nt, a US-led UN coalition
began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that completely liberated
Kuwait in four days. Kuwait has spent more than $5 billion dollars to
repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91.

@Kuwait:Geography

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and
Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references: Middle East

Area:
total: 17,820 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 464 km
border countries: Iraq 242 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline: 499 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, 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, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine
Dumping

Geography - note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

@Kuwait:People

Population: 1,973,572
note: includes 1,159,913 non-nationals (July 2000 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.36% (male 295,102; female 284,327)
15-64 years: 68.32% (male 860,318; female 488,004)
65 years and over: 2.32% (male 29,544; female 16,277) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.44% (2000 est.)
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of
expatriates

Birth rate: 22.04 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 2.45 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 14.77 migrant(s)/1,000 popul