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, AL, AMF,
BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM,
OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Sheikh Salem Abdullah
Al Jaber AL SABAH FAX: Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Richard H. JONES embassy: Bayan, near the Bayan palace, Kuwait City
mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait Unit 69000,
APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 539-5307, ext. 2240 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

Economy Kuwait

Economy - overview: Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open
economy with proved crude oil reserves of 94 billion barrels - 10%
of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90%
of export revenues, and 75% of government income. Kuwait's climate
limits agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of
fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable
water must be distilled or imported. Higher oil prices put the FY99/00
budget into a $2 billion surplus. The FY00/01 budget covers only nine
months because of a change in the fiscal year. The budget for FY01/02
envisioned higher expenditures for salaries, construction, and other
general categories. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil
companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $30.9 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,100 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: industry: 60% services: 39.7% agriculture:
0.3% (2000)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (2001)

Labor