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Arab Culture & Civilization
Explore this exemplary library of articles and resources on Arab societies and culture. This site was originally created by the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE).
Slightly smaller than New Jersey, Kuwait has a population of 2.6 million, of whom about 1.3 million are Kuwaiti citizens, the rest being foreign workers. Most Kuwaitis are Muslim, with about 30% Shia and 70% Sunni. Kuwait has vast oil reserves (about 10 percent of the world’s proven reserves), but it has done little to diversify the rest of its economy. Its oil reserves haven’t always even transferred to a reliable energy supply at home; Kuwait experienced power outages in the summer months of 2006-2008 because the government has not been able to increase generating capacity.
The Al Sabah family has ruled Kuwait since independence from the British. In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, an act that lead to the first Gulf War. After Kuwait was liberated by coalition forces, it spent $5 billion to repair its oil infrastructure. The country still serves as a staging area for U.S. and British troops, particularly in the lead up to the second Gulf Was in 2003.
Population: The population of Kuwait in 2003 was estimated by the United Nations at 2,521,000, which placed it as number 137 in population among the 193 nations of the world.
Education: Kuwait offers its citizens free education, including free food, clothing, books, stationery, and transportation, from kindergarten through the fourth year of college. Most expatriates are not eligible for free education and must register their children at a private school. The Ministry of Education sets tuition levels for private schools. Schools below university level are segregated by sex. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Kuwait-EDUCATION.html
Health: Kuwait has a highly advanced public health service, which is extended to all Kuwaiti residents, regardless of citizenship. The incidence of typhoid fever and most infectious diseases is comparatively low; however, influenza is common and measles has resulted in a high fatality rate among children up to age five. Life expectancy in 2000 was 77 years and infant mortality was estimated at 9 per 1,000 live births. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Kuwait-HEALTH.html
Ethnic Groups: Most Kuwaitis are Arab. Foreign population shifted from predominantly Arab to predominantly Asian in 1980s. After 1990-91 Iraqi occupation, composition of foreign population changed again, especially with exodus of about 370,000 of the 400,000 Palestinians. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html
Religion: Most Kuwaitis are Sunni Muslims. About 20 percent of citizens are Shia Muslims. Most foreigners are also Muslims, the majority Sunni. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html
Population The Kuwaiti population declined on average by 6.5% per year during 1990-95, due in part to the Iraqi invasion and Gulf War of 1990-91. The population of Kuwait in 2003 was estimated by the United Nations at 2,521,000, which placed it as number 137 in population among the 193 nations of the world. This number includes over one million non-nationals who live and work in the country. In that year approximately 1% of the population was over 65 years of age, with another 26% of the population under 15 years of age. There were 151 males for every 100 females in the country in 2003. According to the UN, the annual population growth rate for 2000–2005 is 3.46%, with the projected population for the year 2015 at 3,352,000. The population density in 2002 was 127 per sq km (330 per sq mi). The vast majority of the population resides along the coast.
It was estimated by the Population Reference Bureau that 98% of the population lived in urban areas in 2001. The capital, Kuwait City, had a population of approximately 165,000 in that year. According to the United Nations, the urban population growth rate for 2000–2005 was 2.3%. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Kuwait-POPULATION.html
This page on Kuwait from the al-Bab website provides several pages with information about Kuwaiti culture, food, politics, economics, history, news, and travel.
This website provides information on the Kuwaiti culture. Topics include history, urbanism, food, economy, social structure, gender roles, government, marriage, arts, medicine, and religion.
