Destination: Kuwait

Kuwait Highlights
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait is a country in Western Asia. It shares borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. As of 2016, Kuwait has a population of 4.5 million people: 1.3 million are Kuwaitis and 3.2 million are expatriates. Expatriates account for 70% of the population. Islam is the official religion in Kuwait, and the majority of the citizen population are Muslim. Kuwait City is the capital of Kuwait, and also its political, cultural, and economic center. Kuwait's official language is Arabic.

History and Government
Kuwait City began as a fishing village when its first inhabitants arrived in 1613. It was after the arrival of the BaniUtubs in 1714 that the city transformed into a chief trade center of India and the Far East. It is a suitable location on the trade route stretching from Calcutta to Baghdad and Aleppo enabled the city to become a significant stop by 1750. Kuwait's government is a constitutional monarchy headed by the hereditary leader, the emir.

Geography and Environment
Most of Kuwait is an entirely flat and dry barren desert of sandy plains. The land (desert) begins to rise slightly in the southwest, along the border with Saudi Arabia. The country's highest point is an unnamed hill that peaks at 1,003 ft. There are no perennial lakes or rivers.

Culture
Kuwait has a thriving art scene and features more than 30 art galleries. Laws and customs in Kuwait define and enforce a division of labor by gender. However, women in Kuwait participated in the workforce more than any other country in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Females are often employed in academic, social service or clerical positions, while business leaders, managers, and top-level administrators are male. Marriages are mostly arranged and women usually need their father’s permission to marry. Women cannot marry non-Muslim men, while men are allowed this freedom. The prevailing religious laws also allow men to have up to four wives at one time.

Cuisine
Kuwaiti cuisine has been influenced by Arabian, Mediterranean, Persian, and Indian cuisines. Seafood, especially fish, rice, and bread are the staples of Kuwaiti cuisine. For example, the traditional Kuwaiti flatbread, called khubz, is baked in a special oven and topped with sesame seeds and usually served with fish sauce. Other popular dishes of Kuwaiti cuisine include biryani (seasoned rice cooked with lamb or chicken), maglooba (rice cooked with potatoes, eggplant, and meat) and gabout (steamed flour dumplings stuffed with cooked meat or vegetables and served with meat stew). Arabic coffee, karak tea, dried lime tea, and sharbat are examples of some of the popular beverages in Kuwait.

Best Time to Visit Kuwait
The best time to visit any country depends on various factors, namely, your purpose of visit – sightseeing/outdoor activities you are looking for like shopping etc., and also the vacation budget you have set. For sake of convenience and to make prior bookings, remember that the high season to visit Kuwait are the months of November to March while the low seasons are the months of April to September.

Tourist Attractions
Kuwait exudes the charm of Arabian adventure, and therefore, the travelers find plenty of things to do in Kuwait. Apart from enjoying magnificent accommodation and fine dining, there are plenty of things for visitors to do in Kuwait. Located on Arabian Gulf Road in Sharq district, the Kuwait Towers is one of the famous landmarks in Kuwait, it comprises two major towers and a minor tower. It is the symbol of Kuwaiti liberation, the representation of the country's resurgence, second tallest tower in Kuwait, and the fifth tallest telecommunication tower in the world. Doha Village is a place to visit for those interested in gaining some information about the glorious trading history of Kuwait.