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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.