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Kuwait has earned a fine international reputation in the areas of art, trade,
and for its strategic location which creates a natural link
between the desert and the ocean. The name Kuwait appeared
around the middle of the XIth
Century during the Hegira. It is an
abbreviation which means "the
invincible citadel" but it was also
known under another name "al-Qurayn",
which appears in shipping registers
and was used by Portuguese, Dutch,
and English travelers. AI-Qurayn is
an abbreviation for "the hill" or
"elevated land". Oil was discovered in Kuwait in 1937 by the Oil Company of
Kuwait in the Burguan field and was exported for the first time
in 1946.Kuwait
gained its independence during the
reign of Sheikh Abdullah AL-Salem
AL-Sabah in 1961. |
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| Today, it
celebrates its Independence Day on
25th February. On the following day,
Kuwait celebrates the "Liberation
Day" in commemoration of regaining
its sovereignty after defeating the
Iraqi army with the help of the
Alliance forces and other friendly
countries. In July 1961, the Emirate
became a member of the Arab League
and of the United Nations in 1963.
The first legislative elections in
the history of this young State were
held, and Sheikh Abdallah Al-Salem,
the Emir of Kuwait at that time,
inaugurated the first National
Assembly on February 29, 1963. |
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Kuwait played a major role in
setting up the Gulf Cooperation
Council in 1981. The Council held a
firm and dignified position during
Iraq's invasion of the Country on
August 2, 1990, and its seven-month
occupation of the territory.
As far as its foreign policy is
concerned, Kuwait has constantly strived to
improve and reinforce its relationship with
the Arab States, the Gulf Cooperation
Council, and its friends from other States
who were supportive through the ordeal up to
the liberation of its territory, and the
recovery of its sovereignty on February 26,
1991.
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GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION
Kuwait is situated on a 2,300 m2 (16000 km2)
strip of sandy plains and is located at
30.27° latitude North of the Equator and
48.46° longitude East of Greenwich, at the
North-Western tip of the Arabian Gulf. Its
territorial waters are about 2,200 m2 and
include nine islands. The largest ones are
Bubiyan, Failaka islands, and seven smaller
islands: Warba, Maskan, Awhah, Urn al-Namel ,
Kubbar,Qarouh and Urn al-Maradim,
CLIMATE
Kuwait enjoys a variable continental climate
with differences in temperature. Summer
months are between May and October, and
winter with slight shower in November and
lasts through April. This is the time of
year when the desert vegetation begins to
bloom and people take advantage to go for
long walks or to go camping.
LANGUAGE
The official language is Arabic although
English is also used especially in business,
banking, and big shopping centers.
CURRENCY
The Kuwaiti Dinar is the official currency
and is divided into coins of: 100,50,20, 10,
and 5 Fils and bills of 1, 5, 10, and 20
Dinars. This currency is accepted world-wide
and complies with the International Monetary
Fund exchange regulations.
RELIGION
Islam is the official religion of Kuwait and
is practiced in the many mosques throughout
the country. There are also churches for
Christian residents, Protestants, Greek
Orthodox, Maronite and the Ecumenical
Church.
VISA
Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council
don't need entry visas. Other nationalities
can obtain a visa from any Kuwait embassy or
consulate. To obtain an entry visa the
following documents must be presented: a
letter of request, an official document
signed by a sponsor, and a photocopy of the
passport. Hotels are also allowed to issue
visas for their business clients. The visa
is valid for one month only and if the time
limit is not respected a fine will be
imposed.
Visas can be given upon arrival to Kuwait
for some nationalities listed below:
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Australia |
Austria |
Andorra |
Belgium |
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Brunei |
China |
Canada |
Denmark |
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France |
Finland |
Greece |
Germany |
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Holland |
Hong Kong |
Italy |
Iceland |
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Japan |
Luxemburg |
Monaco |
Malaysia |
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Norway |
New Zealand |
Portugal |
Republic of Ireland |
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Switzerland |
Sweden |
Singapore |
South Korea |
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San Marino |
Spain |
United Kingdom |
United States of America |
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Vatican |
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For
more information and details please click
the following link:
Kuwait Information Office
TRANSPORTATION
Visitors can use an international driving
license issued by their respective country
within the time limits of the visa. Taxis
and buses run 24 hours a day, and rental
cars are available in all regions. Most
international airways have regular flights
to Kuwait international airport. Once in the
airport, transportation will be available to
all participants. Check the sites of
Kuwait Airways and
Kuwait Airport for more details.
LEISURE ACTIVITIES
Whether on holiday or just going for a walk,
Kuwait has plenty of parks and public
gardens to explore. In addition, the
Touristic Enterprises Company runs many
leisure centers such as Doha Village, the
Swimming Pools Complex, Green Island and the
Waterfront Project.
