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Asia—Kuwait Country Profile

Published 2006-6-129: 36:35 Posted by admin

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The State of Kuwait (The5tqteofxuwaii), referred to as Kuwait. Located in the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula, on the northwest coast of the Gulf. It covers an area of 780,000 square kilometers. There are two characteristics of natural geography. One is desert and severe water shortage; the other is rich in oil resources and 1.83 million population. Kuwaitis account for 41.6%, most of them belong to various Arab clans. The other half of the population is expatriates. More than half of the residents are in the capital Kuwait City (Kuwait) and its suburbs. The residents believe in Islam, and Sunni is the state religion.

Kuwait is a country where politics and religion are integrated. The government actively participates in Islamic activities and funds the construction of mosques and cultural centers in some countries. There are more than 100 mosques in the country. The existing mosques are the centers of religious and cultural activities for residents, with an average of less than 1,000 people. A large number of mosques are still being built, and the scale is getting larger and more ornate. Religious professionals have a high status. They receive generous salaries and are often received by government officials. Sharia law is very strict. According to the interpretation of traditional Islamic scholars, Islamic believers are not allowed to drink alcohol. Those who violate it should be severely punished. Those who drink or have fornication should be flogged in public; thieves should break their fingers. Nowadays, about 6% of the residents of Kuwait believe in Christianity, mainly Europeans in the diaspora, as well as some Lebanese and Syrians. A few people believe in Hinduism and Judaism. Arabic is the official language, and English is commonly used. In the 7th century AD, Kuwait belonged to the territory of the Arab Empire. It was ruled by the Ottoman Empire of Turkey in 1871 and became a “protectorate” of the United Kingdom in 1939. It declared itself an independent country on June 19, 1961. There is a neutral zone in the west, which is ruled separately from Saudi Arabia. The current government is a constitutional monarchy. The constitution came into effect on November 16, 1962. The head of state exercises power and appoints a cabinet to assist in handling government affairs. The head of state is inherited by the Sabah family and is called the Amir (originally meaning ruler). The various ministries of the government are headed by a Sheikh from the ruling family. The 50 members of the National Assembly are elected for a four-year term. The head of state has the right to dissolve the National Assembly. Kuwait City, the capital, is an important port and has an international air terminal. Oil is the economic lifeblood of Kuwait, and more than 90% of the country’s fiscal revenue comes from oil trade.

Kuwaiti women have always paid great attention to their clothes and wear different clothes on different occasions. Women’s clothes also change with age. Today’s Kuwait, it is not uncommon for an official or wealthy businessman wearing a headscarf and headband and a white robe to walk out of a high-end “Mercedes-Benz” car, holding a wife in a colorful and fashionable dress. According to Kuwaiti business customs, it is advisable to wear a conservative suit when visiting in winter and moon. Visiting government agencies or large companies requires a contract in advance. As in other Middle Eastern countries, every time you meet, you have to drink at least two cups of Turkish coffee or two compliments. Party appointments are often not on time. Alcohol is prohibited in Kuwait, and the precautions about alcohol must be known. When doing business, the sales attitude should be low. It is advisable to hold a business card with an Arabic photo.

Kuwait has 150 to 200 well-known family-owned traders who sell a variety of industrial and consumer goods. Kuwaiti businessmen often sell both import, wholesale and retail at the same time. Local businessmen are not happy to accept your dispatch from neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia. They like to deal directly with manufacturers. Local businessmen invite you to dinner parties, all men, with a gift, but not for his wife. Don’t ask about his wife and children. The boat hotel in Kuwait is famous in the Arabian Gulf region. It was converted from an ancient Kuwaiti commercial ship that had long been decommissioned. After careful design, the converted boat hotel still maintains its quaint characteristics. It is located on the beautiful waterfront, with prosperous business and a cloud of guests.

For business activities, it is best to visit from November to April of the following year when the weather is cooler, so avoid visiting during the holy month. Local holidays vary from year to year, so it is recommended to check before traveling. The local drinking water is safe.

Due to the influence of religion, Kuwaitis young men and women also have religious marriages. According to traditional religious customs, marriages must be arranged by the fathers of both men and women, and the matchmaker is in charge. The wedding usually takes 10 days, the first 7 days in the woman’s house and the last 3 days in the man’s house, so some people call it a “marathon” wedding ceremony. Kuwaitis like to raise eagles. Due to the local climate is very hot, the year is only divided into two seasons: winter and summer. Winter starts around December and can last for two months or a little longer until the grass grows. From the summer when the grass grows, the Kuwaiti eagle season begins. At this time, the eagle breeders leave the city with their carefully raised eagles. To the southern desert, which is connected to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and extends to the United Arab Emirates. In order to cast eagles, it is common for Kuwaitis to cross the border and will not be held accountable. Eagles are expensive, and some can reach as high as 3,000 Kuwaiti dinars. Therefore, wealthy people can raise eagles. Sometimes, in order to find a good eagle, they travel far and spend a lot of money around the world. If you give a good eagle to a Kuwaiti, it can be considered an extremely expensive gift.

Kuwait Customs duty-free cigarettes 200 or 50 cigars, or half a pound of tobacco. Alcohol is strictly prohibited. All kinds of currency are unlimited. Taxi tips are free. Restaurants and hotels generally add a 10% tip to the bill. Other services tip 50~ 100files each time.