The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency (ebook reader 8 inch .txt) 📕

Kosovo or SNSDKIM [Ljubisa ZIVIC];
Democratic League of Dardania or LDD [Nexhat DACI]; Democratic
League of Kosovo or LDK [Fatmir SEJDIU]; Democratic Party of Ashkali
of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit RAHMANI]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK
[Hashim THACI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP [Mahir
YAGCILAR]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Xhevdet
NEZIRAJ]; New Democratic Party or ND [Branislav GRBIC]; New Kosovo
Alliance or AKR [Behxhet PACOLLI]; Popular Movement of Kosovo or LPK
[Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Reform Party Ora; Serb National Party or SNS
[Mihailo SCEPANOVIC]; Serbian Kosovo and Metohija Party or SKMS
[Dragisa MIRIC]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi
MERXHA]; Democratic Action Party or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Serbian List
for Kosovo and Metohija [Oliver IVANOVIC]; Serbian National Council
of Northern Kosovo and Metohija or SNV [Milan IVANOVIC]; Democratic
Party of Bosniaks [Dzezair MURAIT]; Democratic Party Vatan [Sadik
IDRIZI]; Gorani Citizens Initiative [Mursel HALJILJI]; Serbian
People Party [Mihailo SCEPANOVIC]; Serbian Democratic Party of
Kosovo and Metohija [Slavisa PETKOVIC]; Serb Liberal Party [Slobodan
PETROVIC]; Independent League of Social-Democrats of Kosovo and
Metohija [Ljubisa ZIVIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedom (human rights);
Humanitarian Law Centre (human rights); Movement for
Self-Determination; Serb National Council (SNV)

International organization participation:

ITUC, WFTU

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Tina KAIDANOW embassy: Arberia/Dragodan, Nazim Hikmet 30, Pristina, Kosovo mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: 381 38 59 59 3000 FAX: 381 38 549 890

Flag description:

centered on a dark blue field is the geographical shape of Kosovo in a gold color surmounted by six white, five-pointed stars - each representing one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo - arrayed in a slight arc

Economy
Kosovo

Economy - overview:

Over the past few years Kosovo's economy has shown significant progress in transitioning to a market-based system, but it is still highly dependent on the international community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance. Remittances from the diaspora - located mainly in Germany and Switzerland - account for about 30% of GDP. Kosovo's citizens are the poorest in Europe with an average annual per capita income of only $1800 - about one-third the level of neighboring Albania. Unemployment - at more than 40% of the population - is a severe problem that encourages outward migration. Most of Kosovo's population lives in rural towns outside of the capital, Pristina. Inefficient, near-subsistence farming is common - the result of small plots, limited mechanization, and lack of technical expertise. Economic growth is largely driven by the private sector - mostly small-scale retail businesses. With international assistance, Kosovo has been able to privatize 50% of its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by number, and over 90% of SOEs by value. Minerals and metals - including lignite, lead, zinc, nickel, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, and a wide variety of construction materials - once formed the backbone of industry, but output has declined because investment has been insufficient to replace ageing Eastern Bloc equipment. Technical and financial problems in the power sector also impedes industrial development. The US has worked with the World Bank to prepare a commercial tender for the development of new power generating and mining capacity. The official currency of Kosovo is the euro, but the Serbian dinar is also used in the Serb enclaves. Kosovo's tie to the euro has helped keep inflation low. Kosovo has maintained a budget surplus as a result of efficient tax collection and inefficient budget execution. While maintaining ultimate oversight, UNMIK continues to work with the EU and with Kosovo's government to accelerate economic growth, lower unemployment, and attract foreign investment. In order to help integrate Kosovo into regional economic structures, UNMIK signed (on behalf of Kosovo) its accession to the Central Europe Free Trade Area (CEFTA) in 2006. In February 2008, UNMIK also represented Kosovo at the newly established Regional Cooperation Council (RCC).

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$4 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$3.237 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.6% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,800 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

832,000 (June 2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 21.4% industry: NA services: NA (2006 est,)

Unemployment rate:

43% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

37% (2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

30 (FY05/06)

Investment (gross fixed):

29% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $1.364 billion expenditures: $1.008 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt:

NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2% (2007 est.)

Agriculture - products:

NA

Industries:

mineral mining, construction materials, base metals, leather, machinery, appliances

Electricity - production:

3.996 billion kWh (2006)

Electricity - consumption:

4.281 billion kWh (2006)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2007)

Oil - consumption:

NA bbl

Oil - proved reserves:

NA bbl

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2007)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

NA cu m

Current account balance:

-$58.3 million (2007)

Exports:

$148.4 million (2007)

Exports - commodities:

mining and processed metal products, scrap metals, leather products, machinery, appliances

Exports - partners:

Central Europe Free Trade Area (CFTA) 56% (2006)

Imports:

$NA

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, wood, petroleum, chemicals, machinery and electrical equipment

Imports - partners:

EU 35%, Macedonia 15%, Serbia 13%, Turkey 8% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$324 million (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$NA

Debt - external:

according to the national bank of Serbia, Kosovo's external debt was around $1.2 billion; Kosovo was willing to accept around $900 million (2007)

Currency (code):

euro (EUR); Serbian Dinar (RSD) is also in circulation

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007)

Communications
Kosovo

Telephones - main lines in use:

106,300 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

562,000 (2006)

Transportation
Kosovo

Airports:

10 (2008)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2008)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4 under 914 m: 4 (2008)

Heliports:

2 (2008)

Railways:

total: 430 km (2005)

Roadways:

total: 1,924 km paved: 1,666 km unpaved: 258 km (2006)

Transnational Issues
Kosovo

Disputes - international:

Serbia with several other states protest the US and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaring itself as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers under UNMIK authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo; Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDP's: 21,000 (2007)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Kuwait

Introduction
Kuwait

Background:

Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since returning to power in 1991 and reestablished an elected legislature that in recent years has become increasingly assertive.

Geography
Kuwait

Location:

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi
Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:

total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline:

499 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:

dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain:

flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 0.84% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 98.99% (2005)

Irrigated land:

130 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.02 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.44 cu km/yr (45%/2%/52%) per capita: 164 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year but are most common between March and August

Environment - current issues:

limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note:

strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People
Kuwait

Population:

2,596,799 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.6% (male 351,057/female 338,634) 15-64 years: 70.6% (male 1,172,460/female 659,927) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 46,770/female 27,951) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 26.1 years male: 28 years female: 22.6 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.591% note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

21.9 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

2.37 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

16.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.78 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.67 male(s)/female total population: 1.53 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 9.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 77.53 years male: 76.38 years female: 78.73 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.81 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups:

Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions:

Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu,
Parsi) 15%

Languages:

Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 94.4% female: 91% (2005 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.8% of GDP (2006)

Government
Kuwait

Country name:

conventional long form: State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt

Government type:

constitutional emirate

Capital:

name: Kuwait geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir

Independence:

19 June 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution:

approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system:

civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

NA years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years

Executive branch:

chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah head of government: Prime Minister NASIR MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah (since