57 Facts About Kuwait

Kuwait, (Arabic: دولة الكويت‎) officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in Western Asia. 

Kuwait has an area of 17,818 square km. 

Kuwait City is the capital and the largest city of Kuwait. 

Arabic is the official language of Kuwait. 

Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) is official currency of Kuwait. 

Kuwait's two land bordering countries are Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

In terms of civil liberties, press freedom, and constitutionalism, the country ranks highly among its regional counterparts.

The name Kuwait is derived from the Arabic word "Kut," which means "fort".

Kuwait was once home to nomadic nomads. Until the 18th century, people would come and go, never settling down for the long haul.

During the eighteenth century, nomadic tribes and clans fleeing the desert's drought settled on the Arabian Gulf's coast. Kuwaitis today are the descendants of these early settlers. They built forts to protect themselves from other nomadic tribes and by-passers, and thus the country's name was born.

The country's oil reserves were discovered in 1934. Kuwait has the world's sixth largest oil reserves.

The Kuwaiti Dinar, the country's official currency, is the world's most valuable currency. One Kuwaiti Dinar is worth 1,000 fils.

Kuwait's "Golden Era" is defined as the years 1946 to 1982. During this period, the country prospered and gained independence in 1961.

Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah became the country's first Emir after its independence. Succession is limited to "Mubarak as-Sabah" descendants. "The Great" was Kuwait's seventh ruler, reigning from May 18, 1896 until his death on November 28, 1915.

Kuwait was the first Gulf country to establish a constitution and a legislature.

The Al Hamra Tower in Kuwait is the world's 15th tallest sculpted tower. It is located in Kuwait City and is the country's tallest tower as well as the world's 23rd tallest. It took nearly six years to finish. It stands 414 metres tall and has 80 floors.

With a height of 1220 feet, the Liberation Tower, one of the world's tallest structures, is the country's second tallest structure. The tower features a rotating restaurant and an observation deck.

If a man gives a gift to a woman, the gift must come from his wife, mother, sister, or another female relative.

Kuwait's economy is primarily based on petroleum. Their main export products are fertilisers and petroleum.

Iraq invaded and forcibly annexed Kuwait in August 1990.

Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) is the world's first sovereign wealth fund. Kuwait is also the Arab world's largest investor. Kuwait invested an estimated $8.4 billion in FDI in 2013.

Prior to 1716, when several clans of the Aniza tribe migrated from the interior of the Arabian Desert, Kuwait was a tiny, unnamed Gulf coastal locality. Kuwait was later named after a diminutive of the word kut, which means "fort." Pirates raided the area from the sea and on land, causing the region's economic condition to deteriorate. Following the British takeover of piracy in the region, Kuwait saw prosperity in the form of developing trade and shipbuilding opportunities.

More than 60% of the oil produced in the country is exported to Asian countries.

Falcons can be found in a variety of locations throughout Kuwait. Kuwaiti stamps and currency are always depicted with falcons. The falcon is its national bird, which explains its dominance.

The lyrics to Kuwait's national anthem, Al-Nasheed Al-Watani, were written by poet Ahmad Meshari Al-Adwani and were first played in 1978.

In 2006, Kuwait became the first country to introduce camel racing, with robotic jockeys on board the animals.

Kuwait has 462 kilometres of total border length and 499 kilometres of coastline.

Kuwait and Iraq do not share a common border.

Kuwaiti nationals work primarily in the public and government sectors, while immigrants make up 80% of the labour force.

The coastal region is home to the vast majority of Kuwait's population.

In the country, there are 141 males for every 100 females.

In Kuwait, there are no railways.

Apart from Bahrain, Kuwait is the only GCC country with a local Christian population.

In modern times, the influence of Islam can be seen clearly in Kuwaitis' lifestyle and homes.

Direct contact between women and stranger men is avoided at all times, and homes are built in such a way that the inhabitants' privacy is maintained at all times.

Homes in Kuwait are typically clustered to accommodate the needs of the extended family. As the need to accommodate more family members arises, more rooms are constructed.

Women voted for the first time in Kuwait in April 2006, after the country lifted its ban on women's suffrage (the right to vote in political elections.)

Kuwait controls 10% of the world's oil reserves.

Farming is not possible due to the country's difficult climatic conditions. Instead, Kuwait imports food from other countries and catches its own fish.

Kuwait is also a signatory to the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which prohibits nuclear weapons and substances from being tested in the region.

Despite the difficulties caused by the war with Iraq, Kuwait maintains a high standard of living.

Kuwait is also a founding member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) (OPEC).

Kuwait lacks permanent rivers and lakes, which means it lacks fresh water sources above ground. It employs wells and desalinates sea water for drinking and other purposes. Kuwait, on the other hand, has plenty of oil and some of the world's largest and most advanced desalination plants to produce water for its own consumption.

In Kuwait, only 1% of the total available land area is used for crop cultivation.

In Kuwait, there are no natural forests.

Sadu is a type of traditional Kuwaiti handicraft weaving. Cloth is typically made in the colours red and black.

Kuwait University, which was founded in 1966, is the country's only university.

90% of The National Library of Kuwait's more than 150,000 volumes are in Arabic.

Meals are served family-style and in a strict order, with guests served first, followed by the oldest family member, and so on down to the youngest.

Kuwait has no territories or colonies.

Kuwait's constitution was adopted in 1962.

Kuwait is also one of the world's top ten 'fattest' countries. They prefer a rich diet and do not engage in much physical activity.

Kuwait is one of the most urbanised countries in the world, with the majority of the population residing in Kuwait City, the country's capital. Kuwait's legal system is predominantly secular.

Kuwaiti men dress in a traditional dress known as Dishdasha, which is white in the summer and dark in the winter.

The metric system has been adopted as the country's legal weights and measures standard.

Kuwait also has one of the world's highest per capita incomes. Qatar and Luxembourg are two of the top five on the list.

Kuwaitis constitute a minority within their own country. A law passed in 1981 restricted Kuwaiti citizenship to Muslims only.