Kuwait

The State of Kuwait is a small oil-rich monarchy on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed by Saudi Arabia in the south and Iraq in the north. Kuwait is located in the Middle East.

Demographics

About 80% of the Kuwaiti population is Arab; the non-Kuwaiti Arabs contain a large group of Egyptians and also stateless Arabs, locally known as Bidoon (an Arabic word meaning "without" and different from Bedouin). Other large groups of immigrants include Indians, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, Egyptians and Filipinos. Kuwait formerly had a large Palestinian population, though most of them were forced out of the country after PLO leader Yassir Arafat's support of Iraq during the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait.

Related Topics:
Egyptians - Bidoon - Arabic - Bedouin - India - Bangladesh - Pakistan - Egyptians - Filipinos - Palestinian - PLO - Yassir Arafat - Iraq - Iraqi occupation of Kuwait

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The official language is Arabic, although English is generally understood. Some immigrants also speak their own local languages. About 85% of Kuwait's population are Muslims, mostly Sunni.

Related Topics:
Arabic - English - Muslim - Sunni

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Of Kuwait's Muslims, it is estimated that around 70% of them are Sunni, and around 30% or slightly more are Shia Muslims. A relatively large percentage of Kuwaitis belonging to Islam's Shia sect is due to Kuwait's close proximity to Iran and Iraq.

Related Topics:
Sunni - Shia - Islam - Iran

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