KUWAIT GEOGRAPHY-- DESERT CIVILIZATION

Desert Civilization

At the beginning of the 17th century, Kuwait was known as Guerin (or Grain), from the Arabic words Garn (high hill) and Kut (fortress). Some historians claim that Barrak Bin Gurayf, a sheik from the Bani Khalid clan, built Kuwait in Grain and that the city has since received its current name.

Location

Kuwait is located in the northwest corner of the Arabian Gulf, between 28 and 30 degrees latitude and 46 and 48 degrees longitude. To the north and west, it shares a border of 240 km (149 miles) with the Republic of Iraq, and to the south and southwest (250 km or 155 miles) it borders the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In the east, it is washed by the waters of the Arabian Gulf (the coastline is 290 km or 181 miles).

Area and topography

The total area of ​​the State of Kuwait is 17, 818 km2. Most of the territory is a flat desert, gradually descending to sea level in the east. It is divided by small depressions and low hills

that form the Jal Az-Zor mountain range (145 meters above sea level), cut by Umm Al-Ramam Wadi. This area is known among the locals as Godai, which means hill. Southern Kuwait is mostly flat, with the exception of Ahmadi Hill, whose height is 137 meters above sea level. Kuwait, where there are no mountains, rivers or other natural features, has long served as a transfer point for tribes and caravans. Such freedom of movement made it difficult to draw borders. On July 7, 1965, a neutral territory was created between the state of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The northern part of the separated territory was controlled by Kuwait and the southern part by Saudi Arabia. Both countries share equally the oil produced in this territory.

Territorial waters 

Emir’s Decree issued on December 17, 1967, defined the boundaries of the territorial waters

of Kuwait - 12 miles for both the mainland and the islands. The decree also defined Kuwait’s bay as inland waters, with territorial waters starting at the line between two capes of a small

bay. The area of ​​Kuwaiti territorial waters totals about 2,200 square meters. miles It can be divided into two parts - a shallow northern part with a silty bottom, the depth of which in many places does not exceed 5 meters and a relatively deep southern part with a sand-silicon bottom. Most Kuwaiti ports are located in the southern part due to its deep waters

coast

There has always been a close connection between Kuwait and the sea, this connection has formed a characteristic feature of the inhabitants of today's Kuwait and was the main source of income in ancient times. Despite the fact that today the picture has changed a lot thanks to urbanization and modernization, the connection with the sea still remains a memory of the past for Kuwaitis. The 290-kilometer coast can be divided into two main parts: it stretches along the Arabian Gulf, and the other goes around the Kuwaiti bay and Khor

Subiya. The first part consists mainly of sandy beaches, while the second, 70 km long, is flooded at high tide, especially in the shallow northern part of Kuwaiti bay, where the maximum wave height is 16 cm. In Kuwait, there are six ports in Shuweikh, Doha, Ahmadi, Mina Abdullah, Shuayba and Az-Zor, in addition to them there are several anchorage sites used by individual companies or individuals and 20 anchorages for small vessels. 11 percent of the beaches are for tourist recreation and entertainment, 40 percent of the coastline is used by special organizations and citizens for private villas and chalets, 35 percent of the beaches, mainly in the northern part, remain untouched. used by individual companies or individuals and 20 anchorages for small vessels. 11 percent of the beaches are for tourist recreation and entertainment, 40 percent of the coastline is used by special organizations and citizens for private villas and chalets, 35 percent of the beaches, mainly in the northern part, remain untouched. used by individual companies or individuals and 20 anchorages for small vessels. 11 percent of the beaches are for tourist recreation and entertainment, 40 percent of the coastline is used by special organizations and citizens for private villas and chalets, 35 percent of the beaches, mainly in the northern part, remain untouched.

flora The wild flora of Kuwait is one of the unique natural heritage of this country. Plants adapted to harsh conditions and extreme temperatures. Unfortunately, they suffer under intense offensive pastures, fuel concentrations, etc. However, four ecosystems can be distinguished here: Sand dunes: some perennial shrubs with medicinal properties grow here. Another dominant vegetation is the annual grasses. Salt flats and salt valleys: Distributed mainly along the coast of Kuwait. Vegetation is generally salt tolerant, as the marine environment dominates here. Here is a clearly defined zone of plants. Kuwait's fauna is the home of many insects, animals, and birds. Among the variety of insects, the most attractive group is butterflies. There are many beautiful species. Spring is the best time to see them. In Kuwait, 38 species of reptiles are registered: a variety of snakes, lizards, geckos, etc. In addition, 50 species of mammals live here, some of which are threatened with extinction. Widespread species of animals living here include hedgehogs, wolves, wild cats, gazelles, etc. In Kuwait, about 280 bird species have been recorded. By the way, most of them are migratory. Due to the location of Kuwait in the geographic region of the Sahara, the country's climate is characterized by long, hot and dry summers and short, warm and sometimes rainy winters. Dust storms almost always occur with increasing humidity in the summer. The highest temperature - 52 degrees centigrade thermometer was recorded in July 1978 (which made Kuwait the fourth hottest place in the world). The lowest temperature of -6 degrees was noted in January 1964. The temperature range is wide, from 45 degrees. on average in summer up to 8 degrees on average in winter. This climate variation is often accompanied by a change in annual rainfall, which can vary from 22 mm per year to 352 mm. There are 9 islands off the coast of Kuwait: Failaka, Bubiyan, Miskan, Varba, Aukhha, Umm Al-Maradim, Umm Al-Naml, Kubbar, and Garukh. Bubiyan, the largest of the islands, has an area of ​​863 km2 and is connected to the mainland by a concrete bridge. Verba, the northernmost extremity of the bay, covers an area of ​​37 km2. Mishkan and Auhha lie respectively north and south of the island of Failaka. A large number of Islamic antiquities have been discovered on the island of Umm Al-Naml, located at the mouth of the Kuwaiti Bay. Kubbar and Garukh are located in the southern part of the bay and are a favorite place for huge flocks of seabirds. Failaka Island has become a place of attraction for modern tourists, maintaining the level of modern progress in all aspects. Before the Iraqi aggression, visitors wishing to relax and swim in the azure waters were transported daily from Ras Al-Ardh (Salmiya) on the mainland to the island using ferries owned by a public transport company. They spent most of their vacation in a tourist complex with an area of ​​5 million square meters, located in the southern part of Failaki, equipped with a sufficient number of swimming pools, sports grounds, and restaurants. In parallel with the water pipeline from Kuwait to the island, three underwater electric cables were installed, providing an island of electricity
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