war-ravaged petroleum sector; its
crude oil production averaged 2 million barrels per day in 1996.
Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90% of export revenues, and
75% of government income. Kuwait lacks water and has practically no
arable land, thus preventing development of agriculture. With the
exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75%
of potable water must be distilled or imported. Because of its high
per capita income, comparable with Western European incomes, Kuwait
provides its citizens with extensive health, educational, and
retirement benefits. The bulk of the work force is non-Kuwaiti, living
at a considerably lower level. Per capita military expenditures are
among the highest in the world. The economy improved moderately in
1994-96, with the growth in industry and finance. The World Bank has
urged Kuwait to push ahead with privatization, including in the oil
industry, but the government will move slowly on opening the petroleum
sector.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $32.5 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,700 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0%
industry : 42%
services: 58% (1994)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 4.5% (1996 est.)

Labor force:
total: 1 million (1994 est.)
by occupation: industry and agriculture 25%, services 25%, government
and social services 50% (1994 est.)
note: 72.07% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
(July 1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 1.8% (official 1996 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $10 billion
expenditures : $14 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY96/97 est.)

Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing,
construction materials, salt, construction

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1995 est.)

Electricity - capacity: 6.99 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 21.76 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 12,793 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: practically no crops; extensive fishing in
territorial waters

Exports:
total value: $13.6 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities : oil
partners: Japan 23%, India 16%, US 12%, Singapore 10%, Netherlands 10%
(1995 est.)

Imports:
total value: $8.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: food, construction materials, vehicles and parts,
clothing
partners : US 24%, UK 14%, France 13%, J