Since oil began to be mined in 1946, Kuwait has developed
into a major oil and gas exporter. Petroleum products form
the basis of the economy, but since oil is a finite
resource, Kuwait has made major investments abroad. This
turned out to be a wise policy as the Iraqi occupation army
set fire to almost all oil sources in an attempt to stave
off the country's economic base. However, the damage turned
out to be significantly less than expected. Despite its
large oil riches, the country's economy has not developed as
positively in the 1990s as in other oil-rich countries.
Agriculture and fishing
COUNTRYAAH, only 0.2 percent of Kuwait's area is agricultural land,
and agriculture's contribution to GDP is insignificant. The
extreme desert climate and the lack of arable land have made
it difficult to develop sustainable agriculture. During
periods, the state has prioritized agricultural development,
for example through the expansion of irrigation facilities,
but so far without much success. The most important
agricultural products are dates and vegetables, in addition,
large investments in livestock breeding (sheep, cattle,
The fishing industry has long traditions in Kuwait, and
the country has a relatively large fishing fleet.
Minerals and energy
Kuwait lacks mineral deposits but the country is rich in
oil and natural gas. Oil was discovered in Burqan (the
world's largest oil field outside Saudi Arabia) in 1938, but
was first mined in 1946 by the British-American Kuwait Oil
Company. The oil industry was nationalized in 1977 and has
since been managed by the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation
(KPC). The most important oil fields are Burqan, al-Maqwa
and al-Ahmadi and ar-Rawdatayn. In addition, oil is
extracted at several locations offshore as well as in the
previously neutral zone between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In
2006, the country's first major natural gas deposit was
discovered in connection with the discovery of a new oil
In 2011, the country's known oil reserves were estimated
to amount to approximately 7 percent of the world's total
reserves. In 2010, oil production was 2.5 million barrels
per day, which corresponds to 3 percent of world production.
In 2010, natural gas reserves amounted to 1 percent of the
world's known reserves, and production amounted to 3.5
percent of world production.
The country's needs for electricity are mainly covered by
oil, but extensive investments in solar energy are ongoing.
The oil dominates Kuwait's industry, but in addition to
the petrochemical industry there is also the fish,
construction and artificial fertilizer industry, the
chemical industry and a smaller shipyard. The effort to
reduce oil dependency by diversifying the industry is
hampered by a shortage of raw materials, dependent on
imported labor, high labor costs and a limited domestic
market. Instead, Kuwait has made major investments abroad,
partly through shareholdings in companies in the US and
Europe, and partly through joint ventures in
Bahrain and other states around the Persian Gulf. In 2017,
industry contributed 59 per cent to GDP.
Oil and petroleum products account for 90 percent of the
export value; the most important recipient countries are
South Korea, China and Japan. Furthermore, fertilizers and
fish are exported, especially to other Arab countries.
Imports, which mainly consist of food, building materials,
transport equipment, machinery and other industrial
products, come mainly from China, the United States and the
United Arab Emirates. Exports are mostly done by the state;
imports are handled almost entirely by private companies but
are governed by import licenses issued by the Ministry of
Tourism and gastronomy
Kuwait is not a major tourist country; In 2013, more than
300,000 visitors came to the country. Most of these were
businessmen, but the country has a lot to offer even the
pure tourist. Of the old, walled Kuwait City, only a few
city gates remain. If you want to see how the emir once
lived, in a castle of sun-dried brick, you have to go to
al-Jahra a few miles west of Kuwait City. Kuwait's history
can be studied at the National Museum, which also houses the
al-Sabah collection of Islamic art. The Tariq Rajab
collection of Arabic crafts is also of great interest. In
the capital there is plenty of modern architecture, such as
Kuwait Towers, the Parliament House with shapes drawn from
the Bedouin tents and the Friday Mosque. In Doha, on the
cape opposite the capital, you can see the traditional
vessels (dhow) in restored condition in an open-air museum.
An excursion destination is the island of Faylaka with
remains of Ancient Greek settlements from the 300s BC. and
beautiful nature (sand dunes).
Kuwat offers good international hotel and restaurant
standards, without local culinary sights. The menus take
advantage of the main local raw material: the large shrimp.
Artificial irrigation and imports mean that most vegetables
are available. All alcoholic beverages are prohibited.