dent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities
along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of
Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers
under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo
between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in
Kosovo; Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary
in September 2008

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDP's: 21,000 (2007)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Kuwait

Introduction
Kuwait

Background:

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.

Geography
Kuwait

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 17,820 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 462 km
border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline:

499 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain:

flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 0.84%
permanent crops: 0.17%
other: 98.99% (2005)

Irrigated land:

130 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.02 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.44 cu km/yr (45%/2%/52%)
per capita: 164 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy
rain, which can damage roads and houses; sa