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NAVIGATION
State of Kuwait
Dawlat al Kuwayt
GOVERNMENT
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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 |
ECONOMY
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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 |