Airports [time series]

8 total, 4 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

19 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

3,000 km total; 2,500 km bituminous; 500 km earth, sand, light gravel

Merchant marine [time series]

51 ships (1,000 GRT or over), totaling 1,862,010 GRT/2,935,007 DWT; includes 18 cargo, 5 container, 5 livestock carrier, 18 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 5 liquefied gas

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil, 877 km; refined products, 40 km; natural gas, 165 km

Ports [time series]

Ash Shuwaykh, Ash Shuaybah, Mina al Ahmadi

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

excellent international, adequate domestic facilities; 258,000 telephones; stations--3 AM, 2 FM, 3 TV; satellite earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT; 1 INMARSAT, 1 ARABSAT; coaxial cable and radio relay to Iraq and Saudi Arabia

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Guard

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

5.8% of GDP, or $1.2 billion (FY89)

Military manpower [time series]

males 15-49, about 688,516; about 411,742 fit for military service; 18,836 reach military age (18) annually

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

virtually none; dependent on imports for food; about 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported

Aid [time series]

donor--pledged $18.3 billion in bilateral aid to less developed countries (1979-89)

Budget [time series]

revenues $7.1 billion; expenditures $10.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (FY88)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Kuwaiti dinar (plural--dinars); 1 Kuwaiti dinar (KD) = 1,000 fils

Electricity [time series]

8,287,000 kW capacity; 21,500 million kWh produced, 10,710 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1--0.2915 (January 1990), 0.2937 (1989), 0.2790 (1988), 0.2786 (1987), 0.2919 (1986), 0.3007 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$7.1 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--oil 90%; partners--Japan, Italy, FRG, US

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$7.2 billion (December 1989 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July-30 June

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$20.5 billion, per capita $10,500; real growth rate 5.0% (1988)

Imports [time series]

$5.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--food, construction material, vehicles and parts, clothing; partners--Japan, US, FRG, UK

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 3% (1988)

Industries [time series]

petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, salt, construction

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.5% (1988)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The oil sector dominates the economy. Of the countries in the Middle East, Kuwait has oil reserves second only to those of Saudi Arabia. Earnings from hydrocarbons generate over 90% of both export and government revenues and contribute about 40% to GDP. Most of the nonoil sector is dependent upon oil-derived government revenues to provide infrastructure development and to promote limited industrial diversification. The economy is heavily dependent upon foreign labor--Kuwaitis account for less than 20% of the labor force. The early years of the Iran-Iraq war pushed Kuwait's GDP well below its 1980 peak; however, during the period 1986-88, GDP increased each year, rising to 5% in 1988.

Unemployment rate [time series]

0%

Climate [time series]

dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Coastline [time series]

499 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Continental shelf [time series]

not specific;

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

ownership of Warbah and Bubiyan islands disputed by Iraq; ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim Islands disputed by Saudi Arabia

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide most of water; air and water pollution; desertification

Land boundaries [time series]

462 km total; Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Land use [time series]

NEGL% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 8% meadows and pastures; NEGL% forest and woodland; 92% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Note [time series]

strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Terrain [time series]

flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

12 nm

Area (Total area) [time series]

17,820 km2; land area: 17,820 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

4 governorates (muhafazat, singular--muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, Hawalli; note--there may be a new governorate of Farwaniyyah

Capital [time series]

Kuwait

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

insignificant

Constitution [time series]

16 November 1962 (some provisions suspended since 29 August 1962)

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Shaikh Saud Nasir AL-SABAH; Chancery at 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 966-0702; US--Ambassador W. Nathaniel HOWELL; Embassy at Bneid al-Gar (opposite the Hilton Hotel), Kuwait City (mailing address is P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait City); telephone [965] 242-4151 through 4159

Executive branch [time series]

amir, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side

Independence [time series]

19 June 1961 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

High Court of Appeal Chief of State--Amir Sheikh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al SABAH (since 31 December 1977); Head of Government--Prime Minister and Crown Prince Sad Abdallah al-Salim Al SABAH (since 8 February 1978)

Legal system [time series]

civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

National Assembly (Majlis al Umma) dissolved 3 July 1986

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

State of Kuwait

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

Arab League, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 25 February

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

large (350,000) Palestinian community; several small, clandestine leftist and Shia fundamentalist groups are active

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

none

Suffrage [time series]

adult males who resided in Kuwait before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21; note--out of all citizens, only 8.3% are eligible to vote and only 3.5% actually vote National Assembly--dissolved 3 July 1986 and no elections are planned

Government type (Type) [time series]

nominal constitutional monarchy

Birth rate [time series]

29 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

2 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

27.9% Kuwaiti, 39% other Arab, 9% South Asian, 4% Iranian, 20.1% other

Infant mortality rate [time series]

15 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

566,000 (1986); 45.0% services, 20.0% construction, 12.0% trade, 8.6% manufacturing, 2.6% finance and real estate, 1.9% agriculture, 1.7% power and water, 1.4% mining and quarrying; 70% of labor force is non-Kuwaiti

Languages (Language) [time series]

Arabic (official); English widely spoken

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

72 years male, 76 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

71% (est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Kuwaiti(s); adjective--Kuwaiti

Net migration rate [time series]

11 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

labor unions exist in oil industry and among government personnel

Population [time series]

2,123,711 (July 1990), growth rate 3.8% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

85% Muslim (30% Shia, 45% Sunni, 10% other), 15% Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.7 children born/woman (1990)