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Area
17,818 sq km (6880 sq miles).
Population
2,189,668 (official estimate 2000).
Capital
Kuwait City. 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: Jabir Al-Ahmad
Al-Jabir Al-Sabah since 1978. Head of Government: Sabah
Al Ahmad Al Jabir Al Sabah since 1977. Gained full
independence from the UK in 1961.
Language
Arabic, but English is widely understood, especially in
commerce and industry.
Religion
95 per cent Muslim (mostly of the Sunni sect), with
Christian and Hindu minorities.
Time
GMT + 3.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz; single phase. UK-type flat three-pin
plugs are used.
Telephone
Full IDD is available. Country code: 965. Outgoing
international code: 00.
Mobile telephone
GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Network operators include
Mobile Telecoms Co (website: www.mtc-vodafone.com) and
National Mobile Telecommunications Co (website:
www.wataniya.com).
Fax
Most hotels have facilities.
Internet
Internet cafes throughout Kuwait provide public access
to e-mail and Internet services. ISPs include Gulfnet
International (website: www.kems.net/) and QualityNet
(website: www.qualitynet.net).
Telegram
Telegram services are available 24-hours at the Ministry
of Post and Telegraph Offices, Abdullah Al Salem Square,
Kuwait City, but must be handed to the post office
(opening hours: Sat-Wed 0700-1400, Thurs 0700-1200).
Post
Airmail to Western Europe takes about 5 days.
Press
The English-language newspapers are the Arab Times and
the Kuwait Times. The press enjoys a fair degree of
freedom.
Radio
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice)
and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be
received. From time to time the frequencies change and
the most up-to-date can be found online.
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