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| Country name: |
conventional long form:
State of Kuwait
conventional short form:
Kuwait
local long form:
Dawlat al Kuwayt
local short form:
Al Kuwayt
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| Government type: |
nominal constitutional monarchy
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| Administrative divisions: |
5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli
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| Independence: |
19 June 1961 (from UK)
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| National holiday: |
National Day, 25 February (1950)
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| Constitution: |
approved and promulgated 11 November 1962
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| Legal system: |
civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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| Suffrage: |
adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21
note:
only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time
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| Executive branch: |
chief of state:
Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977)
head of government:
Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978); First Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamud Al Sabah (since NA) and MUHAMMAD KHALID al-Hamed Al Sabah (since NA)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the monarch
elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch
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| Legislative branch: |
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held 3 July 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results:
percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly
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| Judicial branch: |
High Court of Appeal
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| Political parties and leaders: |
none; formation of political parties is illegal
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| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists
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| International organization participation: |
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant)
chancery:
2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 966-0702
FAX:
[1] (202) 966-0517
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| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador James A. LAROCCO
embassy:
Bayan, near the Bayan palace, Kuwait City
mailing address:
P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait Unit 69000, APO AE 09880-9000
telephone:
[965] 539-5307
FAX:
[965] 538-0282
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| Flag description: |
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side
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