Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Fun & Interesting Facts about Kuwait


  • Kuwait is officially known as the ‘State of Kuwait’.
  • The official language of Kuwait is Arabic, but English is also widely spoken and understood.
  • The main ethnic groups in Kuwait include Kuwaiti, other Arab, South Asian and Iranian.
  • Majority of the people in Kuwait follow Islam, followed by Christian, Hindu and Parsi religion.
  • The currency of Kuwait is Kuwaiti Dinar.
  • The capital of Kuwait is Kuwait City.
  • Kuwait follows the system of ‘Constitutional Monarchy’, with a Parliamentary System of government.
  • Kuwait became an independent country, after the end of British Protectorate, on 19th June 1961.
  • Apart from having world's fifth largest proven oil reserves, Kuwait is the fourth richest country in the world in terms of per capita income.
  • Kuwait's oil fields were discovered and exploited in the 1930s.
  • Petroleum and petroleum products make up around 95 percent of export revenues, and 80 percent of government income, in Kuwait.
  • In 1990, Kuwait was invaded and annexed by neighboring Iraq. The occupation lasted seven month and ended after direct military intervention by United States-led forces.
  • The island of Failaka in Kuwait was an ancient trading post.
  • Kuwait came under the leadership of the Al Sabah family in 1750s, with semi-autonomy from the Ottomans.
  • Kuwait entered the Special Treaty of Friendship with Britain in 1899, to prevent the occurrence of Ottoman direct rule.
  • The borders between Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia were agreed in the 1920s and 1930s.
  • Kuwait became a member of the Arab League in 1961 and that of United Nations in 1963.
  • Kuwait was the first Arab country in the Gulf to have an elected parliament.
  • Full political rights were granted to women in Kuwait, in 2005.
  • Kuwaiti men usually wear the national dress of long white dishdashes and white headcloths, while women wear yashmaks.
  • Kuwaiti food is primarily based on the staple product of rice.
  • Kuwait is one of the smallest countries in the world.

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