Kuwait is a small country located in the Middle East and Asia. It is situated in a section of one of the driest and harshest deserts on Earth. It borders Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq. Its official name is the State of Kuwait, and its capital city is Kuwait City. The Major languages spoken in this country are English and Arabic. Let us go through some of the most interesting facts about Kuwait.
1. ‘Kuwait’ name
The name ‘Kuwait’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘Kut,’ which means fort. The country rarely had any settlement until the 18th century. There were only nomads then who would come and move out. After suffering from the drought of the desert, the nomadic tribes decided to settle on the coastal area of the Arabian Gulf. They fortified settlements in that area, and that is where the name came from. To date, it is known as Kuwait.
2. Economy
Kuwait is the third richest country in the Middle East when measured by GDP. It is also the 21st richest country in the world. According to World Bank, it has the fourth-highest per capita income in the world.
3. Currency
Kuwait has a highly developed economy. Its currency is known as ‘Kuwaiti Dinar,’ meaning ‘fortress built near water and it is among the highest-valued currency in the world. What a rich country! Falcon is found everywhere and is also seen on currencies and stamps.
4. Women and Voting
Kuwait allowed its women to vote only recently, from 2005. Before then, women were not allowed to exercise their democratic rights during elections. However, after a lot of struggle and protest, they finally had their way. Full political rights were then granted to women in Kuwait.
5. Camel racing
It became the first natiion in the world to introduce camel racing in 2006. The use of remote-controlled robot jockeys normally aids the sport.
6. Farming
Only 1% of the country is viable for farming since most of Kuwait is covered in desert. The country, therefore, imports most of its food items. These include fruits and vegetables.
7. Transport
Kuwait has one of the best transport systems globally because it is among the world’s richest countries. However, it does not have a railway system.
8. Petroleum and Oil
Kuwait’s economy is mostly made up of oil production. Kuwait has the 6th largest oil reserve in the world. The cost of oil production in Kuwait is the lowest globally since oil lies close to the Earth’s surface at its coast. Therefore it is easy and economical to drill it.
9. Constitution
Kuwait is the first Gulf country to have established and promulgated its constitution in 1963.
10. People and holidays
Most people in Kuwait are Islamic. It is illegal to eat, drink, play loud music, and dance during daylight hours in public during the month of Ramadan in Kuwait.
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