Kuwaits

Kuwaits is not the standard demonym for the people of Kuwait; the usual term is Kuwaiti, with Kuwaiti plural Kuwaitis. The article concerns the country of Kuwait and its inhabitants, commonly referred to as Kuwaitis.

Geographically, Kuwait sits in the northeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula, along the northwest Persian Gulf. It covers about 17,818 square kilometers and borders Saudi Arabia to the south and west, with a lengthy coastline to the north and east. The climate is arid, characterized by very hot summers, mild winters, low annual rainfall, and frequent dust or sand storms, especially in spring and summer.

Historically, the region was part of various empires and trade networks before the modern era. Kuwait emerged as a small emirate under British influence in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It gained full independence in 1961 and developed its contemporary constitutional framework with a written constitution in 1962. The country faced the Gulf War in 1990–1991, following Iraq’s invasion, and subsequently rebuilt its institutions and economy.

Economically, Kuwait is heavily dependent on oil, which accounts for the majority of government revenue and exports. The Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) is one of the strongest currencies by value. The state maintains a large sovereign wealth fund and pursues diversification plans under initiatives such as Vision 2035 to broaden the economy beyond hydrocarbons, including finance, logistics, and infrastructure.

Government and society are organized as an emirate with an appointed government and a national legislature, the National Assembly. The constitution provides for a constitutional framework in which the Emir holds executive authority along with the cabinet, and the Assembly has legislative powers with limited governance over some areas. The population includes a substantial expatriate community, and Arabic is the official language with English widely used in business and education. Islam is the predominant religion.