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 liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since returning to power in 1991 and reestablished an elected legislature that in recent years has become increasingly assertive. The country witnessed the historic election in May 2009 of four women to its National Assembly.

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia

slightly smaller than New Jersey

dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

flat to slightly undulating desert plain

petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and 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

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

strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

21.79 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

2.31 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

16.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

2.7 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%

Arabic (official), English widely spoken

constitutional emirate

6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir

19 June 1961 (from the UK)

National Day, 25 February (1950)

approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

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

21 years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years

unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all cabinet ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National Assembly)

High Court of Appeal

none; formation of political parties is in practice illegal but is not forbidden by law

ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, Paris Club (associate), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; colors and design are based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I; green represents fertile fields, white stands for purity, red denotes blood on Kuwaiti swords, black signifies the defeat of the enemy

Kuwait has a geographically small, but wealthy, relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 102 billion barrels - about 9% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 95% of government income. Kuwaiti officials have committed to increasing oil production to 4 million barrels per day by 2020. Kuwait survived the economic crisis on the strength of budget surpluses generated by high oil prices, posting its tenth consecutive budget surplus in 2008, before slipping into deficit territory in 2009. Kuwait has done little to diversify its economy, in part, because of this positive fiscal situation, and, in part, due to the poor business climate and the acrimonious relationship between the National Assembly and the executive branch, which has stymied most movement on economic reforms. Nonetheless, the government in 2009 passed an economic development plan that pledges to spend up to $140 billion in five years to diversify the economy away from oil, attract more investment, and boost private sector participation in the economy. Increasing government expenditures by so large an amount during the planned time frame may be difficult to accomplish.

$142.1 billion (2009 est.)

$144.6 billion (2008 est.)

$133.2 billion (2007 est.)

$111.3 billion (2009 est.)

29.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

8.1% of GDP (2009 est.)

7.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

2.5% (10 February 2010)

3.75% (31 December 2008)

5.9% (31 December 2009)

7.61% (31 December 2008)

$16.05 billion (31 December 2009)

$15.31 billion (31 December 2008)

$71.79 billion (31 December 2009)

$63.08 billion (31 December 2008)

$88.77 billion (31 December 2008)

$78.25 billion (31 December 2007)

$96.32 billion (31 December 2009)

$107.2 billion (31 December 2008)

$188 billion (31 December 2007)

petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials

45.83 billion kWh (2007 est.)

40.21 billion kWh (2007 est.)

2.494 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

320,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

2.349 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

104 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

12.7 billion cu m (2008 est.)

300 million cu m (2009 est.)

1.794 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

$32.01 billion (2009 est.)

$64.78 billion (2008 est.)

$50.25 billion (2009 est.)

$86.94 billion (2008 est.)

oil and refined products, fertilizers

Japan 17.9%, South Korea 17.31%, India 12.43%, Taiwan 9.07%, US 7.9%, China 7.55%, Singapore 5.48% (2009)

$17.09 billion (2009 est.)

$22.94 billion (2008 est.)

food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

US 11.18%, China 9.07%, Germany 7.63%, Japan 7.14%, Saudi Arabia 6.24%, Italy 5%, France 4.77%, India 4.09%, UK 4.02% (2009)

$20.38 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$17.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$32.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$36.89 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$1.078 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$999 million (31 December 2008 est.)

$34.63 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$25.68 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.283 (2009), 0.2679 (2008), 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005)

2.907 million (2008)

state-owned TV broadcaster operates 4 networks and a satellite channel; several private TV broadcasters have emerged since 2003; satellite TV is available with pan-Arab TV stations especially popular; state-owned Radio Kuwait broadcasts on a number of channels in Arabic and English; first private radio station emerged in 2005; transmissions of at least 2 international radio broadcasters are available (2007)

gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2009)

Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina' Sa'ud), Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi

Kuwaiti Land Forces (KLF), Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya), Kuwaiti National Guard (KNG) (2009)

18-30 years of age for compulsory and 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; women age 18-30 may be subject to compulsory military service; conscription suspended in 2001 (2009)

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf