|
|
Profile
The
population of Kuwait's capital city has
mushroomed in the past few years to the
current estimate of 2.8 million people.
The city already boasts an estimated 250,000
residents with a Bachelors level education
or higher and has five universities with
two more in the pipeline.
|
|
Country
Rankings
Kuwait
|
|
| Ease
of Doing Business World Bank '05 |
47
of 155
|
High*
|
Corruption
Perception
Transparency International '05 |
45
of 159
|
Med
|
Growth
Competitiveness
World Economic Forum '05 |
33
of 117
|
High
|
| National
Literacy |
83.5%
|
Med
|
GDP
Growth
(2004 est.) |
6.8%
|
High
|
|
Most
of Kuwait's oil is in the “super-giant”
Burgan field, south of Kuwait City while much
of the business activity is concentrated in Kuwait
City while the country’s oil industry is
centered on the purpose-built “oil town”
of Ahmadi, where both downstream operations and
gathering and loading for Kuwait’s upstream
activities take place.
Last
year, almost 7000 new businesses were registered
in the city and job growth was reportedly 7% according
to the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Such developments are what may have prompted,
in part at least, HSBC's new branch in the city
dedicated to serving the business community as
well as the opening of a new Holiday Inn by the
Bukhamseen Group. Kuwait is seen as a gateway
to Iraq which strengthens Kuwait City's business
potential and makes it an attractive place for
businesses to setup shop given it acts as a proxy
to being in Iraq itself.
In
fact, Kuwait is reported to have been making changes
in its business and financial codes in a concerted
effort to lure FDI into the emirate. Citibank
is the fourth foreign bank to be recently granted
an operating license in the country.
Key
Links:
Kuwait
Chamber of Commerce and Industry - www.kcci.org.kw
Kuwait Stock Exchange - http://www.kuwaitse.com/
Source:
Population:
2004 or latest: http://www.citypopulation.de;
GDP Data: 2004 CIA Fact Book estimate; Literacy:
UN estimate
*
Country Ranking Codes: A relative color coding
of where the country falls compared to the 20
other Muslim countries represented in this list.
Hgh/Green=Top 3rd; Med/Yellow=Mid 3rd; Low/Orange=Bottom
rd
Back
to Leading Business Cities List
|
