Kuwait Passport

The State of Kuwait

【 Area 】 17818 square kilometers

The population is 4.859 million, with Kuwaiti nationals accounting for approximately 32%.

[Official Language] Arabic

Islam is the state religion, with 85% of the population adhering to it, of which approximately 75% are Sunni and 25% are Shia.

【 Capital 】 Kuwait City.

【 Head of State 】 Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, who ascended to the throne on December 16, 2023, is the 17th Emir.

[Important Festival] February 25th (National Day, also known as the 11th Emir's coronation day).

【 Natural Geography 】 Located on the northwest coast of the Persian Gulf in western Asia. Adjacent to Saudi Arabia and Iraq, bordered by the Persian Gulf to the east, and facing Iran across the sea. The coastline is 290 kilometers long. There are 9 islands including Bubiyan and Faraka, with a water area of 5625 square kilometers. The vast majority of the land is desert, with relatively flat terrain and no mountains, rivers, or lakes within its borders. The underground freshwater is scarce. It belongs to a tropical desert climate, with hot and dry summers and a maximum temperature of 51 ℃. Winters are short, humid, and rainy, with a minimum temperature of -6 ℃. The annual precipitation is 22-177 millimeters.

In the 7th century AD, it was a part of the Arab Empire. In 1710, the Sabah family of the Anaza tribe residing in the Arabian Peninsula migrated to Kuwait and gained control in 1756, establishing the Emirate of Kuwait. In 1871, it became a county in the Basra Province of the Ottoman Empire. In 1939, it became a British protectorate. On June 19, 1961, it declared independence and became a member of the Arab League and the United Nations in the same year. It was annexed by Iraq on August 2, 1990 and was restored on February 26, 1991.

[Politics] hereditary monarchy emirate. Emir is the head of state and the supreme commander of the armed forces. All laws and treaties and agreements signed with foreign countries shall come into effect upon approval by the Emir. Kuwait advocates for maintaining national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, developing the national economy, and implementing a high welfare system. After the Gulf War, Kuwait quickly began post-war reconstruction work, strengthened defense construction, and gradually promoted Kuwait specialization in government departments and economic institutions. Kuwait has a stable political situation and a good security situation.

The Constitution was officially promulgated on November 12, 1962. According to the constitution, Kuwait is a sovereign and independent Arab country; Islam is the state religion, and its teachings serve as the legislative foundation; The Emir must be inherited by the descendants of the seventh Emir, Mubarak Al Sabah; The legislative power is exercised by the Emir and the Parliament, with the Emir having the power to dissolve the Parliament and postpone its sessions; The executive power is exercised by the Emir, Prime Minister, and Cabinet Ministers; Judicial power is exercised by the courts in the name of the Emir within the scope prescribed by the Constitution; The Crown Prince is nominated by the Emir and approved by the parliament; Emir appoints and dismisses the Prime Minister, and appoints and dismisses cabinet ministers based on the Prime Minister's nomination.

The National Assembly was established on January 23, 1963, as a legislative body with a unicameral system. The main function is to formulate and pass various laws and regulations of the country; Supervise the implementation of national finance; Exercise various political powers. The parliament is composed of 50 members elected nationwide and current ministers, with a term of 4 years each. On April 5, 2024, Kuwait elected its 18th National Assembly. On May 10th, Emir Mishal ordered the dissolution of the National Assembly and the suspension of its operations.

On April 15, 2024, Emir Mishal appointed Ahmad Abdullah Al Ahmad Al Sabah as Prime Minister and tasked him with forming a government. On May 15th, Prime Minister Ahmed led the 46th Cabinet to take the oath of office.

The country is divided into six administrative provinces, namely the Capital Province, Hawari Province, Ahmadi Province, Jahala Province, Farwania Province, and Grand Mubarak Province.

The judiciary is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. The President of the Supreme Court and the Prosecutor General are appointed by the Emir, and the court exercises judicial power in the name of the Emir within the scope of the Constitution.

[Important Figures]

Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah: Emir. Born in 1940. Having served in the Ministry of Interior for a long time, he was appointed as the Deputy Commander (Ministerial level) of the National Guard in 2004. On October 8, 2020, he was appointed as the Crown Prince and succeeded as the 17th Emir of Kuwait on December 16, 2023.

