The Flag Of Kuwait
When Kuwait gained full independence in 1961, the government decided to replace the old flag with a new design. This was promulgated by a law issued on September 7, 1961, some provisions of which were amended on November 18, 1961. The first Article stipulated that Kuwait’s national flag should consist of a horizontal rectangle which is twice as long as it is wide.
This is divided into three equal horizontal stripes: the top one being green,
the middle white and the bottom red; with the side next to the flag pole forming
the base of a black trapezoid protruding into the stripes. The colors of the
flag are derived from a poem by Safie Al-Deen Al-Hali. The words of his poem
denote:
White
for our work
Black
for our struggles
Green
for our spring homes
Red
for our past.
The National Emblem
The emblem of Kuwait consisted of 'a helmet with a falcon and two intersecting flags over it' until the middle of 1963, when the Council of Ministers decided to replace it with a new one. The present emblem of Kuwait is a falcon with outspread wings embracing a dhow (boom) sailing on blue and white waves. It is a symbol of Kuwait’s maritime tradition.
Over View
Since ancient times, Kuwait has served as the gateway to the Middle East because
of its
geographical location.
Kuwait has drawn upon the accumulated wisdom of countries around the world to
power its own growth. In a few decades, after the discovery of
oil,
a nation of fishermen and traders has transformed into one of the richest
and developed nations in the world -- offering state-of-the-art amenities,
secure infrastructural facilities and technical excellence -- and is respected
around the world.
The Kuwaitis' pride in their
history,
heritage and national progress has given rise to an identity which is uniquely
Kuwaiti. An identity which is worthy of emulation by all nations in the world.
The centuries have changed; the traditions have not. The country has modernized,
but its people's links with their heritage are as strong as ever. Kuwait's
wealth -- Black Gold -- may be buried underground, but its spirit is still
vibrantly free and alive.
National Anthem
After the proclamation of Kuwait’s independence, the Kuwaiti national anthem was written by the poet Meshari Al-Adwani and was broadcast for the first time on February 25, 1978. The music was composed by Ibrahim Al-Soula and arranged by Ahmad Ali. The ‘Amiri Salute’ was composed by Yousuf Adees in 1951 and was used until February 1978. The ‘National Salute’ consists of the first six bars of the National Anthem.
Geography
In the early 17th century Kuwait was known as Qurain (or Grane), from the Arabic words Qarn (a high hill) and Kout (a fortress). Some historians believe that Barrak Bin Ghuraif, Sheikh of the Bani Khalid tribe, built Kuwait in Grane and that since then the city has been referred to by its present name.
Location
Kuwait lies at the north-west corner of the Arabian Gulf, between 28o
and 30o
latitudes and between 46o
and 48o
longitudes. To the north and the west, it shares a border of 240 km (149 miles)
with the Republic of Iraq, and to the south and south-west it shares 250 km (155
miles) with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On the east it has a coastline of 290
km (181 miles) on the Arabian Gulf.
Area and Topography
The total area of the State of Kuwait is 17,818 sq km. Most of the mainland is a
flat sandy desert gradually sloping towards sea level in the east. It is broken
by shallow depressions and low hills, which form a ridge at Jal Al-Zor (145
meters above sea level), cut by the Umm Al-Ramam Wadi. The area is locally known
as Ghodai, meaning a hill. The southern part of Kuwait is generally flat, with
the exception of Ahmadi hill which is 137 meters above sea level.
The Kuwaiti mainland, with no mountains, rivers or other natural features, was
for a long time a transit area for nomadic tribes and caravans. Such freedom of
movement made delineation of borders rather difficult. On July 7, 1965, a
neutral zone was created between the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia. The northern part of the partitioned zone is administered by Kuwait,
whilst the southern part is the administrative responsibility of Saudi Arabia.
The crude oil extracted from the partitioned zone is equally shared by both
countries.
Climate
Due to the location of Kuwait in the Sahara geographical region, the weather of
the country is characterized by long, hot and dry summers and short, warm and
sometimes rainy winters. Dust storms almost always occur with a rise in humidity
during summer.
The highest temperature ever recorded was 52oC
in July 1978, (making Kuwait the fourth hottest place in the world). The lowest
temperature, -6oC,
was recorded in January 1964. There is a wide variation of temperature, ranging
from an average of 45oC
in summer to an average of 8oC
in winter. Such climate fluctuation is often accompanied by a change in the
annual rainfall -- which may vary from 22 mm one year to 352 mm the next.
Territorial Waters
An Amiri Decree issued on December 17, 1967, defined the boundaries of Kuwait’s
territorial waters as 12 miles -- for both the mainland and islands. It also
regarded the Bay of Kuwait as purely inland waters, with the limits of
territorial waters starting at the line between the two headlands of the little
Gulf.
