State of Kuwait | |
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Anthem: "Al-Nasheed Al-Watani" "National Anthem" | |
Capital and largest city | Kuwait City 29°22′N 47°58′E / 29.367°N 47.967°E |
Official languages | Arabic |
Ethnic groups | |
Religion | Islam |
Demonym(s) | Kuwaiti |
Government | Unitary constitutional monarchy[1] |
• Emir | Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah |
Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah | |
Ahmed Al-Sadoun | |
Legislature | National Assembly |
Establishment | |
• Independence from the Emirate of Al Hasa | 1752 |
1913 | |
• End of treaties with the United Kingdom | 19 June 1961 |
Area | |
• Total | 17,818 km2 (6,880 sq mi) (152nd) |
• Water (%) | negligible |
Population | |
• 2021 estimate | 4,250,114[2][3] (128th) |
• 2005 census | 2,213,403[4] |
• Density | 200.2/km2 (518.5/sq mi) (61st) |
GDP (PPP) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | $303 billion[5] |
• Per capita | $69,669[5] (5th) |
GDP (nominal) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | $118.271 billion[5] (55th) |
• Per capita | $28,199[5] (23rd) |
HDI (2017) | 0.803[6] very high · 56th |
Currency | Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) |
Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
Date format | dd/mm/yyyy (CE) |
Driving side | right |
Calling code | +965 |
ISO 3166 code | KW |
Internet TLD | .kw |
Website www.e.gov.kw | |
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Kuwait (Arabic: الكويت) is a small Arab country (about 17,819 square kilometers) in the Middle East.
Kuwait is the most socially progressive country in the Gulf region. It has a small and rich economy. It has about 96 billion barrels of crude oil reserves. Crude oil reserves are the oil that is still under the ground and has not yet been cleaned up. Kuwait has 10% of all of the oil reserves in the world. The country makes a lot of money by selling oil. This money is almost half of all the money the country makes. The oil money is also 95% of the money made by selling things to different countries (people call that exports). Also, the oil money is 80% of the money the government makes. Kuwait is now talking with oil companies of other countries to make oil fields in the northern part of the country.
Kuwait's weather makes farming hard (too little rain). Instead of farming, the country catches fish and buys food from other countries. About 75% of the country's water to drink has to be distilled (have the salt removed) or purchased from other countries.
In 1990, Iraq invaded (brought an army in to fight against) Kuwait. This started the first Gulf War. Kuwait's official religion is Islam, although 15% of its population are Christian or Hindu. Arabic is mostly spoken in Kuwait but English is widespread among Kuwaitis (residents of Kuwait). Kuwait is one of the few nations that has education for every age.