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Kuwait is a West Asian country on the Persian Gulf, with a rich history of trade and culture. Learn about its etymology, geography, government, economy, demographics, culture and more from this comprehensive encyclopedia article.
- Overview
- Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
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Kuwait, country of the Arabian Peninsula located in the northwestern corner of the Persian Gulf.
A small emirate nestled between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Kuwait is situated in a section of one of the driest, least-hospitable deserts on Earth. Its shore, however, includes Kuwait Bay, a deep harbour on the Persian Gulf. There, in the 18th century, Bedouin from the interior founded a trading post. The name Kuwait is derived from the Arabic diminutive of the Hindustani kūt (“fort”). Since the emirate’s ruling family, the Āl Ṣabāḥ, formally established a sheikhdom in 1756, the country’s fortunes have been linked to foreign commerce. In time and with accumulated wealth, the small fort grew to become Kuwait city, a modern metropolis mingling skyscrapers, apartment buildings, and mosques. Kuwait city has most of the country’s population, which makes Kuwait one of the world’s most-urbanized countries.
Slightly larger in area than the U.S. state of Hawaii, Kuwait is bounded to the west and north by Iraq, to the east by the Persian Gulf, and to the south by Saudi Arabia.
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Kuwait is largely a desert, except for Al-Jahrāʾ oasis, at the western end of Kuwait Bay, and a few fertile patches in the southeastern and coastal areas. Kuwaiti territory includes nine offshore islands, the largest of which are the uninhabited Būbiyān and Al-Warbah. The island of Faylakah, which is located near the entrance of Kuwait Bay, has been populated since prehistoric times.
A territory of 2,200 square miles (5,700 square km) along the gulf was shared by Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as a neutral zone until a political boundary was agreed on in 1969. Each of the two countries now administers half of the territory (called the Neutral, or Partitioned, Zone), but they continue to share equally the revenues from oil production in the entire area. Although the boundary with Saudi Arabia is defined, the border with Iraq remains in dispute.
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The relief of Kuwait is generally flat or gently undulating, broken only by occasional low hills and shallow depressions. The elevations range from sea level in the east to 951 feet (290 metres) above sea level at Al-Shiqāyā peak, in the western corner of the country. The Al-Zawr Escarpment, one of the main topographic features, borders the northwe...
Kuwait has no permanent surface water, either in the form of standing bodies such as lakes or in the form of flows such as perennial rivers. Intermittent water courses (wadis) are localized and generally terminate in interior desert basins. Little precipitation is absorbed beyond the surface level, with most being lost to evaporation.
True soils scarcely exist naturally in Kuwait. Those that exist are of little agricultural productivity and are marked by an extremely low amount of organic matter. Eolian soils and other sedimentary deposits are common, and a high degree of salinity is found, particularly in basins and other locations where residual water pools. One of the environ...
Learn about Kuwait, a small emirate on the Persian Gulf with a rich history and a high standard of living. Explore its land, people, culture, politics, and more with Britannica.
Dec 18, 2023 · A conservative state with a Sunni Muslim majority and a US ally, Kuwait stands out from the other Gulf monarchies for having the most open political system. The emirate's parliament has the most...
Sep 9, 2024 · A comprehensive overview of Kuwait's geography, people, society, government, economy, and more. Learn about its history, culture, natural resources, challenges, and opportunities from the official source of basic information.
Learn about the ancient and modern history of Kuwait, a sovereign state in Western Asia at the head of the Persian Gulf. Explore its geography, culture, trade, wars, and more from prehistoric times to the present.
4 days ago · Learn about Kuwait's culture, traditions, cuisine, and arts from Britannica. Explore how Kuwait balances its Arab-Islamic heritage with Western influences, and how it preserves its folk arts and sports.
4 days ago · Learn about Kuwait's origin, development, and challenges as an independent state in the Persian Gulf. Explore its relations with Britain, Iraq, Iran, and other countries in the region.
