Kuwait - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Kuwait, it was the name derives from the capital city, which is from Arabic "al-Kuwayt" a diminutive of "kut" meaning "fortress," possibly a reference to a small castle built on the current location of Kuwait City by the Beni Khaled tribe in the 17th century. The Government system in this country is the constitutional monarchy (emirate) type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir
National symbols
Golden falcon; national colors: green, white, red, black.
The flag
The National flag of Kuwait has three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; colors and design are based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I; green represents fertile fields, white stands for purity, red denotes blood on Kuwaiti swords, black signifies the defeat of the enemy.
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The National Anthem
| Title | "Al-Nasheed Al-Watani" (National Anthem) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | Ahmad MUSHARI al-Adwani/Ibrahim Nasir al-SOULA |
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note: adopted 1978; the anthem is only used on formal occasions
More about the government of Kuwait
| Date of Independence | 19 June 1961 (from the UK) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | National Day, 25 February (1950) |
| Legal system | mixed legal system consisting of English common law, French civil law, and Islamic sharia law |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| Constitution | |
| History | Approved and promulgated 11 November 1962; suspended 1976 to 1981 (4 articles); 1986 to 1991; May to July 1999 |
| Amendments | Proposed by the amir or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds consent of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the amir; constitutional articles on the initiation, approval, and promulgation of general legislation cannot be amended |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | no |
| Citizenship by descent only | at least one parent must be a citizen of Kuwait |
| Dual citizenship recognized | no |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | not specified |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | Amir MISHAL al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 16 December 2023) |
| Head of government | Prime Minister AHMAD ABDULLAH Al-Ahmad al Sabah (since 15 May 2024) |
| Cabinet | Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by the amir |
| Elections/appointments | amir chosen from within the ruling family, confirmed by the National Assembly; prime minister appointed by the amir |
| Legislative branch | |
| Description | Unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (65 seats; 50 members directly elected from 5 multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 15 ex-officio members (cabinet ministers) appointed by the amir; members serve 4-year terms) |
| Elections | Last held on 4 April 2024 (next to be held in 2028) |
| Election results | 50 nonpartisan candidates, including 29 opposition candidates; composition - men 63, women 2, percent women 3.1% |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Constitutional Court (consists of 5 judges); Supreme Court or Court of Cassation (organized into several circuits, each with 5 judges) |
| Judge selection and term of office | All Kuwaiti judges appointed by the Amir upon recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, a consultative body comprised of Kuwaiti judges and Ministry of Justice officials |
| Subordinate courts | High Court of Appeal; Court of First Instance; Summary Court |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador AL-ZAIN Sabah Naser Saud Al-Sabah (since 19 April 2023) |
| Chancery | 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 966-0702 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 966-8468 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://www.kuwaitembassy.us/ |
| Consulate(s) general | Beverly Hills (CA), New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires James HOLTSNIDER (since July 2021) |
| Embassy | P.O. Box 77, Safat 13001 |
| Mailing address | 6200 Kuwait Place, Washington DC 20521-6200 |
| Telephone | [00] (965) 2259-1001 |
| FAX | [00] (965) 2538-0282 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://kw.usembassy.gov/ |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Kuwait
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Kuwait
Want to know more about Kuwait? Check all different factbooks for Kuwait below.
