Over 90% of the country’s estimated 2.8 million population lives within a 500-square kilometer area surrounding Kuwait City and its harbor. Although the majority of people residing in the State of Kuwait are of Arab origin, less than half are originally from the Arabian Peninsula. The discovery of oil in 1938 drew many Arabs from nearby states. Following the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation in 1991, the Kuwaiti Government undertook a serious effort to reduce the expatriate population by specifically limiting the entry of workers from nations whose leaders had supported Iraq during the Gulf War. Kuwait later abandoned this policy, and it currently has a sizable foreign labor force (over 60% of the total population). Of the country’s total population, approximately 2.1 million are Muslims, including nearly all of its 956,000 citizens. While the national census does not distinguish between Sunni and Shi’a adherents, the majority of citizens, including the ruling family, belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. The total Sunni Muslim population is approximately 1.7 million, 669,000 of whom are citizens. The remaining 30% of Muslim citizens (approximately 287,000) are Shi’a, as are approximately 100,000 noncitizen residents. Estimates of the Christian population range from 250,000-300,000 residents, including about 200 citizens. There also are communities of Hindus (estimated at 100,000) and Sikhs (estimated at 10,000).
Cities: Capital--Kuwait City. Other cities--Ahmadi, Jahra, Fahaheel.
Terrain: Almost entirely flat desert plain (highest elevation point--306 m).
Climate: Summers are intensely hot and dry with average highs ranging from 42o-46oC (108o-115oF); winters are short (Dec.-Feb.) and cool, averaging 10o-30oC (50o-80oF), with limited rain.