sh, shrimp, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 8%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 92% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: sudden cloudbursts are common from October to
April; they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads
and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year,
but are most common between March and August

Environment--current issues: limited natural fresh water
resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated
desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water
pollution; desertification

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine
Dumping

Geography--note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People

Population: 1,991,115 (July 1999 est.)
note: includes 1,220,935 non-nationals (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 343,461; female 285,129)
15-64 years: 66% (male 850,689; female 468,618)
65 years and over: 2% (male 26,593; female 16,625) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.88% (1999 est.)
note: this rate reflects the continued post-Gulf crisis return of
expatriates

Birth rate: 20.45 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 2.31 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 20.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.2 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.82 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.6 male(s)/female
total population: 1.58 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.15 years
male: 75.11 years
female: 79.3 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.34 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti

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

Religions: Muslim 85% (Sunni 45%, Shi'a 40%), 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