Kuwait

The system of government in the State of Kuwait is Amiri and democratic. Kuwait has sovereignty and a constitution, is headed by His Highness the Amir of the country, and its laws are legislated by the National Assembly, made up of fifty members elected every four years by free popular ballot. Powers in Kuwait are divided into legislative, executive and judicial, headed by the Amir. Under the constitution the formation of political parties is not permitted, although parliamentary blocs exist. The system of government is hereditary and constitutional, deriving its legitimacy from the constitution, which allows the transfer of authority within the ruling family among the descendants of Mubarak Al-Sabah. The ruler’s title is Amir. The Amir exercises his executive powers through his ministers, judicial rulings are not carried out until he has ratified them, and the Amir alone may grant pardon from sentences.

Kuwait’s system of government is distinguished by combining the parliamentary and the presidential systems. Every law passed by the National Assembly comes into force once the Amir signs it within a month of its issuance. If a month passes without his signature, the law comes into force without it, as though he had signed. If he returns it to the Assembly and the Assembly approves it again, it comes into force without needing his signature.

The State of Kuwait lies in the north-western corner of the Gulf, between latitudes 28.30 and 30.06 north and longitudes 46.30 and 48.30 east. It is bordered to the north and north-west by the Republic of Iraq, to the south and south-west by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to the east by the Arabian Gulf. Kuwait holds commercial importance owing to a location that forms a natural outlet for the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula. The area of the State of Kuwait is 17,818 square kilometres.