About Kuwait and Kuwait City - Infrastructures, Tourist Spots, Population Pattern, Climate, Natural Resource, Currency , Educational facilities

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Preface:

I had a rare chance to go to Kuwait and stay there for about one and half year. This chance came to me and our family as my father was given an overseas assignment in Kuwait during the period 2008-2010 Now through this article I am going to share my experience of Kuwait which I will cherish all my life. 


Geographical and General features of Kuwait: 


Kuwait is a small country located in the Middle Easton bank of the Persian Gulf and between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. It is a desert country with intensely hot summers and short, cool winters, The terrain varies minimally, between flat, sandy and slightly undulating desert plains. The area of the country is only 17800 square KM. However there are few oases where vegetables, lakhs of date trees etc are grown and poultry are bred. Kuwait is an Islamic sovereign country run by elected parliament and the King. Now women can also take part in clection process and contest in the election process. 


Population Pattern: 

Kuwait has a population of around 40 lakhs and out of it only 25% is of Kuwait origin, rest 15% of population consists of expatriates from countries like US, Canada ,Egypt, Indian subcontinent, Afghanistan, Korea, Philippines, Lebanon, Saudi Arab, Sudan, UK and European countries and many more countries across the globe. 


Climate:

The climate of Kuwait varies between two extreme ends. During May-August, maximum temperature goes up to $50 C and in Dec-Feb temperature falls to as low as (-)30 C. In addition $o this wide variation in temperatures humidity also vanes from as low 2s 2% RH to as high as 99%RH. Sometimes during humid weather, condensation takes place on window glass panes and even on spectacles or goggles worn by people. Over and above these extreme climatic conditions, dust storms which come during March-May create havoc to citizens 



Natural Resources: 

Oil and gas is God gifted natural resource which is available anywhere in Kuwait. Kuwait has 20% of the world’s known oil reserves. Oil ig extracted from soil with minimum of effort and expenditure. In north east India a normal oil rig goes up to 10 KM depth where as in Kuwait oil rig goes maximum up to 2 KM depth. Because of this easy availability of oil, cost of production is very low and they can sell petrol at a rate of Rs 10 and s LPG cylinder at around Rs 100 on the other hand a { litre mineral water costs around Rs 30. 


Currency: 

Currency of Kuwait is Kuwa:ti Dinar (KD). It is the costliest currency in the world. The 2nd ooatliest currency is Bahraini Dinar (BHD) and then comes British Pound Sterling (GBP) and other known foreign currencies like Euro and US Dollars. As on date 1! KD equals to Rs 216, 1 BHD equals to Rs 162, 1 GBP equal to Rs 102, 1 Euro equals to Rs 82and I USD is equivalent to Rs 61. Of course these figures keep on changing based on exchange rates. 


Educational facilities: 

There are many good quality schools run by Kuwait Education Board for local students. For expatriates there are schools run by British Boards, Pakistani Boards, Philippines Boards and CBSE Boards etc. Arabic and Islamic studies are compulsory for all the students. There are 17 schools under CBSE curriculum, including DPSKuwait. My self and my brother were students of DPSKuwait which had more than 3000 students on the roll when we had studied. This school also enrolls students of other countries like Britain, Canada, Egypt, Malaysia, Philippines, Pakistan and Arab countries including Kuwait. Our school had facilities for billiards, snookers, swimming pool, gymnastics, archery & other games like football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, cricket with bowling machine etc, 


Infrastructures: 


Modern Kuwait has world class infrastructure and facilities in the form of nicely maintained roads with smooth turning, flyovers, international class airports, shopping malls, hotels & restaurants, entertainment centers, health clubs & sophisticated multigyms, high rise skyscrapers etc. 


Roads & Fly Overs: 

Roads are wide, clean, smooth and without any sharp tuming. Main road has 4x2 lanes with one service lane on either side. Each lane has minimum and maximum speed Limits. Vehicles running with less than minimum speed or more than maximum limit set for the lane are recorded by cameras fixed at various locations. Flyovers are constructed almost every where to avoid road crossings. For pedestrians, air conditioned overhead road crossing are available. Roads are cleaned number of times in a day with motorized vacuum cleaners and other mechanized cleaning devices. 


