The state of Kuwait is a country in Western Asia, it borders Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the South, Kuwait has a population of 4.5 million people: 1.3 million are Kuwaitis and 3.2 million are expatriates.
Kuwait is a petroleum-based economy. Petroleum is the main export product and represents 90% of government income, non-petroleum industries include financial services.
Kuwait has one of the largest shipping industries in the region. The Kuwait Ports Public Authority manages and operates ports across Kuwait.
The country’s principal commercial seaports are Shuwaikh and Shuaiba, which handled combined cargo of 753,334 TEU in 2006. Mina Al-Ahmadi, the largest port in the country, handles most of Kuwait’s oil exports.
In the past five years, there has been a significant rise in entrepreneurship and small business start-ups in Kuwait. The informal sector is also on the rise, mainly due to the popularity of Instagram businesses.
Tourism accounts for 1.5 percent of the GDP, in 2016, the tourism industry generated nearly $500 million in revenue.
The annual “Hala Febrayer” festival attracts many tourists from neighbouring GCC countries and includes a variety of events including music concerts, parades, and carnivals. The festival is a month-long commemoration of the liberation of Kuwait and runs from 1 to 28 February. Liberation Day itself is celebrated on 26 February.
