ian Gulf

@Kuwait:People

Population: 1,834,269 (July 1997 est.)
note: includes 1,381,063 non-nationals (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 333,251; female 272,206)
15-64 years : 65% (male 772,612; female 421,205)
65 years and over: 2% (male 21,028; female 13,967) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 4.34% (1997 est.)
note : this rate reflects the continued post-Gulf crisis return of
expatriates

Birth rate: 21.54 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 2.28 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 24.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.22 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.83 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.51 male(s)/female
total population : 1.59 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.44 years
male: 74.43 years
female: 78.56 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.54 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups: Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian
4%, other 7%

Religions: Muslim 85% (Shi'a 30%, Sunni 45%, other 10%), Christian,
Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.6%
male : 82.2%
female: 74.9% (1995 est.)

@Kuwait:Government

Country name:
conventional long form : State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
local short form: Al Kuwayt

Data code: KU

Government type: nominal constitutional monarchy

National capital: Kuwait

Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, Hawalli, Al Farwaniyah

Independence: 19 June 1961 (from UK)

National holiday: National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in
personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more
or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants
at age 21
note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,
naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but
have been naturalized for 30