 Malls and Shopping Complex: 

Since Kurwaiti people are very rich, they spend a lot in world class malis, restaurants and recreational centers. For rich people malls such as Avenue Mall, Marina Mall, 3600 Mall etc are always found crowded. In these malis normally Kuwaiti, Americans, British and other Arab nationals do thetr shopping. Malls like City Center, Sultan Center, Hyper Lulu Mali, Lulu Center, Dubai Mall etc are for middle class people. In these malls all varieties of house hold items, fresh fruits, green vegetables, fish and meat, fresh fruit juices, jewelry items, dress materials, ready to serve food, stationery items, and toys are available. Most of these items are nnported from aimost all part of the world including the Indian subcontinent. 

Most of the Malls and markets remain open throughout the night. Women and children are also seen shopping independently up to wee hours of late nights without fear of being robbed or so. Tact services are also available throughout the night. Vehicles like Toyota Corolla/Camry which we consider as a luxury personal car-in India run as taxi in Kuwait. Fares are also very minimal as fuel is very cheap. 


Health Care facilities: 

Kuwait has world class health care services. Both private and government hospitals are equipped with modern sophisticated equipments. When a patient goes to any hospital, doctor can find from the computerized recorded system what ailment the patient is suffering from, what medicines and tests were prescribed to the patient earlier by any doctor from any hospital in Kuwait. Complete history ofa patient is maintained and this helps both the doctors and the patient. 


Tourist Spots : 

We had visited a famous tourist spot called "Scientific Center” which houses habitat of desert, aquatic animals and arctic animals including various equipment showing scientific principles. When we entered desert section of the "Scientific Center", we felt warmth of desert and saw different reptiles like desert snakes, crabs, scorpion, crocodiles etc. Next section was of Arctic region where we were astonished to find ourselves with live penguins, seals and walrus in a totally icy atmosphere. After this, aquatic section came and we saw, Jelly fish, Star fish, Sea Horse, Blue Stingray, Eel, colorful corals & flora etc. After around 4 hours we found ourselves inside deep sea through a glass tunnel. We saw Sword Fish, Sharks, Blue Whales, Dolphins and Octopus. We felt that we had touched those animals, of course through the glass tunnel. The duration that we were inside the sea through the glass tunnel was very exciting and scary. 

There are many other famous tourists’ spots Sih as the “Kuwait Tower", the Liberation Tower, Sea Beaches, KOC Garden, few recreational centers etc. The Kuwait Tower, a historical monument which is 170 mtr high is situated on the bank of sea. It has a revolving sphere on the top, from where one can view the whole outline of Kuwait City. The lift which we had used to reach the top of the tower took only 12 seconds & can accommodate 20 persons at a time & goes at a speed of 9 m/s. On the top of the sphere there is one revolving restaurant where one -can take snacks of his liking such as burger, sandwiches, pizza, juices, hot coffee etc. On the periphery of the revolving sphere there are a few telescopes fitted through which we could view the city andalso the blue horizon of the sea. Similarly the ‘Liberation tower is also a very high tower of 200 mtr height having a sphere on the top of it. Many government offices including communication department are housed in this tower. Liberation Tower is a replica of famous CN Tower of Toronto, Canada. 


 Visit to Saudi Arab: 

During this memorable & short stay in Kuwait, Thad an opportunity to visit Saudi Arab also. Our family had taken a packaged tour of 10 days to visit holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. One way journey by Volvo bus was a very memorable one which was without any fatigue or tiredness even after overnight journey of 24 hours. During this journey we had seen caravans of camels & sheep, rocky terrain of Saudi plateau, open desert and big Sand Dunes. 

At Makkah we had performed "Umraah” and offered namaz in the holiest mosque, Kabaah. After Staying 4 nights in Makkah, we had visited Madinah and stayed there for another 4 nights. There we offered namaz in the Madina mosque and offered our salaam to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)*. 

*PBUH: Peace be upon him, a salaam to the Prophet,

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