Kuwait City
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2008-07-11T15:54:00Z
Muro Bot
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robot Adding: [[gl:Kuwait (cidade)]]
{{Infobox Settlement
|official_name = Kuwait City
|other_name = Madinat Al Kuwayt
|native_name = مدينة الكويت<!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
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|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = [[Kuwait]]
|subdivision_type1 = [[Governorates of Kuwait|Governorate]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Al Asimah]]
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|area_metro_km2 = 200
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|population_as_of =2005 estimate
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|population_total = 32500
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|population_metro =2380000
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|timezone = [[East Africa Time|EAT]]<!--aka Moscow Time-->
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|latd=29 |latm=22 |lats=11 |latNS=N
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'''Kuwait City''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: مدينة الكويت, [[transliteration]]: ''Madīnat al-Kūwait''), is the [[capital]] and largest [[city]] of [[Kuwait]]. It has an estimated population of 32,500 (2005 estimate) {{Fact|date=December 2007}} within city limits and 2.38 million in the [[metropolitan area]]. Located at the heart of the country on the shore of the [[Persian Gulf]], and containing Kuwait's parliament ([[Majlis Al-Umma]]), most governmental offices, the headquarters of most Kuwaiti corporations and banks, it is the indisputable political, cultural and economical center of the [[emirate]].
Kuwait City’s trade and transportation needs are served by [[Kuwait International Airport]], [[Shuwaikh|Mina Al-Shuwaik]] (Shuwaik Port) and [[Al Ahmadi|Mina al-Ahmadi]] (Ahmadi Port) 50 kilometers to the south, on the [[Persian Gulf]] coast.
Kuwait City is located at {{coor dms|29|22|11|N|47|58|42|E}} [http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.html].
== History ==
Kuwait City was first settled in the early [[18th Century]] by the [[Al-Sabah|Al-Sabāh]] clan, later the ruling family of Kuwait and a branch of the [[Banu Utub|Al-Utūb]] tribe (that also included the [[Al-Khalifa|Al-Khalīfah]] clan, the ruling family of [[Bahrain]]), and their leader, [[Sheikh]] [[Sabah I bin Jaber|Sabāh I]]. Its name may have derived from an earlier abandoned fort located there, called "Kūt" (كوت) - [[Arabic language|Arabic]] for a fortress by the sea.
The settlement grew quickly, and by the time its first wall was built ([[1760]]), the town had its own [[dhow]] fleet of about 800 and trading relations to [[Baghdad]] and [[Damascus]]. It was a successful and thriving sea port by the early [[19th Century]].
It was unclear whether or not Kuwait was part of the [[Ottoman Empire]], and as a result, tensions often broke out between the sheikhdom and the empire. These tensions peaked when, in [[1896]], [[Sheikh]] [[Mubarak Al-Sabah|Mubārak Al-Sabāh]] assassinated his brother, the emir [[Muhammad Al-Sabah|Muhammad Al-Sabāh]], over Mubārak's deep suspicion that the [[Ottoman Empire]] was willing to annex Kuwait.
In exchange for [[UK|British]] naval protection, Mubārak was not to negotiate or give territory to any other foreign power without British consent. With the discovery of [[oil]] in [[1936]], the city’s standard of living improved dramatically, including health and education services.
In [[August 2]], [[1990]], [[Iraq]]i forces seized the city and on [[August 8]] they annexed the emirate. During the occupation, the city was extensively damaged and many buildings were destroyed after it, including the Kuwait National Museum.
After Iraqi forces retreated from Kuwait in January-February [[1991]], foreign investors and the Kuwaiti government were actively involved in modernizing the city and turning it into a world-class business hub. Many hotels, shopping malls and offices were built in the city indicating the economic growth since the war.
[[Image:Kuwait City SPOT 1082.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Kuwait City seen from Spot Satellite]]
[[Image:Kuwaittowers.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Built in [[1979]], the [[Kuwait Towers]] are the most famous landmark in Kuwait City.]]
[[Image:2005-04-27 Koweït 003.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Majlis Al-Umma]] (مجلس الأمة, "The Council of the Nation"), the [[Kuwait]]i [[parliament]], in Kuwait City.]]
[[Image:Kuwait city skyline.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Burgan Bank in Kuwait City.]]
== Suburbs ==
{{main|List of cities in Kuwait}}
Although the districts below are not usually recognized as suburbs, the following is a list of a few areas surrounding Kuwait city:
{|
| valign="top" |
*[[Abdullah Al-Salem]] '''عبدالله السالم'''
*[[Al Andalus (Kuwait)|Al Andalus]] '''الاندلس'''
*[[Bayan area|Bayan]] '''بيان'''
*[[Bneid Al-Qar]] '''بنيد القار'''
*[[Al Da'iya]] '''الدعية'''
*[[Al Dasma]] '''الدسمه'''
*[[Al Faiha]] '''الفيحا'''
*[[Farwaniya]]
*[[Al Ahmadi]]'''الأحمدي'''
*[[Hawalli Area|Hawalli]] '''حولي'''
*[[Al Jabriya]] '''الجابرية'''
*[[Keifan]] '''كيفان'''
*[[Khaitan]] '''خيطان'''
*[[Mahboula]]
*[[Al Mansouriah]] '''المنصورية'''
*[[Mishref]] '''مشرف'''
| valign="top" |
*[[Al-Nuzha]] '''النزهه'''
*[[Al Qadisiya]] '''القادسية'''
*[[Qurtoba]] '''قرطبة'''
*[[Al Rumaithiya]] '''الرميثية'''
*[[Al Salmiya]] '''السالمية'''
*[[Abu Halifa]] '''أبو حليفة'''
*[[Mangaf]] '''المنقف'''
*[[Sabah Al-Salem]] '''صباح السالم'''
*[[Salwa]] '''سلوى'''
*[[Al Shamiya]] '''الشامية'''
*[[Sharq]] '''شرق'''
*[[Al Shuwaikh]] '''الشويخ'''
*[[South Khaitan]] '''خيطان الجنوبي'''
*[[Surra, Kuwait|Al Surra]] '''السره'''
*[[Al Yarmouk]] '''اليرموك'''
|}
== Economy ==
Kuwait’s booming economy has allowed many international hotel chains to enter agreements to open hotels in the country. According to the Kuwait Hotel Owners Association, over twenty-five new hotels are planned or in construction, including the following:
*Ibis Salmiya - opening Q3 2007
*Le Méridien Mubarakiya - opening late 2007
*Golden Tulip Kuwait - opening early 2008
*The Regent Messilah Beach Resort & Spa - opening early 2008
*[[Hotel Missoni Kuwait]] - opening Q3 2008 (the world's first Hotel Missoni)
*Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait City - opening late 2008
*Hilton Olympia Kuwait - opening late 2008
*The Monarch Luxury Hotel & Conference Center - opening late 2008
*InterContinental Kuwait - opening early 2009
*The Square Capital Tower - opening 2009
By 2010, over 3,000 rooms are expected to be added to Kuwait’s hotel inventory.
==See also==
* [[Madinat al-Hareer]]
==External links==
* [http://www.goruma.de/staedte/kuwait_stadt.html Kuwait City at "goruma" (German)]
{{Geolinks-cityscale|29.371|47.988}}
{{Asian capitals}}
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Kuwait]]
[[Category:Capitals in Asia]]
[[Category:Coastal cities]]
[[Category:Districts of Kuwait]]
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