Kuwait: Government#
| Country name | conventional long form: State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt etymology: the name derives from the capital city, which is from Arabic "al-Kuwayt" a diminutive of "kut" meaning "fortress encircled by water" |
|---|---|
| Government type | constitutional monarchy |
| Capital | Kuwait City
Kuwait City
geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC,during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions | 6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak al Kabir |
| Independence | 19 June 1961 (from the UK) |
| National holiday | National Day, 25 February (1950) |
| Constitution | approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 (2016) |
| Legal system | mixed legal system consisting of English common law, French civil law, and Islamic religious law |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| 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 |
| Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military or police by law cannot vote; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (born 25 June 1937) head of government: Prime Minister JABIR AL-MUBARAK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 30 November 2011); First Deputy Prime Minister SABAH Khaled al-Hamad al-Sabah; Deputy Prime Ministers al-KHALD al-Jarrah al-Sabah, MUHAMMAD AL-KHALID al-Hamad al-Sabah, Abdulmohsen MUDEJ 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 and deputy prime ministers appointed by the amir |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (65 seats; 50 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 15 ex-officio members - cabinet ministers - appointed by the prime minister; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 26 November 2016 (next to be held in 2020) election results: preliminary results - opposition groups including those linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists won 24 seats, 1 woman, other 25 |
| 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 |
| Political parties and leaders | none; while the formation of political parties is not permitted, they are not forbidden by law |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | other: Islamists; merchants; political groups; secular liberals and pro-governmental deputies; Shia activists; tribal groups |
| International organization participation | ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CD, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, Paris Club (associate), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 10 October 2001) chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (1) (202) 966-0702 FAX: (1) (202) 966-8468 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence R. SILVERMAN (since 19 September 2016) embassy: Bayan 36302, Block 13, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880-9000 telephone: (965) 2259-1001 FAX: (965) 2538-6562 |
| Flag description | 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 |
| National symbol(s) | golden falcon; national colors: green, white, red, black |
| National anthem | name: "Al-Nasheed Al-Watani" (National Anthem) lyrics/music: Ahmad MUSHARI al-Adwani/Ibrahim Nasir al-SOULA note: adopted 1978; the anthem is only used on formal occasions |