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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 completely 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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Map references:
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Middle East |
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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; they 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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2,111,561
note: includes 1,159,913 non-nationals (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
28.3% (male 304,200; female 292,900)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 934,115; female 527,331)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 34,106; female 18,909) (2002
est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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3.33%
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration
of expatriates (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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21.84 births/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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2.46 deaths/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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13.88 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2002 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: 1.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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10.87 deaths/1,000
live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
76.46 years
male: 75.56 years
female: 77.39 years (2002 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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3.14 children born/woman
(2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.12% (1999 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: 78.6%
male: 82.2%
female: 74.9% (1995 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 and Crown Prince SAAD
al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978); First Deputy
Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October
1992); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamud Al Sabah (since
NA) and MUHAMMAD KHALID al-Hamed Al Sabah (since NA)
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 3 July 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents
50; 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, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al Jaber 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
94 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for
nearly half of GDP, 90% of export revenues, and 75% 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 $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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity
- $30.9 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity
- $15,100 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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industry: 60%
services: 40%
agriculture: 0% (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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2.7% (2001) |
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Labor force:
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1.3 million
note: 68% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
(July 1998 est.) (1998 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture NA%, industry
NA%, services NA% |
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Unemployment rate:
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1.8% (1996 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $11.5
billion
expenditures: $17.2 billion, including capital expenditures
of $NA (FY01/02 ) |
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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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1% (1997 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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31.2 billion kWh (2000)
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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29.016 billion kWh
(2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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practically no crops;
fish |
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Exports:
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$16.2 billion f.o.b.
(2001 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 23%, US 14%,
South Korea 13%, Singapore 7%, Netherlands 6%, Pakistan 6%, Indonesia
4%, UK 2% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$7.4 billion f.o.b.
(2001 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%, Japan 8%,
UK 8%, Germany 7%, China 5%, France 4%, Australia 3%, Netherlands
2% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$6.9 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 - 0.3075 (January 2002), 0.3066, (2001), 0.3067 (2000),
0.3044 (1999), 0.3047 (1998), 0.3033 (1997) |
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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, 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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Radios:
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1.175 million (1997)
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Television broadcast stations:
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13 (plus several satellite
channels) (1997) |
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Televisions:
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875,000 (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: 38 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,274,515 GRT/3,627,835 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas
6, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 19
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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7 (2001) |
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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 (2002
est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age 15-49:
812,059 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age 15-49:
486,906 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males: 18,309
(2002 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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