Discovering Kuwait
Kuwait is a very small country located on the coast of the Arabian Gulf. Kuwait is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south, and Iraq to the north and west. In 2016, Kuwait's population was four million, 70% of which are expats.
Kuwait's geography is largely flat desert. The highest elevation in Kuwait is found outside of the city to the north, called Mutla Ridge at 306 meters. Kuwait also has nine islands, but only one is inhabited. These islands can be visited for snorkelling and scuba diving trips with tour companies.
The climate of Kuwait
Summer temperatures can easily exceed 50 degrees Celsius. Sand storms are common in the spring and early summer months. In some cases, visibility due to sand storms can be limited to less than 500 meters. Kuwait experiences mostly dry heat, but July and August can bring a significant amount of humidity.
Winter daytime temperatures typically do not require anything more than a light jacket. However, like most desserts, nighttime temperatures can drop quite a bit lower, possibly ranging from 0 to -6 degrees Celsius. These cold nights are relatively short lived as temperatures begin to climb back up within six to eight weeks. Winter months can also bring thunderstorms. They are usually very short without much-accumulated rainfall. If rainfall exceeds normal conditions, Kuwait is prone to flooding as the city was not built to handle high amounts of rain.
Currency
The Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) is the strongest currency in the world. One KWD is equal to approximately USD 3.33. Kuwait is also the fifth most wealthy country in the world per capita following Qatar, Luxemburg, Singapore, and Brunei. Kuwait is estimated to hold 10% of the world's oil reserves. Both oil and finance industries are responsible for the wealth of the country.
The Kuwaiti government
Kuwait is a constitutional emirate and is governed by a semi-democratic system. The system includes both appointed government and elected parliament. Women do not widely participate in politics within Kuwait, however, there are some women in parliament. Kuwaiti women are considered the most emancipated women in the Middle Eastern countries.
Kuwait employs the 'civil law system', and non-Muslims follow a secular family law instead of the Sharia law for the Muslim population. Kuwait enforces many rules for segregation of single men and women. Most restaurants have a family section and a men-only section. This separation is also found in movie theatres. Additionally, regardless of the age of the resident, many apartment buildings do not allow a single person of the opposite sex into the resident's apartment. Groups of people are generally permissible. Most apartments have CCTV systems with security monitoring 24/7.
Culture of Kuwait
Most Kuwaiti's follow a traditional family-centred lifestyle. After marriage, many couples choose to live with the husband's mother in his family home, which has been passed down for many generations. Many Kuwaiti women eagerly anticipate having children soon after marriage. Some of today's youth are beginning to branch out from this system and enjoy travelling outside of Kuwait for higher-education or work.
