Portal:Kuwait

The Kuwait Portal

Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south. With a coastline of approximately 500 km (311 mi), Kuwait also shares a maritime border with Iran, across the Persian Gulf. Kuwait is a city-state, most of the country's population reside in the urban agglomeration of Kuwait City, the capital and largest city. As of 2024^[update], Kuwait has a population of 4.82 million, of which 1.53 million are Kuwaiti citizens while the remaining 3.29 million are foreign nationals from over 100 countries. Kuwait has the world's third largest number of foreign nationals as a percentage of the population, where its citizens make up less than 30% of the overall population.

The territory of modern-day Kuwait has been occupied by humans since antiquity, particularly due to its strategic location at the head of the Persian Gulf near the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In the early 18th century, the territory of modern-day Kuwait was under the jurisdiction of the Bani Khalid Emirate of the Bani Khalid clan; then the territory became known as the Sheikdom of Kuwait, it became a British protectorate in 1899. Prior to the discovery of oil reserves in 1938, the territory of modern-day Kuwait contained a regional trade port. The protectorate agreements with the United Kingdom ended in June 1961 when Kuwait officially became an independent state.

From 1946 to 1982, Kuwait underwent large-scale modernization, largely based on income from oil production. In the 1980s, Kuwait experienced a period of geopolitical instability and an economic crisis following the stock market crash. It suffered pro-Iranian attacks during the Iran–Iraq War, as a result of Kuwait's financial support to Iraq. In 1990, the state of Kuwait was invaded, installed a puppet regime, and subsequently annexed by Iraq under the leadership of Saddam Hussein following disputes over oil production. The Iraqi occupation of Kuwait ended on 26 February 1991, after a U.S and Saudi Arabia–led international coalition expelled Iraqi forces from the country during the Gulf War. (Full article...)

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The Kuwait Towers are a group of three thin towers in Kuwait City, standing on a promontory into the Persian Gulf. They were the sixth, and last, group in the larger Kuwait Water Towers system of 34 towers (33 store water; one stores equipment), and were built in a style considerably different from the other five groups. The Kuwait Towers were officially inaugurated in March 1979 and are regarded as a landmark and symbol of modern Kuwait. The towers were closed for maintenance from March 2012 to 8 March 2016, with a massive fireworks festival commemorating the re-opening. Kuwait Towers facility is operated and managed by the state-owned Touristic Enterprises Company. The Main Tower served as the venue for TEDxKuwaitCity event in 2018 and 2019. (Full article...)

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Did you know...

...that the fourteen nations designated Major non-NATO ally are the only countries outside of NATO to whom the United States government will consider selling depleted uranium anti-tank rounds?

...that more than one million Koreans moved to Arab countries and Iran between 1975 and 1985?

...that in Kuwait, the freedom of the press is restricted mostly by self-censorship rather than active government action?

... that incidents of violent crime against foreign citizens are rare in Kuwait?

... that after events of the Gulf War in February 1991, the highway which connects Kuwait City to Al Jahra became known as the Highway of Death?

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Religions in Kuwait

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Image 1Satellite image of Kuwait, November 2001
Image 2Ash Shu'aybah port in Kuwait
Image 3A date vendor in the old souq in Kuwait City
Image 4Ancient coins found Failaka Island of Kuwait
Image 5The Kuwait City skyline, 2008
Image 6A view of Salmiya
Image 7Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre (also known as, Kuwait Opera House)
Image 8The Kuwait Towers