Brief information
Small Kuwait, thanks to its huge oil reserves, is one of the richest countries in the world. Civilization on the territory of this country arose about 5 thousand years ago, so tourists have something to see there. But in addition to sightseeing, tourists in Kuwait can visit camel races, relax on the white sandy beaches on the Persian Gulf, and go in for water sports there.
Geography of Kuwait
Kuwait is located in the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia. Kuwait borders Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north. In the east, the shores of this country are washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf. The area, including the adjacent islands, is 17,818 sq. km, and the total length of the state border is 462 km.
Most of the territory of Kuwait is occupied by deserts. In the west of the country there are hills, the highest of which reaches 290 m.
Kuwait consists of several islands, the largest of which are Bubiyan, Failaka and Karoo. But the largest of them is the island of Bubiyan, whose area is 863 square meters. km.
Capital
Al-Kuwait is the capital of Kuwait. About 300 thousand people now live in this city (much more with suburbs). Historians claim that Kuwait City was formed in the 18th century on the site of an ancient settlement.
Official language of Kuwait
In Kuwait, the official language is Arabic, belonging to the Semitic group of the Afroasian language family.
Religion
About 85% of the inhabitants of Kuwait are Muslims (75-80% of them are Sunnis, and the rest are Shiites), but there are also Christians (about 300-400 thousand people), Jews and Buddhists.
State structure of Kuwait
According to equzhou.net, Kuwait is a constitutional monarchy with the Emir (or Sheikh) as head of state. The power of sheikhs is inherited. Since the 18th century, the Al-Sabah family has usurped power in Kuwait.
Legislative power belongs to the Emir and the National Assembly, consisting of 50 people elected for 4 years. The Emir has the right to dissolve the National Assembly, which in turn approves the candidacy of a prince from the Al-Sabah family for the post of Emir.
Administratively, Kuwait is divided into 6 governorates (provinces): Al-Ahmadi, Mubarak al-Kabir, Al-Jahra, El-Farwaniya, Al-Asima and Hawally.
Climate and weather
The climate in Kuwait is desert, hot and dry. The average air temperature in summer is +42-46C, and in winter – +15-20C. The average annual rainfall varies by region from 25 mm to 325 mm.
Sandstorms occur all year round, especially often in spring (February-April). Downpours that occur in some areas from October to April can even lead to flooding.
The best time to visit Kuwait is in spring when the trees and flowers are in bloom.
Sea in Kuwait
In the east, the shores of this country are washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf. The length of the coast is 499 km. The average sea temperature off the coast of Kuwait in March is +21C, in April and May – +27C (spring is the best time to travel).
Culture
The roots of the culture and traditions of Kuwait go to Islam. This religion determines all norms of behavior of Kuwaitis. All Orthodox holidays are celebrated in the country – starting with Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, and ending with Gadir-Khom and Rabi-ul-Awwal.
Camel racing is held in Kuwait from the end of winter until the end of March (races are usually held on Thursdays and Fridays). 60 camels take part in each race, the length of the track is 6 kilometers.
Every year, Kuwaitis celebrate National Day and Liberation Day (February 25 and 26) in a big way. These holidays are celebrated with fireworks, folk festivals (locals always wear traditional costumes).
Kitchen
The culinary traditions of India, Iran, and the Eastern Mediterranean have had a great influence on the formation of Kuwaiti cuisine. Also, one should not forget about the Bedouins, some of whose dishes are popular in this country. The main food products are fish and seafood, meat (lamb, chicken, less often beef), rice, dairy products.
Traditional dishes are “Khouzi” (baked lamb stuffed with rice and nuts), “Tabbouleh” (tomatoes, onions, herbs with millet), “Fattoush” (tomato and cucumber salad with mint and onions), as well as “hummus” and “dolma”.
As desserts, residents eat fresh and candied fruits, sweets (for example, Umm Ali).
Traditional non-alcoholic drinks – coffee, sour-milk drinks (especially various yogurts). Alcohol is prohibited.
Sights of Kuwait
People settled on the territory of modern Kuwait about 6 thousand years ago. Despite the fact that this country has a lot of sand, quite a lot of interesting sights have been preserved there. True, most of them are located in the capital – Kuwait. The top ten best Kuwaiti attractions, in our opinion, include the following:
- “Great Mosque” in Kuwait City
- Emir Seif Palace in Kuwait City
- National Museum in Kuwait City
- Musical fountain in Kuwait
- “Red Fort” in Kuwait City
- Ruins of a Portuguese fort on Failaka Island
- “Red Fort” in Al Jasr
- Failaka Heritage Village
- Tareq Rajab Museum in Kuwait City
- Ruins of an English fort on Failaka Island
Cities and resorts
The largest cities in Kuwait are Al-Farwanya, Hawally, Al-Yahra, Al-Ahmadi, and, of course, the capital is Al-Kuwait.
The shores of Kuwait in the east are washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf. There are many excellent beaches along the coast, where good conditions for water sports are also created. In Kuwait City, tourists are recommended to visit the following beaches: Messila, El Okeila and Sea Front. The best of them is Messila beach, which has three large multi-level pools.
Souvenirs/Shopping
Tourists from Kuwait usually bring handicrafts, sheep wool carpets, coffee pots, jewelry, spices, and sweets.
Office Hours
Banks:
Sun-Thu: 08:00-13:00
Sat-Thu: 08:00-13:00 and 16:00-19:00
Visa
Ukrainians need to apply for a visa to visit Kuwait.
Currency of Kuwait
The Kuwaiti dinar is the official currency in Kuwait. Its international designation is KWD. One Kuwaiti dinar = 1,000 fils. Prestigious hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards. Some hotels and shops may accept payment in foreign currencies (for example, in US dollars and British pounds sterling).
Customs restrictions
You can import foreign and local currency (as well as export) without any restrictions. It is forbidden to import literature that is contrary to Islamic norms. Also, you can not carry alcoholic beverages, mineral water, fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as seafood.
Antiquities and art can be taken out only if there is a special permit for this.
Useful phone numbers and addresses
Address of the Embassy of Kuwait in Ukraine:
Index: 04210, Kiev, nab. Obolonskaya, 19
Т: (044) 391-51-60
Address of the Embassy of Ukraine in Kuwait:
Postcode: 32096, Kuwait, Jabriya, 5, Str.6, Block 10
T: (8 10 965)
2531-85-07 mail: emb_kw@mfa.gov.ua
Emergency numbers
112 – All emergencies
Time in Kuwait
The difference with Ukrainian time is +1 hour. Those. if in El Kuwait, for example, 09:00, then in Kyiv – 08:00.
Tips
Tipping is not required in Kuwait. For good service, tourists can leave no more than 10% of the bill for “tea” (in restaurants and hotels – 15%).
The medicine
Doctors advise tourists to get preventive vaccinations before traveling to Kuwait (against typhoid, malaria, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis A and B).
Security
The crime rate is quite low. The attitude towards women in this country is liberal, given Islamic norms. On public beaches, women are not allowed to wear bikinis (a completely different situation on private hotel beaches). When traveling around the country, stick to paved roads, because. sometimes off the roads there are mines, a legacy of the last war.
