Short facts about the government of 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:

nominal constitutional monarchy

Capital:

Kuwait

Administrative divisions:

5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli

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:

adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21 note:  only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time

Executive branch:

chief of state:  Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977) head of government:  Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978); First Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamud Al Sabah (since NA) and MUHAMMAD KHALID al-Hamed Al Sabah (since NA) cabinet:  Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the monarch elections:  none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections:  last held 3 July 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results:  percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly

Judicial branch:

High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

none; formation of political parties is illegal

Political pressure groups and leaders:

several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission:  Ambassador (vacant) chancery:  2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:  [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX:  [1] (202) 966-0517

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission:  Ambassador James A. LAROCCO embassy:  Bayan, near the Bayan palace, Kuwait City mailing address:  P. O. Box 77 Safat, 13001 Safat, Kuwait Unit 69000, APO AE 09880-9000 telephone:  [965] 539-5307 FAX:  [965] 538-0282

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side

Source: World Factbook