Kuwait City

Kuwait City, also known as Al Kuwayt, is the capital of Kuwait and lies on the north western coast of the Persian Gulf. http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=123Founded in 1672, Kuwait City was originally a kout, meaning a military fort established near water. Due to the location of Kuwait City in the Persian Gulf, it became a central trading port in the area during its early history and dealt in goods such as pearls, spices, frankincense, textiles, and dateshttp://www.lonelyplanet.com/kuwait/kuwait-city/history

Over 90 percent of the Kuwaiti population live within Kuwait City or in the 500-square kilometer area surrounding the capital. The current economy of the city is centered around oil, with petroleum making up half of the gross domestic product of Kuwait and accounting for 95 percent of the export revenues. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ku.htmlSince the oil boom of 1938, Kuwait has attracted a large expatriate population with 68 percent of the total population being foreign. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35876.htm

Kuwait City began as a collection of Bedouin tents organized around a well. It later became a kout, which is a fort that sits beside a body of water. The kout was built by the Bani Kahlid tribe in 1672 who came in from the Arabian interior seeking water . The word kout eventually evolved to become Kuwait, giving the city the name it presently has. Kuwait City continued to grow as more people came in from the Arabian desert in the west. Another factor that led to growth was the fact that it was on the coast as that allowed the city to have a port. This meant that goods from surrounding areas such as China, India, Oman, and Bahrain reached the city by means of trade. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/kuwait/kuwait-city/history

In an attempt to give the city definition and confine it, walls were erected in 1760,1814, and 1920. The oil boom which took place in 1938 saw the city expand over those confines and the gates of the original walls are all that remain. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35876.htmhttp://www.lonelyplanet.com/kuwait/kuwait-city/history Subsequent attempts to control the growth of the city which used lower mortgage rates and free housing as a means to plan the city have proven ineffective. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/kuwait/kuwait-city/historyOn August 2, 1990, Iraq launched an invasion of Kuwait at 2 a.m., reaching Kuwait City five hours later. http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-central-history-kuwait-invasion.htmThe invasion was primarily due to disputes over oil, with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein accusing Kuwait of keeping oil prices low and taking more than their quota of oil. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/02/iraq_events/html/kuwait_invasion.stm This invasion led to the Gulf War and eventually to the liberation of Kuwait City by a force composed primarily of American and British troops in Feburary of 1991. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/02/iraq_events/html/ground_war.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/02/iraq_events/html/kuwait_invasion.stm

Kuwait City is located at latitude 29 22'N and longitude 47 58' E. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ku.htmlIt is located in the Middle East and lies between the countries of Iraq to the north west and Saudi Arabia to the south west. The city is in east central Kuwait and lies in the Persian Gulf.It is in the captial governorate. http://www.kuwait-info.com/a_state_system/state_system_governorates.asp

The climate of the city is that of a dry desert, experiencing hot summers and short, mild winters. The surrounding land is flat with under 0.84 percent being arable. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ku.html

• Al-Hashemi Marine Museum: Museum of large model dhows (ships) http://www.lonelyplanet.com/kuwait/kuwait-city/sights/museum/hashemi-marine-museum
• Beit Al-Badr: A traditional mud house showing what architecture was like in the city before the oil boom http://www.lonelyplanet.com/kuwait/kuwait-city/sights/museum/hashemi-marine-museum
• Kuwait Towers: A set of three towers which include a cafe, gift shop, and observation deck as well as an exhibit of photographs looking at the Iraqi invasion http://www.lonelyplanet.com/kuwait/kuwait-city/sights/tower/kuwait-towers
• Kuwait Zoo: City zoo specializing in desert wildlife http://www.lonelyplanet.com/kuwait/kuwait-city/sights/zoologic/kuwait-zoo
• Old Souq: Market which retains old practices of Kuwaiti shopping http://www.lonelyplanet.com/kuwait/kuwait-city/sights/organic/old-souq
• Liberation Tower: Completed in 1993, Liberation Tower is the tallest building in Kuwait City http://www.lonelyplanet.com/kuwait/kuwait-city/sights/tower/liberation-tower

• Sanjeeda Sheikh: Actress http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1266956/
• Omar Jarun: Football player http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en//profil/spieler_59713.html
• Jassem Al-Huwaidi: Football player http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/al/jasem-al-huwaidi-1.html
• Tareq Al-Suwaidan: Entrepreneur http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Tareq_Al-Suwaidan
• Anthony Batarse: Actor http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1266956/
• Charmaine Carvahlo: Assistant Director http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0142424/