Working in Kuwait
About Kuwait
Kuwait (officially known as the State of Kuwait) is an oil-rich Arab country with an area of 17,818 sq km (6,969 square miles), approximately the size of Wales. Situated at the north-western tip of the Arabian Gulf, to the north and west, Kuwait shares a border with Iraq, and to the south and southeast, it shares a border with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To the east, Kuwait has a coastline of some 290 km on the Arabian Gulf.
The country is an independent sheikhdom, statistics indicate that in 2003, the total population of Kuwait, including expatriate visitors, was 2,484,334. Of this total, only around 35% are Kuwaitis, the remainder are expatriates.
Located at 30.27°N and 48.46°E, Kuwait ranks third in the Middle East in proven oil reserves (after Saudi Arabia and Iraq) and was a founding member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Its name is derived from Kut, an Arabic word for fort. The capital city and commercial centre, Kuwait, is located on an inlet of the Arabian Gulf known as Kuwait bay
Geography
Kuwait is, for all practical purposes, a flat desert. Its highest point is a hill which is about 300m high (1000ft). Kuwait has no rivers or mountains, but the desert is broken by shallow depressions and low hills. Most of the land area of the country is below 200m (660ft) in elevation.
The soil of the desert does not lend itself to agriculture. Less than 9% of the land is arable and water comes almost exclusively from desalination plants.
The 290 kilometres of coastline, can be divided into two distinct parts: from the northern boundary, the first 70 kilometres of coastline consists mainly of mudflats, especially around Kuwait Bay, and continuing south, the remaining 220 kilometres of coastline consists mostly of fine sandy beaches.
There are nine off-shore islands (Failaka, Bobiyan, Maskan, Warba, Ouha, Um Al-Maradem, Um Al-Naml, Kobbar, and Qarooh), but only one of them, Failaka, is inhabited. It lies 20 kilometers to the northeast of Kuwait City. The island is of considerable historical importance. It is the northernmost point of the Bronze Age civilization of Dilmun. There is also evidence that Failaka was settled by Alexandrian troops sometime after 323 BC. In addition, there are well-preserved remains of a Greek temple which is thought to date from the Seleucid Empire - which succeeded Alexander the Great.
Languages
The official language of Kuwait is Arabic, and all government documents are produced in Arabic. English is also widely spoken, and is the country's second language. It is the language commonly used in business, and is widely used within the educational system. Today, English is taught alongside Arabic in both private and public schools. Street signs are generally bilingual. The knowledge of a few phrases of Arabic is not only useful, but very much appreciated.
Currency
Kuwaiti dinar (KD) The KD is divided into 1,000 fills
KD 1 = £1.918
Climate
Kuwait has a variable continental climate with considerable differences in temperature. The average daily temperature is 33°C (90°F).
The climate is governed by only 2 seasons summer and winter.
Summer months are between May and October when temperatures fluctuate between 40 to 50 degrees Celsius. Humidity is than other Gulf states but can rise from July onwards to an uncomfortable 80%. Annual rainfall is from 25 to 175mm annually (1 to 7in), falling mostly in the winter season and this can be quite heavy, if of short duration. More prevalent are the spectacular sandstorms with high winds, which can reduce visibility to nil in winter.
The winter season from November to April is generally very pleasant. During the day temperatures can rise above 20oC and then fall rapidly at night. Night frosts are not uncommon.
Culture
There are essentially five levels of Kuwaiti society: the ruling family, the old Kuwaiti merchant families, former Bedouins who settled in Kuwait, Arabs from other countries and foreigners.
The most important part of Kuwaiti society is the family. Traditional virtues of hospitality, courtesy and respect are encouraged. Nowadays in Kuwait it is generally felt that not enough attention has been paid to the country's heritage, and so a number of government projects have sought to reverse this trend.
Islam forbids the consumption of alcohol and pork products of any kind and these commodities are illegal in Kuwait.
Religion
Islam is the official religion of Kuwait, Muslims %85, others %15 (mostly Christians and Hindu), and is practised throughout the country. Mosques of varying size and importance are to be found throughout the country. The largest is the Grand Mosque opposite the Seif Palace. There are also churches of varying denominations for Christian residents. For most, the first awareness of Islam comes when the dawn prayer rings out across the city early in the morning, the first of five each day. Islam has a separate calendar with 12 months, all of which are timed to the phases of the moon. The holy month of Ramadan is important as a time when all Muslims fast completely from dawn to sundown - this refers to eating, drinking and smoking. Nightfall is marked by the breaking of the fast, and the whole month is a time of celebration and family togetherness.
It is important to note that during Ramadan non-Muslims are also forbidden to eat, drink or smoke in public during fasting hours, this is upheld by law.
During Ramadan business hours are usually adapted. Public holidays are usually associated with the Islamic religion and are a time for celebration.
Business hours:
Shops: 8.30am-12.30pm and 4.30-9.00pm
Banks: 8.30am-12.30pm, Sunday to Thursday
All banks have 24-hour Automated Teller Machine (ATM) facilities.
Working week: Saturday to Thursday
Private firms usually work half a day on Thursday.
Government offices (including educational establishments) are generally closed on Thursday and Friday.
Time zone
GMT + 3 hours
Clothing
Extremes of temperature make it essential to have a range of clothing from lightweight in summer to warm in winter. Warm clothing is important because air-conditioning is focused more on cooling than heating and this can lead to buildings feeling inadequately heated in the winter.
Although any form of tidy dress is acceptable at home or at informal gatherings, women are encouraged not to wear skimpy or revealing garments. Scruffy clothing may also cause offence, it is normal in Kuwait to dress smartly. Sunglasses are recommended to counter the intense glare. Females are advised to bring at least 1 one piece swimsuit, as in most places bikinis are not acceptable.
Media
There are two English language daily newspapers; the Arab Times and the Kuwait Times. There is an English television channel and with a good aerial, English programmes can be received from neighbouring Arab states. Many people invest in satellite television. Radio Kuwait has an English language station and most world broadcasting services can be received.
Postal Services
The postal service is normally reliable, but there are occasional lapses. Letters to or from the UK usually take between 7 to 14 days.
Transportation
Kuwait's major road and motorway network is very advanced, it is in the form of a grid system comprising seven ring roads intersected by a further system of arterial roads radiating from Kuwait City. It is therefore normally possible to travel from one place to another easily and quickly. Public transport is provided by city buses and taxis. Buses are cheap and taxis reasonable. The price of petrol is very cheep and many makes of American, Japanese and some European cars are available and are generally cheaper than in the UK. Rental cars are available from about KD6 per day. Driving is on the right hand side of the road. It is an offence to drive in Kuwait without a driving licence and car registration documents. If you are stopped and cannot produce them, you will be taken to a police station and held until they are presented on your behalf. Contravention of certain traffic laws may be punished with imprisonment and/or deportation. These measures have succeeded in significantly improving the standard of driving in Kuwait over recent years.