Kuwait experienced its worst-ever act of terrorismwhen a suicide bomber struck a Shi(ite mosque inKuwait City during Friday prayers on June 26,

2015, killing 27 people and wounding more than 200. Agroup affiliated with the extremist Islamic State in Iraqand the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for theattack. The Kuwaiti authorities made dozens of arrests inthe aftermath of the bombing. They also announced thatthey had determined that the bomberwas a Saudi citizen who had enteredthe country illegally just hours beforethe attack. In September seven othersuspects linked to the bombing wereconvicted and sentenced to death.

DemographyPopulation (2015): 4,161,000.Density (2015): persons per sq mi604.8, persons per sq km 233.5.

Sex distribution (2015): male59.71%; female 40.29%.

Population projection: (2020)4,663,000; (2030) 5,613,000.

Major cities (20143): Qalib al-Shuyukh 294,926; Al-Salimiyah 280,087; Al-Farwaniyah 236,932;Hawalli 194,834; Kuwait (city)59,590 (urban agglomeration[2014] 2,680,000).

Urban-rural (2014):

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 population(2013): 17.2 (world avg. 19.5).

Death rate per 1,000 population(2013): 1.7 (world avg. 8.1).

Natural increase rate per 1,000 popu-lation (2013): 15.5 (world avg. 11.4).

Life expectancy at birth (2012): male73.4 years; female 75.4 years.

Age breakdown (2005):

Ethnic composition (2013): Religious affiliation (2013)7:

Kuwait

Official name: Dawlat al-Kuwayt (Stateof Kuwait).

Form of government: constitutionalmonarchy with one legislative house(National Assembly [501]).

Head of state and government: EmirSheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah, assisted by Prime MinisterSheikh Jabir al-Mubarak al-Hamud al-Sabah.

Capital: Kuwait (city).Official language: Arabic.Official religion: Islam.Monetary unit: Kuwaiti dinar (KD); valuation (Sept. 1, 2015) 1 KD =U.S.$3.31 = £2.16.

Area and population area population

20142

Governorates Capitals sq mi sq km estimate

Al-Ahmadi Al-Ahmadi 1,977 5,120 809,353Al-!AÆimah Kuwait (city)

(Al-Kuwayt) 77 200 534,964Al-Farwaniyah Al-Farwaniyah 73 190 1,077,377Al-Jahra) Al-Jahra) 4,336 11,230 491,392Hawalli Hawalli 31 80 890,533Mubarak al-Kabir … 39 100 230,727

Islands4 — 347 900 …TOTAL 6,880 17,8185 4,039,4456

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National economyBudget (2012–13). Revenue: KD 32,008,543,000 (oil revenue 93.6%,assorted taxes 1.1%). Expenditures: KD 19,307,-557,000 (public utilities 20.3%, social security andwelfare 18.9%, general public administration 17.4%,education 12.7%, defense 8.8%, health 6.5%).

Public debt (external, outstanding; 2010): U.S.$7,092,-000,000.

Gross national income (2013): U.S.$186,870,000,000(U.S.$55,470 per capita); purchasing power parityGNI (U.S.$87,700 per capita).

Average Kuwaiti household size (2004): 4.8.Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture,forestry, fishing (2013): tomatoes 74,449, cucumbersand gherkins 55,913, potatoes 46,800, dates 36,978,cauliflowers and broccoli 26,882, eggplants 26,083, dryonions 21,847, chilies and peppers 18,284, lettuce and chicory 14,072,okra 5,614; livestock (number of live animals) 477,000 sheep, 174,000goats, 12,000 camels; roundwood 19,236 cu m, of which fuelwood100%; fisheries production (2012) 4,810 (from aquaculture 6%).Mining and quarrying (2013): sulfur 820,000; lime 50,000.Manufacturing (value added in U.S.$’000,000; 2012): crude andrefined petroleum 5,025; chemicals and chemical products 2,542; foodand food products 509; cement, bricks, and ceramics 463; fabricatedmetal products 230; textiles and wearing apparel 228. Energy produc-tion (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 2012) 61,119,000,000 ([2011]57,457,000,000), by source (2012): fossil fuels 100%; coal, none(none); crude petroleum (barrels; 2014) 1,048,000,000 ([2011]324,000,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 2011) 36,115,000(12,784,000); natural gas (cu m; 2013) 15,500,000,000 ([2012]18,180,000,000).

Population economically active (2011): total 2,227,400, of whichKuwaiti 17.5%, non-Kuwaiti 82.5%; participation rates (2011): ages15–64, male 87.9%; female 62.1%; unemployed (2014) 2.1%, of whichyouth (ages 15–24; 2011) 14.6%.

Land use as % of total land area (2011): in temporary crops or left fallow 0.6%, in permanent crops 0.3%, in pasture 7.6%, forest area0.4%.

Foreign trade11

Imports (2013): KD 8,312,900,000 (machinery andapparatus 21.7%, road vehicles 17.3%, food andfood products 14.5%, chemicals and chemicalproducts 8.7%, base metals 5.3%). Major import sources:

Exports (2013): KD 32,359,700,000 (crude andrefined petroleum 94.3%, chemicals and chemicalproducts 1.8%, plastic products 1.4%). Major export destinations12:

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads: none. Roads (2012):total length 4,461 mi, 7,180 km (paved

100%). Vehicles (20143): passengercars 1,411,372; trucks and buses277,607.

Education and healthLiteracy (2015): percentage of total populationage 15 and over literate 96.3%; males literate96.5%; females literate 95.8%.

Health (2012): physicians 8,259 (1 per 396 per-sons); hospital beds 8,375 (1 per 455 persons);infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births(2013) 7.6; undernourished population(2005–07) 100,000 (5% of total populationbased on the consumption of a minimum dailyrequirement of 1,950 calories).

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (November 2014):15,500 (army 71.0%, navy/coast guard12.9%, air force 16.1%); U.S. troops 13,000;Canadian troops 530. Military expenditureas percentage of GDP (2014): 2.7%; percapita expenditure U.S.$1,198.

1Excludes 15 cabinet ministers not elected to National Assembly serving ex officio. 2July 1. 3January 1.4Includes Bubiyan Island (333 sq mi [863 sq km]) and Warbah Island (14 sq mi [37 sq km]). 5Detail doesnot add to total given because of rounding. 6Includes 5,099 inhabitants with unknown residence.7Includes noncitizens. 8Manufacturing includes oil products. 9Indirect taxes less imputed bank andinsurance service charges. 10Unclassified. 11Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b. 12Excluding petroleum exports.13Subscribers.

Internet resources for further information:• Central Bank of Kuwait www.cbk.gov.kw• Central Statistical Bureau www.csb.gov.kw

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force2013 2011

in value % of total labour % of labourKD ’000,000 value force force

Agriculture, forestry, fishing 175.3 0.4 41,800 1.9Mining and quarrying 31,384.7 63.0 7,100 0.3Oil and natural gasManufacturing 3,374.48 6.88 121,600 5.5Construction 860.4 1.7 186,800 8.4Public utilities 900.4 1.8 15,100 0.7Transp. and commun. 2,613.0 5.2 69,100 3.1Trade, hotels 1,975.3 4.0 345,700 15.5Finance, real estate 6,494.8 13.0 114,900 5.2Pub. admin., defense 8,394.1 16.8 1,034,600 46.4ServicesOther –6,309.99 –12.79 290,70010 13.010

TOTAL 49,862.65 100.0 2,227,400 100.0

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2014 7,60013 2,18413

Landline 2014 494 142

Internet users 2009 1,100 369Broadband 2014 4813 1413

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