Hi everyone!
I thought I'd post a few fun facts about Kuwait. Here are some interesting things you might not know about this tiny country in the Middle East:
1. It is one of the smallest countries in the world. It's about the size of New Jersey for comparison. On the other hand, it is one of the richest countries in the world per capita (depends on what list you use--one some it's 5th, on others 11th) and one of the largest exporters of oil.
2. It's tax free. Even for foreigners.
3. Kuwaitis are the minority group. The population is around 3.5 million with foreigners representing over 2 million of that figure. Kuwaiti nationals only make up about 35% of the total population.
4. English is EVERYWHERE. All signs are in English (that I've seen). All menus are in English. Most people speak English--and speak it well. The official language, however, is Arabic (signs are printed in both Arabic and English).
5. It's tolerant of other religions. Because of the large foreign population, other religions are practiced here (primarily by ex-patriots) and are tolerated by the government. There are Christian churches here as well as Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh temples.
6. People wear different things. The Islamic dress is not mandated here, though some women do wear abaya (the black robes with veils). Men often wear dishdashas:
On a related note, Jordan wants to buy one of these and wear it because it's supposedly cooler than other clothing (temperature-wise!).
7. It has a mostly-free press--one of the freest in the Arab world! Journalists may even openly criticize the government.
8. It is one of the fattest countries in the world per capita. The obesity rate among adult Kuwaitis is nearly 75%. This is due, in part, to the large amount of expendable income afforded to Kuwaitis as well as the availability of western food and restaurants.
Here's a fun breakdown of how Kuwait compares to certain aspects of life in the US:
http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/US/KW
Alright! Hopefully that was at least somewhat interesting! I'll add to this list as the year goes on! :)
I thought I'd post a few fun facts about Kuwait. Here are some interesting things you might not know about this tiny country in the Middle East:
1. It is one of the smallest countries in the world. It's about the size of New Jersey for comparison. On the other hand, it is one of the richest countries in the world per capita (depends on what list you use--one some it's 5th, on others 11th) and one of the largest exporters of oil.
2. It's tax free. Even for foreigners.
3. Kuwaitis are the minority group. The population is around 3.5 million with foreigners representing over 2 million of that figure. Kuwaiti nationals only make up about 35% of the total population.
4. English is EVERYWHERE. All signs are in English (that I've seen). All menus are in English. Most people speak English--and speak it well. The official language, however, is Arabic (signs are printed in both Arabic and English).
5. It's tolerant of other religions. Because of the large foreign population, other religions are practiced here (primarily by ex-patriots) and are tolerated by the government. There are Christian churches here as well as Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh temples.
6. People wear different things. The Islamic dress is not mandated here, though some women do wear abaya (the black robes with veils). Men often wear dishdashas:
On a related note, Jordan wants to buy one of these and wear it because it's supposedly cooler than other clothing (temperature-wise!).
7. It has a mostly-free press--one of the freest in the Arab world! Journalists may even openly criticize the government.
8. It is one of the fattest countries in the world per capita. The obesity rate among adult Kuwaitis is nearly 75%. This is due, in part, to the large amount of expendable income afforded to Kuwaitis as well as the availability of western food and restaurants.
Here's a fun breakdown of how Kuwait compares to certain aspects of life in the US:
Alright! Hopefully that was at least somewhat interesting! I'll add to this list as the year goes on! :)
Way interesting!
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