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Country OverviewKuwait at a Glance |
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Geography Kuwait is a small country located at the north tip of the Arabian Gulf and covers an area smaller than the state of New Jersey. Most of Kuwait is flat desert. The coastline covers 290 km, and there are nine small islands scattered about its coastal waters. Population Kuwait’s population is more than 2.5 million, of which 45% are Kuwaiti nationals. The rest of the population presents a mix of laborers from South and Southeast Asia, mid-professionals from India, Pakistan, Egypt and Lebanon and upper-level professionals from Britain, the United States, Canada and Australia. Religion The religion of Kuwait is Islamic. Mosques of various sizes and architecture are found throughout the country. The “call to prayer” is amplified from the minarets five times a day and is a traditional reciting from the Koran. Islamic law is the primary source of legislation in Kuwait. Weather The climate of Kuwait is harsh. From April to September it is extremely hot, with temperatures as high as 130 degrees. In late summer, the humidity can be unbearable. The winter months, October through March, are pleasant during the day, but the nighttime temperature sometimes drops to freezing. The annual rainfall is approximately 5 inches and usually occurs in the winter months only. |
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History
Led by Saddam Hussein, Iraqi forces attacked and overran Kuwait in August 1990. The occupation of Kuwait lasted seven months. In what became known as the Gulf War, a U.S.-led coalition of 27 nations fought to drive Iraq out of Kuwait. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, ground assault began on Feb. 23 1991, and Kuwait was liberated in four days. As the Iraqis retreated, they blew up hundreds of oil wells and set most of them on fire. In the months that followed, an impressive international effort was required to clean up the mess left behind. The last oil fire was extinguished eight months later, and Kuwait began the job of erasing the physical scars of war and occupation. More than $5 billion has been spent to repair the oil infrastructure that was damaged. |
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