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Kuwait

$Small country map\n© Microsoft Virtual Earth$

Capital:	Kuwait
Area size (Land only):	17820 sq. km Slightly smaller than Wales
Time zone:	GMT +3
Currency:	Kuwaiti dinar
Area code:	(+) 965
Driving:	Right
Climate description:	The land is flat, apart from a few ranges of dunes. The inland is desert with just one oasis, the Al-Jahrah. The coast is low and uniform. The city and port of Kuwait is located in the only deep-water harbour. Summers are hot, tempered by ocean currents. Winters are warm with frequent dust and sand storms

People

Standard of living

Economy & aid

Health

Disasters, conflict & migration

Language
Arabic
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	3.0 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	2.8 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	2.8 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	2.7 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	2.6 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	2.5 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	2.4 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	2.3 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	2.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
5.2 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Kuwaitis, of Arab descent, account for less than half of the population. Immigrant workers of Palestinian, Egyptian, Iranian, Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, Filipino and other origins make up about 60 percent of the population.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Muslim 85 percent, of which Sunni make up 70 percent and Shia 30 percent. Christians and Hindus make up most of the remaining 15 percent of the population.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	98.3 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	98.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	98.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	98.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	98.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	98.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	98.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	98.2 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
2005
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
87 (2007)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15

2005	23.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	24.5 percent	U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report 2006
2003	24.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	26.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	26.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	31.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Average life expectancy

2005	77.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	77.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	76.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	76.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	76.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	76.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	75.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	75.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	75.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	74.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	74.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	74.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	79.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	79.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	79.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	78.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	78.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	78.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	9 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	9 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	9 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	10 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	8 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	9 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	9 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	9 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	11 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	11 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	11 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	12 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	9 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	10 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	No data available percent
1996-2004	98 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	98 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	98 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	98 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	98 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality

2005	4 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	5 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	33	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	33	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	44	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	44	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	46	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	45	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	10 percent	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2000-2006	10 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005	10 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004	10 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003	10 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	10 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2000	10 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	<5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	5 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	5 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water
No data available percent

Population with access to improved sanitation
No data available percent

Literacy - average

2004	93.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	82.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	No data available percent
2001	82.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	82.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	94.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	84.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	84.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	84.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	84.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	91.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	81.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	81.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	80.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	79.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2008	186 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	186 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	186 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	187 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	190 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	192 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	198 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	202 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	210 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	973 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	973 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	911 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	843 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	764 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	561 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	503 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	375 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	214 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	316 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	316 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	289 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	261 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	230 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	225 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	103 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	86 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	67 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	65 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	60	Transparency International 2007
2006	46 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	45	Transparency International
2004	44 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	35 (joint)	Transparency International
2002	Not ranked
2001	Not ranked
2000	Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	No data available current US$
2006	38420 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	31730 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	25580 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	20380 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	17340 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	17320 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	16790 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	112.1 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	101.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	80.8 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	59.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	47.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	38.1 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	34.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	37.7 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	8.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	6.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	13.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	5.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	0.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	4.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	No data available percent
2006	17.6 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	20.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	10.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	4.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	5.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	-8.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	20.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available

Physicians

2000-2004	153 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	153 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	160 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	160 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent

Malaria
No risk
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	24 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	24 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	24 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	25 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	25 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	26 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	27 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	28 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

Number of refugees originating here

2008	854	UNHCR
2007	746	UNHCR
2006	617	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	381	UNHCR
2004	390	UNHCR
2003	616	UNHCR
2002	709	UNHCR
2001	701	UNHCR
2000	692	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2008	238	UNHCR
2007	159	UNHCR
2006	50	UNHCR
2005	1523	UNHCR
2004	1519	UNHCR
2003	1518	UNHCR
2002	1521	UNHCR
2001	1255	UNHCR
2000	2776	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

	No data available

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2007	20	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2004	At least 20	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	2	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (2007)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military

2005	4.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	7.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	9.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	10.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	11.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	8.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	5.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004	8.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	2.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	2.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	2.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	3.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	2.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

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