دولة الكويت | |||||||
| Capital (and largest city) |
Kuwait City | ||||||
| Other cities | Ahmadi, Salmiya, Hawally | ||||||
| Language official |
Spanish, Guarani | ||||||
| others | Arabic, English | ||||||
| Area | 6,880 mi² | ||||||
| Population | 2.095 million (est. 1990) | ||||||
| Currency | Kuwaiti dinar | ||||||
Kuwait or officially known as the State of Kuwait was a country located in the Middle East on the northern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Iraq to the north and east, and Saudi Arabia to the West. The capital and largest city of the country was Kuwait City, the total population of Kuwait was 2.095 million in 1990.
Kuwait had been formed as a British protectorate following the First World War and later gained independence. From the late 1940s to 1982, the country experienced a "golden age" due to the growing demands of oil globally followed by rapid modernization. In 1982 onward, Kuwait faced economic and political instability. In 1990, Iraq had invaded Kuwait and in a matter of 2 days had occupied it and later annexed it. A parliament exile was formed and was disbanded a few years following the war.
History[]
1962-1982 "The Golden Era"[]
The oil industry in Kuwait began to experience a boom after the Second World War due to the world's need for oil. This brought foreign investors from across the globe to Kuwait. During the 1950s, modernization programs were instituted that made Kuwait the country with the highest human index in the Middle East. In 1961, Kuwait became independent from Britain. compared to its neighbors, Kuwait had been much more prosperous, and more developed politically and economically. During the 1970s, the country began to embrace wester-liberal ideals.
1982-1990 (Prelude to Invasion)[]
In 1982, the prices for oil had dropped, causing a stock market crash in Kuwait. Throughout the 1980s, a series of attacks occurred, such as the hijacking of Kuwaiti planes in 1983 and bombings on both foreign and Kuwaiti installations that same year. During the Iran-Iraq war, Kuwait supported Iraq in the form of financial aid that would accumulate into massive debt after the war. Saddam Hussein sought for debt forgiveness, which Kuwait had been reluctant to do. As a result of this, as well as accusations of slant drilling, Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990.
Invasion of Kuwait and Aftermath[]
The Iraqi invasion began on Agust 2, 1990, and ended the next day. Kuwait's military was either to small to hold off the invasion or completely caught off guard. Within two days, Iraq had captured all of the countries, with Kuwait's parliament and monarchy in exile. The Kuwaiti government exile campaigned for the United Nations to put pressure on Iraq to leave the country. Iraq had been an ally and military partner with the Soviet Union, and so the Warsaw Pact would vote against any resolutions that would mean a military response against Iraq. In the end, Kuwait would remain under Iraqi control and continues to the present day. During the Iraqi civil war, it became a hotbed of a renewed movement for Kuwaiti independence, to which Saddam's government has attempted to suppress.