Basic Country Facts

Government Name of country: conventional long form: State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt Data code: KU Type of government: nominal constitutional monarchy Capital: Kuwait Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Jahrah, Al Kuwayt, Hawalli, Al Farwaniyah Independence: 19 June 1961 (from UK) National holiday: National Day, 25 February (1950) Constitution: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21 note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years will be eligible to vote Executive branch: chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) is a hereditary monarch of the MUBARAK line of the ruling Sabah family head of government: Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978), First Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992), and Second Deputy Prime Minister Nasir Abdallah al-RUDAN (since NA) were appointed by the Amir cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister and approved by the amir Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Majlis al-umma): elected members serve four-year terms; elections last held 5 October 1992 (next to be held NA September 1996); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (50 total) independents 50; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: none Other political or pressure groups: 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, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim Al SABAH chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER embassy: Bneid al-Gar (opposite the Kuwait International Hotel), Kuwait City mailing address: P.O. Box 77, SAFAT, 13001 SAFAT, Kuwait; Unit 6900, APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: [965] 2424151 through 2424159 FAX: [965] 2442855 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side