me

Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31
December 1977); Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdullah al-Salim Al Sabah
head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah
(since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
the Interior NAWWAF al-Ahmad Al Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime
Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad Al Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad
Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
approved by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Islamists 21,
government supporters 14, liberals 3, and independents 12; note -
all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National
Assembly

Judicial branch:
High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
none; formation of political parties is illegal

Political pressure groups and leaders:
several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins,
merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and
nationalists

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah Jabir Al Sabah
FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868
telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON
embassy: Bayan, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan
palace), Kuwait City
mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE
09880-9000
telephone: [965] 539-5307, 5308
FAX: [965] 538-0282

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a
black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to
1961, base