Country
Guyana Kuwait
Leader
President: Donald Ramotar
Emir: Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah
Population
741,908 2,646,314
Life Expectancy
67.390 years 77.280 years
Capital City
Georgetown Kuwait
Largest city
Georgetown (population: 235,017) As Salimiyah (population: 147,649)
Human Development Index
0.725 0.912
GDP per capita
$7,600 US $42,200 US
Literacy Rate
98.8% 93.3%
Corruption Perception Index
2.6 4.3
Percentage of Women in Parliament
29% 3.1%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA Nasser Al-Kharafi & family ($8.1bn US)
Unemployment Rate
11.000% 2.200%
Death Penalty
Legal Legal
Political System
republic constitutional emirate
Independence date
26 May 1966 (from UK) 19 June 1961 (from UK)
Religions
Hindu 28.4%, Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%, Jehovah Witness 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, Muslim 7.2%, other 4.3%, none 4.3% (2002 census) Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%
Languages
English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Urdu Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Exports
sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber oil and refined products, fertilizers
External Debt
$1,234,000,000 $ $41,730,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar - 203.86 (2008 est.), 201.89 (2007), 200.28 (2006), 200.79 (2005), 198.31 (2004) Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.2679 (2008 est.), 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.800% 5.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
Area
214,969 km sq 17,818 km sq
Coastline
459 km 499 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January) dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters