II.

Land and Resources

Kuwait is one of the world’s smallest countries, occupying 17,818 sq km (6,880 sq mi). The greatest distance from north to south is 200 km (120 mi) and from east to west 170 km (110 mi). Kuwait is bordered on the north and west by Iraq, on the south and west by Saudi Arabia, and on the east by the Persian Gulf. The capital is Kuwait city.

A.

Natural Regions

The Kuwaiti interior is covered by arid, pebbly desert. The topography is flat with some small rolling hills. Kuwait’s highest point, in the far west, is just 281 m (922 ft) above sea level.

Kuwait’s coastal plain is low and marshy, and the coastline is dotted with mudflats, offshore bars, and low islands. Larger islands include Būbiyān, near the Iraqi border, and Faylakah, the only island with a significant population. Midway along the coast is Kuwait Bay, on which the city of Kuwait is located. This inlet is the only deepwater harbor on the west coast of the Persian Gulf and accounts, in part, for Kuwait’s prominence in maritime activity.

B.

Climate

Climatically, Kuwait is a tropical desert. Summer day temperatures are extremely high–routinely surpassing 45°C (113°F)—but the air is dry except along the coast, where it is often very humid. Winter days are usually warm and pleasant—the average temperature in January, the coldest month, is 13.5°C (56°F). Annual rainfall is typically less than 127 mm (5 in) per year, and almost all of it falls in the cooler winter. Frost occurs at times in the interior on winter nights.

C.

Natural Resources

Kuwait has no lakes and rivers and few sources of fresh water. Water for drinking and irrigation is available only from underground aquifers and through desalination (removal of salt) of seawater. There is little vegetation except for marsh plants along the coast and grasses and scattered thorn trees inland. Kuwait’s only significant natural resource is petroleum, the country’s main economic product. Without the economic resources available from oil, the Kuwaiti environment would be too harsh to support a substantial population.

D.

Environmental Issues

The Persian Gulf War rendered Kuwait an ecological disaster area, the country suffering serious degradation of its air, marine resources, and soil. During the war, huge lakes of spilled oil fouled desert sands, and millions of liters of oil flowed into the Persian Gulf, threatening wildlife and fisheries. Oil wells that were set ablaze created soot that covered the countryside. Some of the environmental damage may be irreparable. Air pollution is an ongoing concern—besides being a top producer of petroleum, Kuwait also has one of the world’s highest rates of petroleum consumption per capita.