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Home  >  World  > Middle East  > Kuwait General Information Area: 17,818 sq km (6880 sq miles). Population: 1,984,365 (official estimate 2000). Population Density: 111.4 per sq km. Capital: Kuwait City. Population: 28,859 (1995). GEOGRAPHY: Kuwait shares borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. To the southeast lies the Persian Gulf, where Kuwait has sovereignty over nine small islands (the largest is Bubiyan and the most populous is Failaka). The landscape is predominantly desert plateau with a lower, more fertile coastal belt. Government: Traditional Arab monarchy. Head of State: Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmed al-Sabah since 1978. Head of Government: Crown Prince Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Salim al-Sabah since 1977. Gained full independence from the UK in 1961. Language: Arabic, but English is widely understood, especially in commerce and industry. Religion: Ninety-five per cent Muslim (mostly of the Sunni sect), with Christian and Hindu minorities. Time: GMT + 3. Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; single phase. UK-type flat three-pin plugs are used. Communications:   Telephone Full IDD is available. Country code: 965. Outgoing international code: 00. Mobile telephone GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Network operators include Mobile Telecoms Co (website: www.mtc.com.kw) and National Mobile Telecommunications Co (website: www.wataniya.com). Fax Most hotels have facilities. Internet Internet cafes throughout Kuwait provide public access to e-mail and Internet services. ISPs include Gulfnet International (website: www.kems.net/) and Global Net Kuwait (website: www.globalnet-center.com) and QualityNet (website: www.qualitynet.net). Telegram Telegram services are available 24-hours at the Ministry of Post and Telegraph Offices, Abdullah Al Salem Square, Kuwait City, but must be handed to the post office (opening hours: Sat-Wed 0700-1400, Thurs 0700-1200). Post Airmail to Western Europe takes about five days. Press The English-language newspapers are the Arab Times and the Kuwait Times. Although remaining loyal to the ruling family, the press enjoys a fair degree of freedom. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 15.58 11.76 9.410 1.413 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 15.21 11.82 9.760 1.197 Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd. Terms and Conditions apply.