5 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2006)

Government
Kuwait

Country name:

conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
local short form: Al Kuwayt

Government type:

constitutional emirate

Capital:

name: Kuwait
geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

19 June 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution:

approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

NA 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

Executive branch:

chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29
January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah
head of government: Prime Minister NASIR MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad al-Sabah
(since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR Mubarak
al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers
MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006) and
Faysal al-HAJJI (since 5 April 2007); note - the Amir accepted the
resignation of the prime minister and cabinet on 1 December 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
approved by the Amir
elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime
minister and deputy prime ministers

Legislative branch:

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)
elections: last held 17 May 2008 (next election to be held in 2012)
election results: percent of vote by bloc - NA; seats by bloc -
Sunni 21, Islamic Salafi Alliance 10, Liberals 7, Shiites 5, Popular
Action Bloc 4, Islamic Constitutional Movement 3

Judicial b