KUWAIT CHRISTIAN DATING
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Geography
Area: 17,820 sq. km. (6,880 sq. mi.); approximately the size of the State of New Jersey.
Cities: Capital -- Kuwait City, pop. (2002 est.) 413,170. Other cities --Ahmadi, Jahra, Fahaheel.
Terrain: Almost entirely flat desert plain (highest elevation point--306 m).
Climate: Summers are intensely hot and dry with average highs ranging from 42^o-46^oC (108^o-115^oF); winters are short (Dec.-Feb.) and cool, averaging 10^o-30^oC (50^o-80^oF), with limited rain.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective-- Kuwaiti(s).
Population (2003 est.): 2.42 million, including about 1.5 million non-Kuwaiti citizens.
Annual growth rate: 4.8%.
Ethnic groups: Kuwaiti 38%, other Arab 22%, non-Arab (primarily Asian) 36%, stateless 5%. Christian singles note-Religion: Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi’a 30% among Kuwaitis), with small Hindu, Christian and Sikh communities.
Languages: Arabic (official), English is widely spoken.
Education: Compulsory from ages 6-14; free at all levels for Kuwaitis, including higher education. Adult Literacy (age 15 and over) -- 83.5% for the overall population (male 85.1%, female 81.7%), 91.2% for Kuwaitis (male 91.4%, female 90.8%).
Health: Infant mortality rate --11 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy--75 yrs. male, 77 yrs. female.
Work force (2002 actual): 1.364 million (of which about 19% are Kuwaiti nationals. 62.7% male; 37.3% female).

Government
Type: Constitutional hereditary emirate.
Independence: June 19, 1961 (from U.K.).
Constitution: Approved and promulgated November 11, 1962.
Branches: Executive--Amir (head of state); prime minister (head of government); Council of Ministers (cabinet) is appointed by prime minister and approved by the Amir. Legislative--unicameral elected National Assembly (Majlis al-'Umma) of 50 members who serve 4-year terms. Judicial--High Court of Appeal.
Administrative subdivisions: Six governorates (muhafazat): Al 'Asimah, Hawalli, Al Ahmadi, Al Jahra', Mubarak Al-Kebir, and Al Farwaniyah.
Political parties: None; formal political parties are banned although de facto political blocs exist.
Elections: There are no executive branch elections; the Amir is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime ministers are appointed by the Amir. Legislative branch elections were last held July 5, 2003 (next National Assembly election is due in 2007) Suffrage: Adult males who have been citizens for 20 years and are not in the security forces (about 14% of all citizens).

Economy
GDP (2003): $42.8 billion.
Real GDP growth rate (2003 ): 9.9%. 
Natural resources: Oil, natural gas, fish.
Agriculture (about 0.3% of GDP): With the exception of fish, most food is imported. Cultivated land--1%.
Industry (about 60% of GDP): Types--petroleum extraction and refining, fertilizer, chemicals, desalination, construction materials.
Services (about 39% of GDP): public administration, finance, real estate, trade, hotels and restaurants
Trade (2002): Exports --$ 15.474 billion: oil (91.3%). Major markets --Japan 25%, South Korea 13%, U.S. 12%, Singapore 10%, Netherlands 4.5%. Imports--$7.424 billion: food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing. Major suppliers--U.S. 13%, Japan 11%, Germany 9%, U.K. 6%, Saudi Arabia 6%.

PEOPLE
Over 90% of the population lives within a 500-square kilometer area surrounding Kuwait City and its harbor. Although the majority of people residing in the State of Kuwait are of Arab origin, less than half are originally from the Arabian Peninsula. The discovery of oil in 1938 drew many Arabs from nearby states. Following the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi occupation in 1991, the Kuwaiti Government undertook a serious effort to reduce the expatriate population by specifically limiting the entry of workers from nations whose leaders had supported Iraq during the Gulf War. Kuwait later abandoned this policy, and it currently has a sizable foreign labor force (over 60% of the total population).

Christian singles note-The national census does not distinguish between Sunni and Shi’a adherents, but an estimated 1.6 million residents, including the ruling family and 600,000 Kuwaiti nationals, belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. An estimated 400,000 Muslims are Shi’a including about 300,000 Kuwaitis. Estimates of the Christian population range from 250,000-500,000 residents, including about 200 citizens. There also are communities of Hindus (estimated at 100,000) and Sikhs (estimated at 10,000).

Kuwait’s 83% literacy rate, one of the Arab world's highest, is the result of extensive government support for the education system. Public school education, including Kuwait University, is free, but access is restricted for foreign residents. The government sponsors the foreign study of qualified students abroad for degrees not offered at Kuwait University. About 3,000 Kuwaitis are currently enrolled in U.S. universities.