Kuwait – education
After the Gulf War, it has required a significant effort to re-establish the education system. Kuwaiti education is fully funded by the state. There are also a large number of private schools, which sought by children of expatriates from other countries.
Compulsory schooling for 6-14-year-olds is fulfilled in primary school followed by middle school, both four-year-olds. The similarly four-year youth education provides access to the university, which was established in 1966, as well as to eight vocational higher education institutions.
OFFICIAL NAME: Dawlat al-Kuwayt
CAPITAL CITY: Kuwait City
POPULATION: 4,000,000 (Source: COUNTRYaah)
AREA: 17,919 km²
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE (S): Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, others
RELIGION: Sunni Muslims 45%, Shia Muslims 40%, Christians, Hindus and others 15%
COIN: Kuwaiti dinar
CURRENCY CODE: KWD
ENGLISH NAME: Kuwait
INDEPENDENCE: 1961
POPULATION COMPOSITION: Kuwaitis 45%, other Arabs 35%, Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans 9%, Iranians 4%, others 7%
GDP PER residents: $ 42,100 (2013)
LIFE EXPECTANCY: men 76 years, women 79 years (2007)
INDEX OF LIVING CONDITIONS, HDI: 0.814
INDEX OF LIVING CONDITIONS, POSITION: 46
INTERNET DOMAIN NAME: .kw
Kuwait is an emirate at the bottom of the Persian Gulf. Kuwait is strategically located in the oil-rich Gulf region and even owns almost 10% of the world’s known oil reserves (1996). This poses major security concerns for the small country, particularly manifested in neighboring Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait 1990-91, but also immense wealth for the sparse population. Most of the country is desert and the economy is based on oil and investment abroad.
- AbbreviationFinder.org: Find two-letter abbreviation for each independent country and territory, such as KW which stands for Kuwait.
Kuwait – Constitution
Emirate Constitution is from 1962 with subsequent amendments. The executive power lies with the emir, who is elected by and among the members of the ruling family. The Emir appoints the Prime Minister, and on the proposal of the Prime Minister, the other ministers are appointed. The National Assembly has 50 elected members who sit for a four-year term. The right to vote in the National Assembly is limited to men over the age of 21; parties are not allowed. The Emir may request reconsideration of the adopted bill, which, however, automatically becomes law if they get 2/3 of the votes in the subsequent assembly or a simple majority in a later session. Check youremailverifier for Kuwait social condition facts.
Kuwait – economy
Kuwait is a small open economy dominated by the oil sector, which is state-owned and accounts for almost 50% of GDP and for almost all exports. Oil revenues are the main source of revenue for the public sector, as no income tax is paid in the country. The oil crises of the 1970’s and 1980’s resulted in large surpluses in both public budgets and the balance of payments, and it could partly finance an expansion of infrastructure and the health and education sector, and partly be used for investment abroad. The return was perceived as a means of securing the standard of living for future generations when oil reserves will be depleted; this led to the creation of a reserve fund for future generations, in which 10% of oil revenues are invested and then invested abroad. Pga. the war against Iraq 1990-91, oil production fell dramatically, leading to a balance of payments deficit and government financial problems. The rapid reconstruction of the country therefore had to be financed through borrowing abroad, privatizations and public savings, on aid to poor Arab countries that supported Iraq during the war. Among other things. because oil production is subject to OPEC’s quotas, it has been difficult to restore the balance of public budgets, which is why in 1995 the government had to announce a tight economic five-year plan to reduce the budget deficit. Production costs for oil are very low, and the high oil prices from around 2000 have meant large surpluses in public budgets as well as in the trade and balance of payments. Economic growth was 10% in 2003 and slowed to almost 5% in 2005.
Japan, the United States and South Korea are Kuwait’s main trading partners. Denmark’s exports to Kuwait in 2005 were DKK 532 million. and consisted mainly of feta cheese and meat products. Imports from there amounted to DKK 278 million. kr.
