Kuwait

Country	State of Kuwait
Capital	Kuwait City
Independence	19 June 1961 (from the UK)
National holiday	National Day, 25 February (1950)
Population	2,646,314 (July 2012 est.)
Sex ratio	1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.6 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.43 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Nationality	Kuwaiti
Religions	Muslim (official) 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%
Languages	Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Literacy	age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 94.4% female: 91% (2005 census)
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: 17,818 sq km land: 17,818 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries	total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 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 elevation 306 m
Natural resources	petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas
Exports - commodities	Oil and refined products, Fertilizers
Imports - commodities	Food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
Land use	arable land: 0.84% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 98.99% (2005)
Irrigated land	100 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources	0.02 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)	total: 0.44 cu km/yr (45%/2%/52%) per capita: 164 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards	sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy 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 freshwater 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping
Geography - note	strategic location at head of Persian Gulf