< 2 of 24 > Modern Kuwait
The State of Kuwait, a small Mid-Eastern desert nation,
is a constitutional emirate with an elected Parliament. It
is rich in oil reserves and enjoys the maritime benefits of
a long coastline on the Arabian Gulf.
Skyscrapers, huge shopping malls, and the availability
of the latest consumer goods are a few of the symbols
of modern life in Kuwait. The nation's citizens are highly
educated and many study abroad at the university level.
They enjoy one of the world's highest standard of living
and work mainly at white-collar jobs in the public sector
or in commerce.
The Kuwaiti government has a long history in promoting
economic growth by encouraging advances in science
and technology, largely through KISR (Kuwait Institute
of Scientific Research), KFAS (Kuwait Foundation for
the Advancement of Science), and the Scientific Club.
The private sector also contributes to the modernization,
most notably by founding GUST (Gulf University for
Science and Technology) in 2002.
Back in 1969, Kuwait completed the Umm Al-Aish
earth station, establishing the Middle East's first land
to satellite communications. By 1990, there were four
such stations. The Iraqi military completely destroyed all
four stations and their satellite dishes, which disrupted
telecommunications in Kuwait for several years. Today
Kuwait has six satellite stations, but Umm Al-Aish never
recovered. |
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The Avenues Mall
In the Shuwaikh suburb, The Avenues
is Kuwait's largest center for shopping,
entertainment, and dining. It opened in
2007. The malls in existence when Iraq
invaded, such as Al-Muthanna and
Al-Wataniya, were looted and vandalized
during the occupation and withdrawal. |
