|
Country
|
Israel | 
Kuwait |
|
Leader
|
Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
|
Emir: Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah
|
|
Population
|
7,707,042
| 2,695,316
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
81.170 years
| 77.460 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Jerusalem
| Kuwait
|
|
Largest city
|
| Jerusalem (population: 714,000) | As Salimiyah (population: 147,649) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.93
| 0.912
|
| GDP per capita |
$32,200 US
| $43,800 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
97.1%
| 93.3%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
6
| 4.3
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
14.2%
| 3.1%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
Sammy Ofer & family ($4.0bn US)
| Nasser Al-Kharafi & family ($8.1bn US)
|
| Unemployment Rate |
6.300%
| 2.200%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Abolished except for special circumstances
| Legal
|
| |
|
Political System
|
parliamentary democracy
| constitutional emirate
|
|
Independence date
|
14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
| 19 June 1961 (from UK)
|
| Religions |
Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)
| Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%
|
| Languages |
Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language
| Arabic (official), English widely spoken
|
| Exports |
machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel
| oil and refined products, fertilizers
|
| External Debt |
$104,200,000,000 $
| $28,210,000,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (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 |
7.400%
| 3.700%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
1
| 0
|
| Location |
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
| Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
|
| Area |
20,770 km sq
| 17,818 km sq
|
| Coastline |
273 km
| 499 km
|
| Climate |
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
| dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
|
|
|
|
