Kuwait meaning fortress built near water and is bordered by Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
For a small country it is the 9th richest country and has the 5th largest oil reserve in the world. It gained independence on the 19 June 1961 from UK, was invaded by Iraq for 7 months in 1990 and has since rebuilt its economy and infrastructure. The capital is Kuwait City.
Tourism is a growing sector in the Kuwaiti industry. Popular tourist attractions include mosques, museums, Kuwait’s Failaka Island, the musical fountains, the Kuwait Towers and liberation tower and the Dhow Harbour where you can board a historic wooden ship which was used for pearl divers who risked their lives trying to obtain the best quality pearls before the discovery of oil.
Kuwait
About Kuwait
National Olympic Committee
Sports
Kuwait's sports culture, like that of other gulf states, combines the traditional sports of nomadic Arabian society with contemporary sports of the Western origin.
Traditional sports of enduring popularity include camel and horse racing; Arabian horses are held to be among the finest in the world.
Kuwaitis have competed at the national and international levels in the country's two most widely played sports, football and golf.
Kuwait is also the home of the Olympic Council of Asia’s head quarters which focuses on equality, fair competition and peace through sport throughout Asia.
Climate
Kuwait has a warm tropical climate and flat to slightly rising and falling desert plain land. Summer, is extremely hot and dry with temperatures easily crossing 45 °C and Winter is cool with some precipitation and average temperatures around 13 °C with extremes from -2 °C to 27 °C.
Annual rainfall averages less than 127 mm. Spring is warm and pleasant with occasional thunderstorms.
The frequent winds from the northwest are cool in winter and spring and hot in summer.
Southeasterly winds, usually hot and damp, hot and dry south winds prevail in spring and early summer but a northwesterly wind can cause dramatic sandstorms.
Religion
The predominant religion is Muslim 85%the remainder 15% includes Christian, Hindu and Parsi.
Culture
Art is a very important part of Kuwaiti culture, Bedouin crafts are the most prominent, especially weaving.
Traditional dances, including the 'ardah, which features swords and poetry singing also captures the Kuwaiti culture. Hospitality in Kuwait is often portrayed through the serving of tea and coffee.
It is very uncommon for a guest to enter a house, office, or even some stores without being offered.
Food plays a large part in Kuwaiti culture. The traditional food of Kuwait known as "Machboos" which consists mainly of mutton, chicken, or fish placed over or mixed in a large mass of well-cooked and prepared rice, closely resembling the Pakistani biryani.