Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher William DELL
embassy: Arberia/Dragodan, Nazim Hikmet 30, Pristina, Kosovo
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [381] 38 59 59 3000
FAX: [381] 38 549 890
Flag description:
centered on a dark blue field is the geographical shape of Kosovo in
a gold color surmounted by six white, five-pointed stars arrayed in
a slight arc; each star represents one of the major ethnic groups of
Kosovo: Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Gorani, Roma, and Bosniaks
National anthem:
name: "Europe"
lyrics/music: none/Mendi MENGJIQI
note: adopted 2008; Kosovo chose to not include lyrics in its anthem
so as not to offend minority ethnic groups in the country
Economy ::Kosovo
Economy - overview:
Over the past few years Kosovo's economy has shown significant
progress in transitioning to a market-based system and maintaining
macroeconomic stability, but it is still highly dependent on the
international community and the diaspora for financial and technical
assistance. Remittances from the diaspora - located mainly in
Germany and Switzerland - are estimated to account for about 14% of
GDP, and donor-financed activities and aid for another 7.5%.
Kosovo's citizens are the poorest in Europe with an average annual
per capita income of only $2,500. Unemployment, around 40% of the
population, is a significant problem that encourages outward
migration and black market activity. Most of Kosovo's population
lives in rural towns outside of the capital, Pristina. Inefficient,
near-subsistence farming is common - the result of small plots,
limited mechanization, and lack of technical expertise. With
international assistance, Kosovo has been able to privatize 50% of
its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by number, and over 90% of SOEs
by value. Minerals and metals - including lignite, lead, zinc,
nickel, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, and a wide variety of
construction materials - once formed the backbone of industry, but
output has declined because of ageing equipment and insufficient
investment. A limited and unreliable electricity supply due to
technical and financial problems is a major impediment to economic
development. Kosovo's Ministry of Energy and Mining has solicited
expressions of interest from private investors to develop a new
power plant in order to address Kosovo and the region's unmet and
growing demands for power. The official currency of Kosovo is the
euro, but the Serbian dinar is also used in Serb enclaves. Kosovo's
tie to the euro has helped keep core inflation low. Kosovo has one
of the most open economies in the region, and continues to work with
the international community on measures to improve the business
environment and attract foreign investment. Kosovo has kept the
government budget in balance as a result of efficient value added
tax (VAT) collection at the borders and inefficient budget
execution. In order to help integrate Kosovo into regional economic
structures, UNMIK signed (on behalf of Kosovo) its accession to the
Central Europe Free Trade Area (CEFTA) in 2006. However, Serbia and
Bosnia have refused to recognize Kosovo's customs stamp or extend
reduced tariff privileges for Kosovo products under CEFTA. In July
2008, Kosovo received pledges of $1.9 billion from 37 countries in
support of its reform priorities. In June 2009, Kosovo joined the
World Bank and International Monetary Fund, and Kosovo began
servicing its share of the former Yugoslavia's debt.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$5.3 billion (2008); $4.7 billion
country comparison to the world: 158
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.237 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,500 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 174
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 12.9%
industry: 22.6%
services: 64.5% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
NA (2009 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 16.5%
industry: NA
services: NA (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
16.6% (2009 est.); 14%
country comparison to the world: 157
Population below poverty line:
35% (2007 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30 (FY05/06)
Investment (gross fixed):
15.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Public debt:
NA% of GDP
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.09% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
13.79% (31 December 2008 est.)
Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, berries, potatoes, peppers
Industries:
mineral mining, construction materials, base metals, leather,
machinery, appliances
Electricity - production:
832 million kWh (2006)
country comparison to the world: 149
Electricity - consumption:
4.281 billion kWh (2006)
country comparison to the world: 115
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007)
country comparison to the world: 158
Oil - consumption:
NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:
NA bbl
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007)
country comparison to the world: 169
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007)
country comparison to the world: 123
Natural gas - proved reserves:
NA cu m
Current account balance:
-$2.716 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
-$2.408 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$527 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
mining and processed metal products, scrap metals, leather products,
machinery, appliances
Imports:
$2.6 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, wood, petroleum, chemicals, machinery and electrical
equipment
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$NA
Debt - external:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$21.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
$21.32 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7338 (2009), 0.6827
(2008), 0.7345 (2007)
Communications ::Kosovo
Telephones - main lines in use:
106,300 (2006)
country comparison to the world: 143
Telephones - mobile cellular:
562,000 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 157
Transportation ::Kosovo
Airports:
8 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 165
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4
under 914 m: 4 (2010)
Heliports:
2 (2010)
Railways:
total: 430 km
country comparison to the world: 116
standard gauge: 430 km 1.435-m gauge (2007)
Roadways:
total: 1,926 km
country comparison to the world: 175
paved: 1,668 km
unpaved: 258 km (2009)
Military ::Kosovo
Military branches:
Kosovo Security Force (2010)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 429,645
females age 16-49: 389,071 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues ::Kosovo
Disputes - international:
Serbia with several other states protest the US and other states'
recognition of Kosovo's declaring itself as a sovereign and
independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities
along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of
Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers
under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo
between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in
Kosovo; Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary
in September 2008
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDP's: 21,000 (2007)
page last updated on January 12, 2011
======================================================================
@Kuwait (Middle East)
Introduction ::Kuwait
Background:
Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti
AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. Kuwait was
attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several
weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground
assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days.
Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure
damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since
returning to power in 1991 and reestablished an elected legislature
that in recent years has become increasingly assertive. The country
witnessed the historic election in May 2009 of four women to its
National Assembly.
Geography ::Kuwait
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
country comparison to the world: 157
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
Land use:
arable land: 0.84%
permanent crops: 0.17%
other: 98.99% (2005)
Irrigated land:
130 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 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: 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
People ::Kuwait
Population:
2,789,132
country comparison to the world: 139
note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 361,274/female 348,351)
15-64 years: 70.7% (male 1,219,674/female 683,494)
65 years and over: 3% (male 49,807/female 29,926) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.4 years
male: 28.2 years
female: 22.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.501%
country comparison to the world: 5
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of
expatriates (2010 est.)
Birth rate:
21.64 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
Death rate:
2.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 224
Net migration rate:
15.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
Urbanization:
urban population: 98% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.041 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.79 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.65 male(s)/female
total population: 1.54 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.75 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 159
male: 9.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.89 years
country comparison to the world: 51
male: 76.64 years
female: 79.18 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.7 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti
Ethnic groups:
Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%
Religions:
Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu,
Parsi) 15%
Languages:
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.3%
male: 94.4%
female: 91% (2005 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 118
Government ::Kuwait
Country name:
conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
local short form: Al Kuwayt
Government type:
constitutional emirate
Capital:
name: Kuwait City
geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al
'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir
Independence:
19 June 1961 (from the 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:
21 years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the military or
police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote
as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years
Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29
January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since
7 February 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister NASIR AL-MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad
al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR
AL-MUBAREK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime
Minister MUHAMMAD AL-SABAH al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
approved by the amir
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime
minister and deputy prime ministers
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all cabinet
ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National
Assembly)
elections: last held on 16 May 2009 (next election to be held in
2013)
election results: percent of vote by bloc - NA; seats by bloc -
tribal MPs 25 (all Sunni Muslims, and represented primarily by the
Al-Mutairi, Al-Azmi, Al-Ajmi, and Al-Rasheedi tribes), Shia Muslims
9, liberals 7, independents 6, Salafi (Sunni) Islamists 3
Judicial branch:
High Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
none; formation of political parties is in practice illegal but is
not forbidden by law
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: Islamists; merchants; political groups; secular liberals and
pro-governmental deputies; Shia activists; tribal groups
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO,
G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, Paris Club (associate), PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah K. JONES
embassy: Bayan 36302, Block 13, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the
Bayan palace), Kuwait City
mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE
09880-9000
telephone: [965] 2259-1001
FAX: [965] 2538-0282
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a
black trapezoid based on the hoist side; colors and design are based
on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I; green represents fertile
fields, white stands for purity, red denotes blood on Kuwaiti
swords, black signifies the defeat of the enemy
National anthem:
name: "Al-Nasheed Al-Watani" (National Anthem)
lyrics/music: Ahmad MUSHARI al-Adwani/Ibrahim Nasir al-SOULA
note: adopted 1978; the anthem is only used on formal occasions
Economy ::Kuwait
Economy - overview:
Kuwait has a geographically small, but wealthy, relatively open
economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 102 billion
barrels - about 9% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly
half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 95% of government income.
Kuwaiti officials have committed to increasing oil production to 4
million barrels per day by 2020. The rise in global oil prices
throughout 2010 is reviving government consumption and economic
growth as Kuwait experiences a 20% increase in government budget
revenue. Kuwait has done little to diversify its economy, in part,
because of this positive fiscal situation, and, in part, due to the
poor business climate and the acrimonious relationship between the
National Assembly and the executive branch, which has stymied most
movement on economic reforms. Nonetheless, the government in May
2010 passed a privatization bill that allows the government to sell
assets to private investors, and in January passed an economic
development plan that pledges to spend up to $130 billion in five
years to diversify the economy away from oil, attract more
investment, and boost private sector participation in the economy.
Increasing government expenditures by so large an amount during the
planned time frame may be difficult to accomplish.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$144.3 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
$139.8 billion (2009 est.)
$146.5 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$117.3 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
-4.6% (2009 est.)
8.5% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$51,700 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
$51,900 (2009 est.)
$56,400 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 48.1%
services: 51.6% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
2.154 million
country comparison to the world: 118
note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force (2010 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
2.2% (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
13.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
Public debt:
12.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
13.1% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
4% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 109
3.75% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
5.9% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 121
7.61% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$18.12 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 65
$16.38 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$88.71 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
$86.53 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$96.71 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
$90.71 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$95.94 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 33
$107.2 billion (31 December 2008)
$188 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
fish
Industries:
petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water
desalination, food processing, construction materials
Industrial production growth rate:
2.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
Electricity - production:
45.83 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Electricity - consumption:
40.21 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
2.494 million bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Oil - consumption:
320,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Oil - exports:
2.349 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
Oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
Oil - proved reserves:
104 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
Natural gas - production:
12.7 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Natural gas - consumption:
12.7 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Natural gas - imports:
300 million cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
note: Kuwait signed a deal with ?XX? to import 2 billion cu m per
year in 2010 and beyond (2009 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.798 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Current account balance:
$38.2 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
$28.61 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$65.03 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
$50.34 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil and refined products, fertilizers
Exports - partners:
Japan 17.9%, South Korea 17.31%, India 12.43%, Taiwan 9.07%, US
7.9%, China 7.55%, Singapore 5.48% (2009)
Imports:
$20.36 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
$17.08 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
Imports - partners:
US 11.18%, China 9.07%, Germany 7.63%, Japan 7.14%, Saudi Arabia
6.24%, Italy 5%, France 4.77%, India 4.09%, UK 4.02% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$22.42 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
$20.38 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$56.81 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
$55.23 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$1.281 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
$1.081 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$44.31 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
$34.73 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.2888 (2010), 0.2877 (2009),
0.2679 (2008), 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006)
Communications ::Kuwait
Telephones - main lines in use:
553,500 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 94
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.876 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 105
Telephone system:
general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a
mobile-cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the
country is well supplied with pay telephones