General information

About Kuwait

Kuwait is something of an anomaly in the Arabian Gulf. Sitting on about 10% of the world’s crude oil reserves, it is one of the world’s richest countries in per capita terms. But visiting the country doesn’t necessarily feel like it, and much of the infrastructure in a state of some disrepair.

Kuwait assumed independence from British protection in 1961 and is ruled by the al-Sabah family, from which key members of the government are generally drawn. Although political parties are illegal, Kuwait does have a surprisingly active National Assembly, and is considered to be one of the more democratic countries in the Arabian Gulf, with many key issues often openly debated.

Its population is estimated to be just over three million people, around two-thirds of which are foreigners, mainly from other Arab countries and south-east Asia.

Recent history has been troubled in Kuwait, which was catastrophically invaded by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in 1990. The country was occupied for seven months until its liberation in February 1991 by Operation Desert Storm. More recently, Kuwait has played a role in the US-led invasion of Iraq since 2003, with large US military bases in Kuwait and the country used as a base for supplies and manpower.

Almost all visitors to Kuwait are of the business variety, with the tourist industry virtually non-existent, despite some potentially nice beaches and an excellent climate in the winter months. Kuwait City is the only urban centre in the country, with the inland areas offering little of interest and mainly being flat, arid desert home to oilwells.

More importantly, visa restrictions for travellers have been eased in recent years, making it much simpler for most nationalities to leave the airport on longer transit stays. Kuwait City, the only real urban centre in the country, is only a short taxi ride from the airport and offers a few gems for those with enough time in transit.

About Kuwait International Airport

Kuwait airport has been getting busier and busier in recent years, with the launch of Jazeera Airways in 2006 and a series of expansion and upgrade plans. It’s now working at close to full capacity, with just under seven million passengers using the airport in 2007, although new seating areas and departure gates have improved matters in the past few months.

There is only one terminal at Kuwait airport, which is fairly easy to navigate and does not involve long walking distances or bus rides. The terminal is used by all airlines and split over two levels. Around 25 different carriers fly to and from Kuwait, with the two home airlines being Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways, both of which are bringing rising numbers of transit passengers through Kuwait airport.

The site of the current airport began operations in the early 1960s and has been progressively expanded and renovated since then. However the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, led by Saddam Hussein, triggered a Gulf War in which Kuwait’s airport become more of a battlefield than a transport hub.

Heavily shelled, and the scene of fierce fighting between US and Iraqi forces in the latter stages of the short-lived conflict, the airport suffered millions of dollars of damage whilst Iraqi forces seized or destroyed many aircraft belonging to Kuwait Airways. At the war’s end in 1991, the airport had to be virtually rebuilt from scratch and was designed to resemble an aircraft in flight.

Kuwait is the only airport in the region to have its own mini-shopping mall attached to the terminal, which is a perfect place to hang around if you have a stopover and don’t want to head into the city. It’s also become a destination in its own right for local shoppers.

Expansion work is still going on in some parts of the terminal, although most has been completed by May 2008. The authorities have ambitious expansion plans in place for the airport, with a new terminal under construction which will be connected to the existing building by a tunnel, and should increase capacity to 20 million passengers a year. However, no set dates have been announced for the opening of the new airport, so you can expect to use the current terminal for the next few years at least.

RELATED KUWAIT LINKS
Exploring the City
Arriving and departing at KWI
Inside the Airport
3-5 hour stopovers
5-7 hour stopovers

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