Sabah Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah: Crown Prince. Born in 1953. He has served as the Minister of Social and Labour Affairs, Minister of Information, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Prime Minister of Kuwait. Appointed as Crown Prince on June 2, 2024.

Ahmad Abdullah Al Ahmad Al Sabah: Prime Minister. Born in 1952. He has previously held important positions as Minister of Finance, Transport, and Oil of Kuwait, and has been serving as Director of the Office of the Crown Prince of Kuwait since 2021. Appointed as Prime Minister on April 15, 2024.

The petroleum and natural gas industries are the main pillars of the national economy. In recent years, while focusing on the development of the petroleum and petrochemical industries, the government has emphasized the development of a diversified economy, focusing on the development of industries such as finance, trade, tourism, and exhibitions. It has also proposed the "2035 National Vision" to build Kuwait into a regional commercial and financial center, leveraging the important role of private enterprises in Kuwait's economic development, ensuring comprehensive and balanced development of people's lives, and achieving social justice.

Main economic data (2023):

Gross Domestic Product: 165.97 billion US dollars

Per capita Gross Domestic Product: 37500 US dollars

Economic growth rate:- 3.6%

Total import and export volume: 123.15 billion US dollars

Export value: 85.14 billion US dollars

Import amount: 38.01 billion US dollars

Foreign exchange reserves: 48.25 billion US dollars (as of the end of September 2023)

Exchange rate 1 USD ≈ 0.303 Dinar

【 Resources 】 Abundant reserves of oil and natural gas. The proven oil reserves are 14 billion tons, ranking seventh in the world. The proven natural gas reserves are 1.78 trillion cubic meters, ranking 18th in the world.

Industry is mainly focused on oil extraction, refining, and petrochemicals. The daily crude oil production in 2023 is about 2.41 million barrels. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation is one of the top ten oil companies in the world.

Agriculture and fisheries are mainly focused on producing vegetables, while grain and agricultural products are mainly imported. The marine fishery resources are abundant, and the main seafood products include shrimp, grouper, yellow croaker, etc.

The transportation industry is well-developed, with highways connecting various provinces and cities across the country, and a large number of private cars. There are no railways within the country, and Kuwait International Airport, located in the capital, is the most important airport. The main ports include Shuweihe Port, Shuaiba Port, etc.

Foreign trade holds an important position in the economy. The export commodities mainly include petroleum and chemical products, while the import commodities include machinery, transportation equipment, industrial products, grain and food, etc. The main trading partners are the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, etc.

Foreign aid: Every year, 3.8% of its gross domestic product is used to assist developing countries. In 1961, the Kuwait Arab Economic Development Foundation was established to provide financial and technical assistance to developing countries on behalf of the Kuwaiti government, supporting the development and construction of infrastructure projects in developing countries.

Implement a high welfare system, exempt from personal income tax, enjoy free education and medical care, and provide subsidies for employment, prices, rent, and marriage.

The military implements a compulsory military service system, with a term of 2 years for conscripts (1 year for college students) and 14 years for reserves. The current total military strength of the Science and Technology Army is 23000 people. Emir is the supreme commander of the armed forces.

Education: Free education is implemented, with primary, middle, and high schools nationwide being four-year programs. There are currently 1489 schools of various types in China, including 822 public schools, 566 private schools, and the rest are adult education schools and special education schools. There are over 680000 students and 86000 teachers in school. The education budget accounts for about 15% of the government's fiscal budget.

The news system in Kuwait is relatively open and free, with most newspapers being privately owned. There are 8 major newspapers in the country, including 6 Arabic language newspapers: "Public Opinion Daily", "Political Daily", "Torch Daily", "Newspaper Daily", "Daytime Daily" and "News Daily"; Two English newspapers: The Kuwait Times and The Arab Times. There are three official news agencies: Kuwait News Agency, Kuwait Radio, and Kuwait Television. Kuwait News Agency is the national news agency, established in October 1956, and has been publishing articles abroad in Arabic and English since 1980. Kuwait Radio was established in 1951 and broadcasts in Arabic, English, and other languages. Kuwait Television was established in December 1962 and broadcasts programs in Arabic and English.

We adhere to a moderate and balanced foreign policy and have established diplomatic relations with over 120 countries. Committed to maintaining the unity of Arab countries and coordinating cooperation among Gulf Cooperation Council countries, while attaching great importance to balanced development of relations with major world powers.