Kuwait City - Suburbs, History, Economy, Links

29°20N 48°00E, pop (2000e) 45 000. Capital city of Kuwait, on S shore of Kuwait Bay, at head of Persian Gulf; developed in the late 1940s after discovery of oil; suburban port of Shuwaikh, SW; airport; ferry service to Failaka I; university (1966); centre for communications, banking, investment centre; shipbuilding; severely damaged during the Gulf War (1991).

Kuwait City (also Al-Kuwait - الكويت), population 32,403 (2005 Census), is the capital of the emirate of Kuwait and part of the Al-Asimah governorate. Locally known as "The City" (Al-Diera - ألديره), it contains the Majlis Al-Umma (Kuwait's parliament), most Governmental offices, the headquarters of most Kuwaiti corporations and banks, the Liberation Tower and the Kuwait Towers.

Kuwait City's trade and transportation needs are served by Kuwait International Airport, Mina Al-Shuwaik (Shuwaik Port) and 50 kilometers to the south by the port of Mina al-Ahmadi (Ahmadi Port) on the Persian Gulf coast.

Suburbs

Although they are not popularly recognized as suburbs, the following is a list of a few areas surrounding Kuwait city:

Bayan Bneid Al-Qar Hawalli Jabriya Mishref Salmiya Sabah Al-Salem Salwa Sharq Shuwaikh Rumaithiya Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Nuzha Keifan Shamiya Da'iya Faiha Qadisiya Dasma Qurtoba Surra Yarmouk Mansouriah

History

The city was invaded and seized by Iraqi forces in the 1990 Gulf War. Many new hotels, including an exclusive Four Seasons and InterContinental, are now under construction, signaling a new era of growth for Kuwait City.

Economy

Kuwait's booming economy has allowed many international hotel chains to enter agreements to open hotels in the country. According to the Kuwait Hotel Owners Association, over twenty-five new hotels are planned or in construction, including the following:

Le Meridien Mubarakiya - opening mid 2006 Al Manshar Rotana Hotel & Suites - opening late 2006 InterContinental Kuwait - opening mid 2007 Hotel Missoni Kuwait - opening fall 2007 (the world's first Hotel Missoni) The Regent Messilah Beach Resort & Conference Center - opening February 2008 Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait City - opening late 2008 The Square Capital Tower - opening 2009

Links

Kuwait City at "goruma" (german)

Coordinates: 29°23′N 47°59′E