Kuwait General Information

Area: 17,818 sq km (6880 sq miles).

Population: 2,419,900 (official estimate 2002).

Population Density: 135.8 per sq km.

Capital: Kuwait City. Population: 28,747 (1995).

GEOGRAPHY: Kuwait shares borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. To the southeast lies the Persian Gulf, where Kuwait has sovereignty over nine small islands (the largest is Bubiyan and the most populous is Failaka). The landscape is predominantly desert plateau with a lower, more fertile coastal belt.

Government: Traditional Arab monarchy. Gained full independence from the UK in 1961. Head of State: Jabir Al Ahmad Al Jabir Al Sabah since 1978. Head of Government: Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jabir Al Sabah since 2003.

Language: Arabic, but English is widely understood, especially in commerce and industry.

Religion: 95 per cent Muslim (mostly of the Sunni sect), with Christian and Hindu minorities.

Time: GMT + 3.

Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz; single phase. UK-type flat three-pin plugs are used.

Communications:

Telephone: Full IDD is available. Country code: 965. Outgoing international code: 00.

Mobile telephone: GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Network operators include Mobile Telecom (website: www.mtc-vodafone.com) and National Mobile Telecom (website: www.wataniya.com).

Fax: Most hotels have facilities.

Internet: Internet cafes throughout Kuwait provide public access to e-mail and Internet services. ISPs include Gulfnet International (website: www.zajil.com) and QualityNet .

Telegram: Telegram services are available 24-hours at the Ministry of Post and Telegraph Offices, Abdullah Al Salem Square, Kuwait City, but must be handed to the post office.

Post: Airmail to Western Europe takes about five days. Post office hours: Sat-Wed 0700-1400, Thurs 0700-1200.

Press: The English-language newspapers are the Arab Times and the Kuwait Times. Although remaining loyal to the ruling family, the press enjoys a fair degree of freedom.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.