Kuwait: Difference between revisions

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| conventional_long_name = State of Kuwait
| conventional_long_name = State of Kuwait
| common_name = Kuwait
| common_name = Kuwait
| image_flag =  
| image_flag = Flag of Kuwait.gif
| national_anthem = [[Al-Nasheed Al-Watani]]
| national_anthem = [[Al-Nasheed Al-Watani]]
| image_map =  
| image_map =  

Revision as of 23:46, 25 March 2008

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State of Kuwait
Flag of Kuwait.gif
National anthem Al-Nasheed Al-Watani
Capital (and largest city) Kuwait City
Official language Arabic
Government type Constitutional Monarchy
Emir Sabbah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah
Prime Minister al-Ahmed al-Sabah
Area 17,820 km²
6880 mi²
Population 2,505,559 [1] (142)
(2007 estimate)
Population density 141/km²
364 mi²
HDI Template:Increase0.891 (high) (33)
Currency Kuwaiti Dinar (KD)
Time zone AST (UTC+3)
Country codes Internet TLD : .kw
Calling code : ++965

The State of Kuwait is a country on the Persian Gulf. It borders Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south. Kuwait is well known as a regional center of the oil industry, which accounts for the majority of its economic output. It was invaded by Iraq under Saddam Hussein, who occupied it for several months before being driven out by an American-led force in the 1991 Gulf War. Despite its small size (a little less than the state of New Jersey). Kuwait is one of the most developed Arab countries and plays an important role in the Middle East

History

Ancient History

Parts of Kuwait have been inhabited since ancient times, most notably Faylakha island, which has evidence of human occupation dating from 3000 BC. Alexander the Great established a trading post on the island, which was called Icaros by the Greeks. The island probably fell under the control of the Selucid, Byzantine, and Sassanid empires when they occupied the surrounding area, although, since the area was something of a backwater, no definitive records exist. Later, nomadic Bedouin tribes inhabited the area, and Islamic armies engaged Persian forces at Kazima in 623 AD, beginning their conquest of Persia.

Sometime before 1613, a small fishing village called Qurain (from the Arabic word Qarn, "hill"), was established on the site of present day Kuwait City by the Bani Khalid tribe. In 1672, Barrak bin Ghuraif, shiek of the Bani Khalid, built a small fortress in the city to protect against the neighboring ruler of Basra. The Arabic word for small fortress is "kuwait", which soon became the name of the entire area.

In 1710, several Bedouin families, including the al-Sabah and al-Khalifa, were forced to leave their homes, in the central part of modern Saudi Arabia. After several decades of wondering around the Arabian peninsula, they gradually, over several waves, made their way to Kuwait, all arriving by 1756.

Geography

Economy

Demographics