Portal:Kuwait

The Kuwait Portal

Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia. With a coastline of approximately 500 km (311 mi), it is situated at the head of the Persian Gulf in the northeastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south. Kuwait is geographically the second closest Gulf country to mainland Iran (separated only by a small Iraqi coastline) after Iraq. The country is a small city-state; most of the 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. In 2024, Kuwait had the world's seventh largest number of foreign nationals as a percentage of the population, where its citizens make up fewer than 30% of the overall population.

The territory of modern-day Kuwait has been inhabited by humans since antiquity, particularly due to its strategic location 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 clan; then the territory became known as the Sheikdom of Kuwait in 1752 and 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, had a puppet regime installed, and was subsequently annexed by Ba'athist 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.–led international coalition expelled Iraqi forces from the country during the Gulf War. (Full article...)

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Photograph by Hermann Burchardt, 1903

Mubarak Al-Sabah KCSI KCIE (c. 1837 – 28 November 1915; Arabic: الشيخ مبارك بن صباح الصباح) "the Great" (Arabic: مبارك الكبير), nicknamed "The lion of the peninsula" (Arabic: أسد الجزيرة), was the seventh ruler of the Sheikhdom of Kuwait, from 18 May 1896 until his death on 18 November 1915. Mubarak ascended the throne after assassinating his predecessor and half-brother, Muhammad Al-Sabah. Known for his significant role in shaping modern Kuwait, the constitution of the State of Kuwait mandates that the Emir of Kuwait must be a descendant of Mubarak from the ruling Al-Sabah family.

Mubarak was the seventh ruler of the Al-Sabah dynasty. Mubarak was also the father of two rulers of Kuwait who succeeded him, Jaber and Salim, from which the Al-Jaber and Al-Salim in the Al-Sabah family branches originated respectively, and is the paternal ancestor of all successive rulers and prime ministers of Kuwait. (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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Image 1Satellite image of Kuwait, November 2001
Image 2The Kuwait Towers
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 6Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre (also known as, Kuwait Opera House)
Image 7Port Shuaiba in Kuwait before getting struck by Iranian Drones
Image 8A view of Salmiya