30% are Shia Muslims. Kuwait's official language is Arabic, though English is widely spoken. Other important languages include Persian, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Urdu,Bengali, and Filipino.
Being a highly cosmopolitan society, Kuwait has a diverse and vibrant culture. However, the influence of Islamic and Arab culture on its architecture, music, attire, cuisine and lifestyle is prominent. [http://www.kuwait-info.com/sidepages/culture_over.asp] The most distinctive characteristic of local Kuwaiti culture are the "diwaniyas", a large reception room used for social gatherings attended mostly by close family members. While the Islamic dress code is not compulsory, unlike neighboring Saudi Arabia, many Kuwaiti men prefer wearing "thawb", an ankle-length white shirt woven from wool or cotton while some women wear "abaya", black over-garment covering most parts of the body. This attire is particularly well-suited for Kuwait's hot and dry climate. [ [http://www.kuwaitiah.net/culture.html Kuwait Culture ] ] Western-style clothing is also fairly popular, especially among Kuwait's youth. Seafood has been the mainstay of the Kuwaiti diet for centuries. [ [http://www.amideast.org/offices/kuwait/saud/food.htm Kuwaiti Food ] ] The Arabs in the Persian Gulf region played a crucial role in the spice trade between India and Europe and spices have remained an important ingredient of Kuwaiti cuisine. Traditional Kuwaiti cuisine includes "Machboos" or "Kabsa" which borrows heavily from South Asian cuisine.
There are a total of seven airports in the country, of which four have paved runways. Kuwait International Airport serves as the principal hub for international air travel. State-owned Kuwait Airways is the largest airline in the country. In 2001, the airline carried 2,084,600 passengers on domestic and international flights. In 2004, the first private airline of Kuwait, Jazeera Airways, was launched. [ [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002594401_kuwait31.html The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: First flight for Kuwait's Jazeera Airways ] ] In 2005, the second private airline, Wataniya Airways of Kuwait was founded.
Oil revenues have allowed Kuwait to build an extensive educational system, yielding a literacy rate of 83.5 percent. There are many private schools in Kuwait, including The English School,cite web| url=http://www.tes.edu.kw |title=Welcome |author=The English School, Kuwait |accessdate=2007-10-07] which was the first private school to open in Kuwait. Other private schools include the Fahaheel Al-Watanieh Indian Private School (Delhi Public School),Indian Educational School(Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan) Jabriya Indian School, Indian Community School,A'Takamul International School, Al-Bayan Bilingual School, The English Academy, Dasman Model School (Bilingual), Gulf Indian School, Carmel School (Kuwait),cite web| url=http://carmelschoolkwt.com/ |title= Carmel School, Kuwait; Profile |author=Carmel School |accessdate=2008-01-06] The British School of Kuwait, Kuwait English School, The Gulf English School, [http://www.abs.edu.kw The American Bilingual School] The American School of Kuwait,,cite web| url=http://www.ask.edu.kw |title=Welcome |author=American School of Kuwait |accessdate=2007-12-26] American International School, universal American school, and The New English School. All private schools offer different and competitive programs, and whilst each school strives to be the best at private education, different parents and expatriates naturally prefer different private schools. Public schooling is free and compulsory from the age of 5 to 18, and several private schools also teach this age group. Kuwait University is Kuwait's only public university. The medical school in particular, provides up-to-date training for students.Fact|date=October 2007 However, both the extensive library system at Kuwait University and the collection at the Kuwait National Museum (1957) were heavily damaged and looted during the Iraqi occupation in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Other universities in Kuwait include the American University of Kuwait, the Gulf University for Science and Technology, the Australian College of Kuwait, the Arab Open University (AOU) and the AUM.
The Gulf University for Science and Technology was the first private university established in Kuwait in 2002. It currently has two campuses in Hawalli and a third campus in Mishref where the Australian College of Kuwait is also located. The American University of Kuwait opened in 2004 with Dr. Shafeeq Al-Ghabra as founding president. The Australian College of Kuwait also opened in 2004 and there are more universities and colleges being discussed. [http://www.bhck.edu.kw Box Hill College Kuwait] , an Australian women's college, opened its doors in September 2007 in Abu Halifa. It is an accredited extended campus of Box Hill TAFE, Australia, and offers internationally recognized qualifications.
In September 2008, the American University of the Middle East will open in the suburb of Egaila. This will be followed by a satellite campus of Algonquin College in 2009.
In 1998, there were 6 AM and 11 FM radio stations and 13 television stations. In 2000, there were 624 radios and 486 television sets for every 1,000 people. In 2001, there were 165,000 Internet subscribers served by three service providers. [http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Kuwait-MEDIA.html Kuwait - Media ] ] Kuwait has ten satellite television channels of which four are controlled by the Ministry of Information. State-owned Kuwait Television (KTV) offered first colored broadcast in 1974 and operates three television channels. Government-funded Radio Kuwait also offers daily informative programming in four foreign languages including Persian, Urdu, Tagalog and English on the AM and SW.
In 1998, Kuwait had eight major daily newspapers in circulation of which two were in English and six were in Arabic. In 2002, the "Arab Times" was the most popular English daily, followed by the "Kuwait Times". "Al-Anabaa", with a circulation of 106,800 copies, was the most widely read Arabic daily. A press law forbids insulting references to God and Islamic prophet Muhammad. Another law which made leading newspaper publishers eligible for hefty fines for criticizing the ruling family was lifted in 1992. Leading newspapers continue to impose self-restraint while being critical of the emir. [ [http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/spring06/eisa/media.html About Kuwait- Media ] ] However, no such restraint is observed while criticizing the government.