By Nick Stowers

Kuwait is a small country located in the Middle East on the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. It is a desert country with intensely hot summers and short, cool winters. The terrain varies minimally, between flat and slightly undulating desert plains

 In the medieval times, Kuwait was under the nominal rule of the Ottoman Empire. In the sixteenth century, the Portuguese established forts to protect their shipping trade routes. Two centuries later, the British supplanted the Portuguese as the dominant European power in the Gulf.

 The first treaties between Kuwait and Britain were signed in Kuwait has been recognized as a fully independent nation only since 1961, when the British rule ended.

 Following Kuwait’s independence in 1961, Iraq made territorial claims on the country. Threatened intervention by Britain kept the Iraqis from invading in the 1960s. By 1990, Britain was no longer the dominant military power in the Gulf.  Iraq invaded and then annexed Kuwait in A coalition of many nations, led by the United States, invaded in January of 1991.

 The shooting war was over within a month.  Saddam Hussein was then captured, ending the military threat to Kuwait

 As of 2013, Kuwait's population was estimated to be 2.7 million people, which included 1.3 million non-nationals. A variety of ethnic groups reside in this country, and only around 40 percent of the population is Kuwaiti.

 People from surrounding Middle Eastern nations, such as Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, constitute 35 percent of the population. After the Gulf War the entire population of Palestinians was expelled from Kuwait, because they were believed to sympathize with Iraq.

 In addition to these Arabian and African populations, approximately 9 percent of the population is Indian, 4 percent of the population is Iranian, and the remaining 7 percent is consists of other foreign nationals.

 Approximately 29 percent of the population is 14 years or under, 68 percent is between the ages of 15 and 64, and 2 percent of the population is over 65 years of age. Around 60 percent of the population is male, while 40 percent of the population is female.

 Language: Arabic is the official language, and English is widely spoken.

 Government: Kuwaiti government is nominally a constitutional monarchy, headed by the Amir. The constitution was approved and implemented on November 11, Upon the development of this constitutional monarchy, Kuwait developed a National Assembly. This form of democracy was short-lived.

 In August 1976, Sheikh Sabah dissolved the assembly under the premise that legislation was being manipulated to increase private gain for officials. As a political system built on a hierarchy of clans, nepotism is rampant in the Kuwaiti government. Therefore, it is in the Amir's power to dissolve the parliament, and within two months it must be re-elected, or the previous parliament will be instituted again.

 Basic Economy: With only 5 percent of the land suitable for farming, Kuwait is dependent on international trade for the provision of most basic necessities, including food, clothing, and construction materials. However, that dependency is tempered by the fact that Kuwait is one of the largest oil producing countries in the world, an energy source upon which virtually every developed nation is dependent.

 Major Industries: The economy of Kuwait is dependent on the oil industry. During the war with Iraq many oil refining facilities were destroyed, but this industry remains of enormous importance to Kuwait. To protect oil interests, and to protect against larger countries taking advantage of Kuwait, the country was one of the founding members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

 Division of Labor: The labor force includes 1.3 million people. The government and social services employ 50 percent of the labor force, businesses employ 40 percent, and the remaining 10 percent are employed in agriculture.

 The labor force is divided along ethnic lines, with Kuwaitis holding most of the government jobs and owning most of the businesses in the private sector. Non- Kuwaitis generally labor in various businesses and in the oil industry.

 Education: All schooling for Kuwaitis is free, and between the ages of six and fourteen, attendance is compulsory. While the government stresses the importance of education regardless of gender, most schools are segregated on the basis of gender after kindergarten.  79 percent of the population is literate, with 82 percent of men and 75 percent of women meeting these criteria.

 Higher Education: There is only one university in the country, but because of the great value placed on education, the government awards scholarships for many Kuwaitis to pursue higher education.

 There are several post-secondary technical institutes where one may pursue knowledge of electronics, air- conditioning, and diesel and petrol engines, all necessary to the major industries of Kuwait.

 Business will only be discussed once an atmosphere of trust and friendship has been established.  Kuwaitis are event rather than time- driven. The event of getting together is more important than the timeliness of the meeting or the outcome. Many companies are structured around the family.

 Decisions usually come from the top after determining a consensus of the various stakeholders.  Decisions are reached slowly. If you try to rush things, you will give offence and risk your business relationship.  Kuwaitis are shrewd negotiators who are especially interested in price.

 Problems may be discussed outside the meeting in a one-on-one situation rather than in the group meeting room.  Proposals and contracts should be kept simple.  Although negotiating is done in English, contracts are written in Arabic. If there is both an English and Arabic version, the Arabic will be the one followed.

 Kuwait is a very political and controversial country. Many outsiders are not always welcomed, especially when trying to bring new things that could change their culture.  Although Kuwaitis are often at the cutting edge of technology, many of their practices are very old and traditional.

 Problems could be presented if not going through the proper channels when planning training in Kuwait.

 Everyculture.com  Kiss, bow, or shake hands  Kwintessential.com