An Overview

The State of Kuwait is an emirate in which the Emir is the head of state and the Al Sabah is the ruling family which dominates the country's political system.

Cradled between Saudi Arabia and Iraq in one of the most ancient and contested corners of the world, Kuwait was historically part of ancient Mesopotamia and a strategic trade port between Mesopotamia, Persia and India.

It may be as oil-rich as other Gulf countries, and its architectural landscape as experimental and audacious, but it hasn't embraced glitz and glamour in the same way; perhaps  the years lost to the Iraqi invasion and its aftermath, or maybe it's a conscious decision not to give in to commercialism.

Theatre, Arts and Music

Kuwait is known as the “Hollywood of the Gulf” because of the international popularity of its soap operas and theatres. Kuwait is the major centre of culture and the arts in the Gulf Region with the oldest modern arts movement in the peninsula.

Kuwait is the only country in the gulf with a theatrical tradition and Kuwaiti poetry film, radio, and television also flourishes in neighbouring countries.

Various popular musical genres in the region, such as sawt originated from Kuwait and music culture in other GCC countries has been heavily influenced by Kuwaiti music.

Kuwait has over 30 art galleries, many art festivals and musical concerts. Its collection of fascinating museums include Bait Al-Othman, the Scientific Center, and the Museum of Modern Art.

Economy

Kuwait has a wealthy petroleum-based economy and is one of the richest countries in the world.

The Kuwaiti dinar is the highest-valued unit of currency in the world.

According to the World Bank, Kuwait is the fifth richest country in the world by gross national income per capita, and one of five nations with a GNI per capita above $70,000.

As a result of various diversification policies, petroleum now accounts for 43% of total GDP and 70% of export earnings. The biggest non-oil industry is steel manufacturing. 

In the past five years, there has been a significant rise in entrepreneurship and small business start-ups in Kuwait

 In 2020, Kuwait ranked fourth in the MENA region in start up funding after the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Health Services

• Kuwait has a state-funded healthcare system, which provides treatment without charge to Kuwaiti citizens.
  
• A public insurance scheme exists to provide reduced cost healthcare to non-citizens.
  
• Private healthcare providers also run medical facilities in the country, available to members of their insurance schemes.
  
• As part of Kuwait Vision 2035, many new hospitals have opened.
• In the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kuwait invested in its health care system at a rate that was proportionally higher than most other GCC countries and as a result, the public hospital sector significantly increased its capacity.
  
• Kuwait currently has 20 public hospitals.