Kuwait

0.3% —or about 6,000 hectares—of Kuwait is forested.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, Kuwait gained an average of 200 hectares of forest per year. The amounts to an average annual reforestation rate of 6.67%. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of forest change decreased by 40.0% to 4.00% per annum. In total, between 1990 and 2005, Kuwait gained 100.0% of its forest cover, or around 3,000 hectares.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Kuwait has some 358 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 0.3% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 3.9% are threatened. Kuwait is home to at least 234 species of vascular plants. 0.0% of Kuwait is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

SECTIONS:

Forest Cover | Forest types | Breakdown of forest types | Change in Forest Cover | Primary forest | Forest designation | Disturbances affecting forest land | Protected areas | Biodiversity - Wildlife | Biodiversity - Plants | Value of forests | Production, trade and consumption of forest products | Environment | Land use / Resources | Economy | Population / Demographics | Infrastructure | Health | References | Books

Books

Kuwait: Forest Cover, 2005 Total Land Area (ha) 1,782,000 Total Forest Area (ha) 6,000 Percent Forest Cover 0.34% Primary Forest Cover (ha) - Primary Forest, % total forest - Primary Forest, % total land - Other wooded land (ha) - Kuwait : Forest types Tropical (% forest area) 0% Subtropical (% forest area) 100% Temperate (% forest area) 0% Boreal/polar (% forest area) 0% Kuwait: Breakdown of forest types, 2005 Primary forest (ha | %) - - Modified natural (ha | %) - - Semi-natural (ha | %) - - Production plantation (ha | %) - - Production plantation (ha | %) 6,000 100.0% Kuwait: Change in Forest Cover TOTAL FOREST COVER Forest 1990 (ha) 3,000 Forest 2000 (ha) 5,000 Forest 2005 (ha) 6,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 200 6.67% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 200 4.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 3,000 100.00% Change in rate (%) -40.00% PRIMARY FOREST COVER Primary 1990 (ha) - Primary 2000 (ha) - Primary 2005 (ha) - Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - - Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - - Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - - Change in rate (%) - OTHER WOODED LAND Other 1990 (ha) - Other 2000 (ha) - Other 2005 (ha) - Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - #DIV/0! Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - #DIV/0! Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - #DIV/0! Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! PLANTATIONS Other 1990 (ha) 3,000 Other 2000 (ha) 5,000 Other 2005 (ha) 6,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 200 6.67% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 200 4.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 3,000 100.00% Change in rate (%) -40.00% TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations Other 1990 (ha) - Other 2000 (ha) - Other 2005 (ha) - Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - #DIV/0! Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - #DIV/0! Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - #DIV/0! Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! Kuwait: Primary Primary or "old-growth" vegetation Primary Forest 2005 (ha) - Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) - Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) 0 Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) 0.00% Kuwait: Forest designation Ownership of forest land, 2000 Public (%) 100.0% Private (%) 0.0% Other (%) 0.0% Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 Public (%) - Private (%) - Other (%) - Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 Production (%) - Protection (%) 100.0% Conservation (%) - Social Services (%) - Multiple Services (%) - None of Unknown (%) - Kuwait: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000 Forest Area annually affected by Fire (%) - Insects (ha) - Diseases (ha) - Other (ha) - Kuwait: Protected areas Protected areas Biosphere reserves, 2005 Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 2005 0 World Heritage sites, 2004 0 Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land 0.0% Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land 0.00% Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 2004 0.02% Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 2004 0.00% Kuwait: Biodiversity - Wildlife Amphibians total species 0 endemic species threatened species 0 Birds total species 358 endemic species 1 threatened species 12 Mammals total species 0 endemic species 0 threatened species 1 Reptiles total species 0 endemic species 0 threatened species 1 Wildlife diversity total species 358 endemic species 1 threatened species 14 Kuwait: Biodiversity - Plants Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock - Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock - Number of Native tree species Native tree species - Number of tree species in IUCN red list Critically Endangered - Endangered - Vulnerable - Vascular Plant Species, 2004 Total Number endemic 0 Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 Species threatened 0 Kuwait: Value of forests Biomass stock in forest, 2005 Above-ground biomass (M t) - Below-ground biomass (M t) - Dead wood (M t) - Total (M t) - Carbon stock in forest, 2005 Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) - Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) - Carbon in dead wood (M t) - Carbon in litter (M t) - Soil carbon (M t) - Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) 1990-2000 - 2000-2005 - Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) 1990-2000 - 2000-2005 - Wood removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) - Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) - Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) - Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) - Plant products 2005 Food (t) - Fodder (t) - Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) - Ornamental plants (t) - Exudates (t) - Other plant products (t) - Animal products 2005 Living animals (units) - Hides, skins and trophies (units) - Wild honey and bee-wax (t) - Bush meat (t) - Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Other edible animal products (t) - Other non-edible animal products (t) - Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (US$) - Wood fuel (US$) - Non-wood forest products (US$) - Total value (US$) - Total value ($USD/ha) $- Employment in forestry 2000 Total people employed - Kuwait : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002 Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production - Imports 0 Exports 0 Consumption 0 Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production - Imports 3 Exports 0 Consumption 3 Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production - Imports 73 Exports 0 Consumption 73 Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production - Imports 94 Exports 0 Consumption 94 Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production - Imports 15 Exports - Consumption 15 Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production - Imports 89 Exports 32 Consumption 57 Kuwait: Environment Environment - current issues limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping Natural hazards sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August Kuwait: Land use / Resources Land use (%) arable land: 0.73% permanent crops: 0.11% other: 99.16% (2001) Natural resources petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas Kuwait: Economy Economy - overview: Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 96 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country. GDP - per capita $22,100 (2005 est.) GDP - real growth rate (%) 4.5% (2005 est.) Agriculture - products practically no crops; fish GDP - composition by sector (%) agriculture: 0.5%, industry: 52.1%, services: 47.4% (2005 est.) Industries petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, desalination, food processing, construction materials Economic aid - recipient NA (2001) Debt - external $14.93 billion (2005 est.) Population below poverty line (%) NA Labor force - by occupation (%) agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA Kuwait: Population / Demographics Population (July 2005) 2,335,648 Population growth rate (%) (2005) 3.44% Population density (people/sq km) (2005) 131.1 Percent rural (2003) 3.7% Median age (years) total: 25.86 years Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 2.97 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups (%) Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% Largest Cities in Kuwait Cities and urban areas in Kuwait with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002. City Country City Population Urban Area Population as-Salimiyah Kuwait 144800 144800 Jalib as-Suyuh Kuwait 113500 113500 210 Kuwait City Kuwait 32100 1680400 Kuwait: Infrastructure Telephones - main lines in use 486,900 (2003) Telephones - mobile cellular 1.42 million (2003) Roadways (km) total: 4,450 km paved: 3,587 km unpaved: 863 km (1999) Kuwait: Health Life expectancy at birth (years) total population: 77.03 years male: 76.01 years female: 78.1 years (2005 est.) Infant mortality rate 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) 0.12% (2001 est.) Kuwait : References & Data Sources  Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005  Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)  Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.  Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.  RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.  World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site  The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund  With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com