الكويت
Kuwait

A jewel on the Arabian Gulf — where pearl-diving heritage meets a glittering modern skyline.

Capital · Kuwait City Currency · Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) Language · Arabic National Day · 25 February
About the country

At the head of the Gulf

Kuwait sits at the northern tip of the Arabian Gulf, bordered by Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south. Once a small pearling and trading port, it grew — after independence in 1961 — into one of the region's most prosperous nations, famous for its dinar, its diwaniya culture of gathering and conversation, and a coastline that defines everyday life.

Region
Arabian Gulf
Independence
19 June 1961
Governorates
6
Currency value
Among world's highest
Icons & landmarks

Places that define Kuwait

Kuwait Towers

Opened in 1979, the blue-green spheres on the bay are the nation's most recognised symbol — water storage, a restaurant, and a viewing sphere in one.

Grand Mosque

The largest mosque in Kuwait, a masterwork of Islamic architecture in the heart of the capital, with a vast prayer hall and intricate calligraphy.

Souq Al-Mubarakiya

A centuries-old market where spice merchants, gold, textiles and traditional food stalls keep old Kuwait alive amid the modern city.

The Dhow & the Sea

Before oil, Kuwait lived by the sea — building wooden dhows and diving for pearls. That maritime spirit still anchors the national identity.

The land

Six governorates

Kuwait is divided into six governorates, each a patchwork of historic districts and modern neighbourhoods stretching from the Gulf coast into the desert interior.

Al Asimah
العاصمة
Hawalli
حولي
Farwaniya
الفروانية
Ahmadi
الأحمدي
Jahra
الجهراء
Mubarak Al-Kabeer
مبارك الكبير

“The sea gave Kuwait its first fortune, and its people their enduring character — patient, generous, and always looking to the horizon.”

— ON KUWAITI HERITAGE