The area of Kuwaiti territorial waters is estimated at about 2,200 sq miles.
They can be divided into two parts -- the shallow northern area, which is less
than 5 meters deep in most places with a muddy bed, and the relatively deep
southern area, which has a bed of sand and silica deposits. Most of Kuwait’s
ports are located on the southern shore, taking advantage of the deep waters in
this area.
The Coast
There has always been a strong link between Kuwait and the sea, and it is this link which has shaped the distinctive character of today’s Kuwaitis and had constituted the main source of income in ancient times.
Although today the picture is very different with urban expansion and rapid modernisation, the link with the sea is still a cherished memory of the past for the Kuwaitis.
The 290-km coast can be divided into two main parts: one extending along the
Arabian Gulf and the other around the Kuwaiti Bay and Khor Subiya. Most of the
former area is characterized by sandy beaches, while the second area, 70 km in
length, is characterized by mudflats, especially in the shallow northern area in
the Bay of Kuwait where the maximum wave height is 16 cm opposite Kuwait city.
There are six seaports located at Shuwaikh, Doha, Ahmadi, Mina Abdallah, Shuaiba
and Al-Zor, besides some special anchorage points used by companies and
individuals. There are also 20 anchorage points for small boats. Eleven per cent
of the beaches are assigned for tourist recreation and entertainment and 40 per
cent of the shoreline is utilized by special establishments and nationals for
private villas and chalets, whilst 35 per cent of the beaches, mainly in the
northern part, are as yet pristine.
Flora
Kuwait’s wild plant-life is one of its unique natural heritage. Plants are
adapted to survive in the harsh conditions and extreme temperatures.
Unfortunately, they suffered under the intense pressure caused by grazing,
collection of fuel etc. However, four major ecosystems may be recognized, they
are:
Sand-dune ecosystem
Some perennial shrubs which have medicinal value grow here. The other dominant
plantation is the annual grass.
Salt-marshes and saline depressions
These are common along the shores of Kuwait. The plant-life here has to be more
that just salt-tolerant since this is very much a marine dominated environment.
A clearly defined zonation of plants associated with salt-marshes are found
here.
Desert
This is dominated by bushy clamps of perennial desert grass. However, in low
depressions where occasional rainfall gathers, attractive purple or blue colored
flowers grow aplenty.
Fauna
Kuwait is home to numerous species of insects, animals and birds. Among the
diverse insects the most attractive group is that of butterflies. Several
beautiful varieties are found here and the best time to see them is Spring.
There are 38 recorded reptiles in Kuwait, comprising of a variety of snakes,
lizards, geckos etc. Besides, there are 50 listed varieties of mammals a number
of them are endangered species. Some commonly found animals include hedgehog,
wolf, wild cat, Gazelle etc. Nearly 280 species of birds have been recorded
here. Incidentally, most of them are migratory birds.
Islands
There are nine islands off the coast of Kuwait: Failaka, Bubiyan, Miskan, Warba,
Auhha, Umm Al-Maradim, Umm Al-Naml, Kubbar and Qaruh.
Bubiyan, the largest island of the State, has an area of 863 sq km and is
connected with the mainland by a concrete bridge. Warba, at the north extremity
of the Gulf, occupies an area of 37 sq km. Miskan and Auhha lie on the north and
the south of Failaka island, respectively. Located at the mouth of Kuwait Bay, a
lot of Islamic antiquities have been found on Umm Al-Naml island. Kubbar and
Qaruh lie at the southern end of the Gulf and have been the favorite homes for
large flocks of sea birds.
Lying 20 km north-east of Kuwait city, the island of Failaka is the most
beautiful and famous of Kuwait's islands. It combines the ancient history of
Kuwait, dating back to the early Stone Age and the modern history of Kuwait,
when the early Utubs settled in after their long journey, prior to their
settlement on the Kuwaiti mainland in the late 17th century.
A 21-km submarine pipeline connecting the island to the mainland provides the
inhabitants with more than 100 million gallons of sweet water every year.
Parallel to the submarine water pipeline there are three submarine power cables
from Kuwait City providing electrical energy to the island.
Failaka island has become a modern tourist attraction, keeping abreast of all
aspects of modern progress. Every day, before the Iraqi aggression, visitors
were carried from the mainland at Ras Al-Ardh (Salmiyah) to the island by ferry
boats belonging to the Public Transport Company, to relax and swim in its
lazuline waters. Much of their leisure time was spent at its five million sq
meter tourist complex, located in the southern part of Failaka, which contains a
good number of swimming pools, sports playgrounds and restaurants.