|
Country
|
Kuwait | 
Lesotho |
|
Leader
|
Emir: Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah
|
Head of state: King Letsie III
|
|
Population
|
2,695,316
| 1,936,181
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
77.460 years
| 52.300 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Kuwait
| Maseru
|
|
Largest city
|
| As Salimiyah (population: 147,649) | Maseru (population: 118,355) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.912
| 0.496
|
| GDP per capita |
$43,800 US
| $2,000 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
93.3%
| 84.8%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
4.3
| 3.2
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
3.1%
| 25.8%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
Nasser Al-Kharafi & family ($8.1bn US)
| NA
|
| Unemployment Rate |
2.200%
| 25.000%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Legal
| Legal
|
| |
|
Political System
|
constitutional emirate
| parliamentary constitutional monarchy
|
|
Independence date
|
19 June 1961 (from UK)
| 4 October 1966 (from UK)
|
| Religions |
Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%
| Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
|
| Languages |
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
| Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
|
| Exports |
oil and refined products, fertilizers
| manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
|
| External Debt |
$28,210,000,000 $
| $715,400,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US dollar - 0.2679 (2008 est.), 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004)
| maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
3.700%
| 1.900%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
|
|
| Location |
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
| Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
|
| Area |
17,818 km sq
| 30,355 km sq
|
| Coastline |
499 km
| 0 km
|
| Climate |
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters
| temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
|
|
|
|
