Buddy, I do not agree with your premise of change coming to Kuwait (even because of Demographic events) and this is why:
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From Al-Sabah to oil
The present Al-Sabah dynasty was established in Kuwait in the mid-eighteenth century -- about 1760. Kuwait was nominally a province of the Ottoman Empire, ruled from Constantinople. This was observed on paper but seldom in fact.
In 1899 when the Turks threatened to take actual control of the country, the ruling sheikh sought and received British protection.
Oil was discovered in Kuwait in 1938 by the Kuwait Oil Company but because of World War II, it was not exported until 1946, after which time Kuwait's economy flourished.
Kuwait remained a British protectorate until 1961 when it became independent under Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah. However, when Iraq claimed the emirate in the early 1960s, it once again received British protection.
In July 1961 Kuwait joined the Arab League and in 1963 became a member of the United Nations. Also in 1963 the first legislative elections were held and Sheikh Abdullah, the Emir of Kuwait, inaugurated the first National Assembly on 29 February 1963.
During the 1980's, Kuwait experienced several terrorist attacks by Shiite Muslim extremists, including one in 1985 which attempted to assassinate the emir. Kuwait, like most Arab states, supported Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988).
Kuwait played a major role in establishing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) consisting of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman in 1981. The Council held a firm position during Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990 and its seven-month occupation of the Emirate.
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The Gulf War
After a series of disputes over oil, money and boundaries, Iraq invaded its much smaller neighbour on 2 August 1990. The invasion received immediate international condemnation and on 16 January 1991, after the failure of international diplomatic efforts and sanctions, a 28-member military coalition under U.S. command launched the Gulf War.
Kuwait was recaptured on 26 February 1991 and on 14 March, the emir returned to his country.
The Advisory National Council, created in 1990 before the invasion, was reconvened on 9 July. Later in 1991, Kuwait and the United States signed a ten-year security agreement.
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Social history
The state that became modern Kuwait began in the middle of the eighteenth century when members of the Utub clan from what is now Saudi Arabia settled in the area.
Since those long-ago days, many other Arabs have also settled in Kuwait but in general, it is fair to say that the ancestors of most Kuwaitis come of desert stock. At different points in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, these traditional sons of the desert adapted themselves to a life revolving around the sea: trade, fishing, pearl diving and boat building.
Life centred on the sea was not easy in those days but probably the harshest life of all was that of the desert bedouin. He roamed the desert in search of water and food for himself, his family and his animals. He generally gravitated to the town in the hotter weather and out into the desert in the winter. His life was based on his camels, his sheep and his goats.
After the discovery of oil in Kuwait, many of these people were invited to settle in government-supplied housing and, in the 1950s and 1960s, chose to do so.
In and around Kuwait, the names which are seen on shops and businesses indicate the origins of the owners. Some belong to the original Utub families and others to the great bedouin tribes of the Arabian desert.
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Rulers of Kuwait
Around the middle of the eighteenth century a group of Arabs known as the Utub settled in Kuwait. This group was a part of the Anizah tribe from modern-day Saudi Arabia.
It is believed the Utub came to Kuwait to escape a terrible drought that was decimating the Arabian peninsula. They and other inhabitants of Kuwait chose Sabah bin Jaber to be their ruler in 1756 and the little town at the head of the Arabian Gulf grew through trade, fishing and pearl diving to be one of the most prosperous in the region.
From 1756 to the present, there have been thirteen rulers of Kuwait from the Al-Sabah family:
Sheikh Sabah bin Jaber I, 1756-1762
Sheikh Abdullah I, 1762-1812
Sheikh Jaber I, 1812-1859
Sheikh Sabah II, 1859-1866
Sheikh Abdullah II, 1866-1892
Sheikh Mohammed I, 1892-1896
Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah, 1896-1915
Sheikh Jaber II, 1915-1917
Sheikh Salem Al-Mubarak, 1917-1921
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 1921-1950
Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, 1950-1965
Sheikh Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, 1965-1977
Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, 1977-present
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The economy
The economy of Kuwait is based almost exclusively on oil. By law, 10% of all petroleum income has been deposited in a special reserve fund to provide for the future when oil revenues are exhausted.
During the 1990/91 occupation, a great deal of Kuwaiti wealth was taken to Iraq; the Kuwaiti government-in-exile, however, retained control of the country's very substantial overseas assets.
Limited oil exports began a few months after the liberation. It was anticipated that pre-invasion oil production levels would be reached by the end of 1992. It was also estimated that it would take two to five years to restore the country to its pre-war condition.
In a move to stimulate private investment, the government paid off household debts, increased government salaries and compensated for war damage. This spending plus the costs of the war reduced Kuwait's overseas assets from $100 billion in 1990 to $40 billion in 1992.
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Health care
The government subsidizes the health service and treatment is free for Kuwaiti citizens. Expatriates are charged low fees.
When an expatriate has completed residence formalities, he or she is entitled to a medical card. This can be obtained by taking your passport, a rent receipt and a letter from the District Administrator of your area to the nearest clinic.
Hospitals and clinics
Clinics are located in most areas throughout Kuwait and offer medical and dental care. There are a number of well-equipped hospitals in Kuwait. In regard to hospital treatment, the government has divided the country into different health areas. Specialized treatment is available at the Al-Sabah Centre for Medical Specialities.
