km2
comparative area:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total 464 km, Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
Coastline:
499 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: not specified
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
in April 1991 Iraq officially accepted UN Security Council Resolution 687,
which demands that Iraq accept the inviolability of the boundary set forth
in its 1963 agreement with Kuwait, ending earlier claims to Bubiyan and
Warbah Islands, or to all of Kuwait; the 20 May 1993 final report of the UN
Iraq/Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Commission was welcomed by the Security
Council in Resolution 833 of 27 May 1993, which also reaffirmed that the
decisions of the commission on the boundary were final, bringing to a
completion the official demarcation of the Iraq-Kuwait boundary; Iraqi
officials still make public statements claiming Kuwait; ownership of Qaruh
and Umm al Maradim Islands disputed by Saudi Arabia
Climate:
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
Terrain:
flat to slightly undulating desert plain
Natural resources:
petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
8%
forest and woodland:
0%
other:
92%
Irrigated land:
20 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities
provide most of water; air and water pollution; desertification
Note:
strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

*Kuwait, People

Population:
1,698,077 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
8.67% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
30.29 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
2.39 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
58.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
13.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population:
74.62 years
male:
72.47 years
female:
76.87 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.11 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Kuwaiti(s)
adjective:
Kuwaiti
Ethnic divisions:
Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%
Religions:
Muslim 85% (Shi'a 30%, Sunni 45%, other 10%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and
other 15%
Languages:
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
73%