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| / / Kuwait |
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| Countries of the World |
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| AREA |
17,818
sq km (6880 sq miles). |
| POPULATION |
1,866,104 (1998). |
| POPULATION DENSITY |
104.7 per sq km. |
| CAPITAL |
Kuwait City. |
| CAPITAL
POPULATION |
28,859 (1995). |
| GEOGRAPHY |
Kuwait shares borders
with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. To the southeast
lies the Persian Gulf, where Kuwait has
sovereignty over nine small islands (the
largest is Bubiyan and the most populous
is Failaka). The landscape is predominantly
desert plateau with a lower, more fertile
coastal belt. |
| GOVERNMENT |
Traditional Arab monarchy.
Head of State: Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmed
as-Sabah since 1978. Head of Government:
Crown Prince Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah as-Salim
as-Sabah since 1978. Gained full independence
from the UK in 1961. |
| LANGUAGE |
Arabic, but English
is widely understood, especially in commerce
and industry. |
| RELIGION |
95% Muslim (mostly
of the Sunni sect), with Christian and Hindu
minorities. |
| STANDARD
TIME |
GMT + 3. |
| ELECTRICITY |
240 volts AC, 50Hz;
single phase. UK-type flat 3-pin plugs are
used. |
| COMMUNICATIONS |
Telephone: Full IDD
is available. Country code: 965. Outgoing
international code: 00. Fax: Most hotels
have facilities. Telegram: 24-hour telegram
services are available at the Ministry of
Post and Telegraph Offices, Abdullah Al
Salem Square, Kuwait City, but must be handed
to the post office (opening hours: 0700-1400
Saturday to Wednesday; 0700-1200 Thursday).
Post: Airmail to Western Europe takes about
five days. Press: The English-language newspapers
are the Arab Times and the Kuwait Times.
Although remaining loyal to the Royal family,
the press enjoys a fair degree of freedom. |
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