A number of Kuwaiti businessmen and women have set up specialized medical centres as donations to the Ministry of Public Health. Some of these are:
Hussain Makki Al-Juma's Kuwait Cancer Control Centre at Al-Sabah Hospital Compound
Thanian Al-Ghanim's Centre for Gastroenterology at Al-Amiri Hospital Compound
Lulwa Al-Marzouq's Centre for Islamic Medicine at Al-Sabah Hospital Compound
Hamad Al-Essa's Kidney Centre at Al-Sabah Hospital Compound
In addition, there are a number of private hospitals in Kuwait. If you wish to be treated at one of these, you will pay a registration fee, a treatment fee and a further fee for any tests required. Many expatriates and Kuwaitis do select private medical treatment.
Dentists
There are both government and private dentists in a number of locations throughout the country.
Pharmacies
There are a large number of pharmacies in Kuwait and these have a duty roster for night service.
Opticians
Many opticians are available in Kuwait. They are generally efficient and offer services for reasonable prices. Eye check-ups are free, Hard and soft contact lenses are available but sand storms can cause irritation and more than usual care should be exercised by the wearers of contact lenses. In many cases, glasses can be delivered within 24 hours.
Blood Bank
The new Central Blood Bank is behind the Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital in Jabriya. Blood donors are always welcome and should report to the Central Blood Bank for further information. Tel: 533 6538 and 533 6539.
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The people
There are essentially five levels of Kuwaiti society: the ruling family, the old Kuwaiti merchant families, former Bedouins who settled in Kuwait, Arabs from other countries and foreigners. Arabic is the official language and 90% of the population is Muslim.
In per-capita terms, Kuwait has one of the highest incomes in the world.
Before the Iraqi invasion in August 1990, less than 40% of the population were Kuwaiti and of the work force, less than 20% were Kuwaiti. Non-Kuwaitis enjoyed most of the welfare benefits of Kuwaiti citizens. The vote, on the other hand, was restricted to about 65,000 Kuwaiti males descended from men living in the country before 1920.
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Kuwaiti society
It is inevitable in a country like Kuwait which has grown from relative poverty to great wealth in a very short time that clashes should occur between the old and the new. It cannot be emphasized too strongly that the most important part of Kuwaiti society remains the family, and here the old values are retained and cherished.
The traditional virtues of hospitality, courtesy and respect must not be lost in a head-long rush to what some may term "modernization". Nowadays in Kuwait it is generally felt that not enough attention has been paid to the country's heritage, and so a number of government projects have sought to reverse this trend.
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Foreign workers
The population of Kuwait has always been so small that the country has had to rely on foreign workers. Prior to the Iraqi invasion in 1990, nationals of virtually every country could be found working in Kuwait.
In retrospect, however, it is now felt by the government that in 1990 the foreign workforce was too large, outnumbering as it did the Kuwaiti nationals themselves. Present plans therefore seek to ensure that, for both cultural and economic reasons, Kuwaitis remain a majority in their own country.
By 1992 the population of Kuwait had fallen to less than half its number on 2 August 1990. In the aftermath of the Gulf War, nearly 400,000 Palestinians were expelled, and most Sudanese and Yemenis (groups suspected of cooperating with the Iraqis) were refused employment. Most of the hundreds of thousands of foreign workers who fled the country after the invasion were not expected to return.
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Education
Government schools
The government provides free education at all levels to Kuwaitis. Certain groups of non-Kuwaitis may place their children in government schools, but demand exceeds the places available. Tuition is in Arabic.
Private schools
There are a large number of private schools, catering primarily for expatriates, but many Kuwaiti families choose them as a preparation for further study overseas.
Most expatriates are not eligible for free education and will have to register their children at a private school. Tuition is available at all levels and covers most language groupings and national curriculums. The English and American schools are the most numerous and their students reach high standards in their exams.
All private schools come under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education which sets the fee level, inspects the school and also arbitrates cases of complaints.
Nursery and pre-school
These are available from a number of playgroups and generally focus on children between two and six years of age.
Adult education
There are a number of commercial organizations offering tuition to adults, generally in the sphere of languages or computing. The university also offers courses for adults. Course details are generally given in the local press.
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Welfare
Kuwait is a welfare state and heavily subsidizes many social needs. This sector of course was heavily damaged during the Iraqi occupation but strenuous efforts are underway to get the welfare system back to where it was on 1 August 1990.
Following are details showing the state of Kuwait's Welfare Services prior to the invasion. Some of these were continued after the Gulf War but are under examination and re-evaluation by the government.
Electricity costs the consumer 2 fils a unit (1 KD = 1000 fils), although its real price is more than 15 times this amount. This continues to be the case.
Gasoline prices are still 50% below market rates.
Subsidized foods, available to everybody, are being held at 1972 prices. The most heavily subsidized product is rice at 80%.
Government housing is available to all married Kuwaitis who are employed and who do not own property. A nominal monthly rent is paid and until a house becomes available, they receive an income of KD 100 per month. The emphasis has been on providing housing for low-income applicants and bedouins. Prior to the invasion, the Housing Authority had a budget in excess of KD 100m per annum.
Education received about KD 233m per year. There were 79 kindergartens, 178 primary schools, 145 secondary schools and 1 university. Most have reopened.
All schooling is free for Kuwaitis and is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 14. As it is illegal to employ a child under the age of 15, most stay at school until this age. All schools impose segregation of sexes after kindergarten. The government also paid for Kuwaitis to study abroad.
There were also 11 institutes of post-secondary vocational training and a Maintenance Training Centre which ran courses on electronics, machine tools, diesel and petrol engines, air-conditioning etc.
Schools also tackled the problem of illiteracy. There were 140 Adult Literacy Centres run by the government. There were also Institutes of Special Education catering to the needs of the handicapped and educationally sub-normal.
Medical treatment was offered free to all residents of Kuwait. There were, however, some changes after liberation.
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