Kuwait : Profile

Facts

Kuwait lies on the north-west coast of the Persian Gulf and has boundaries with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The land is mainly desert, with a more fertile narrow coastal belt.
The northern area of the Bay of Kuwait is shallow (under 5 m) and characterised by mud flats, whereas the southern coast of the bay and along the Arabian Gulf is deeper and has sandy beaches. Most ports are on the southern shores and there are about twenty anchorages for small boats.
Although tourism is discouraged by the authorities, the few cruising boats that have visited Kuwait since the Gulf War have been allowed to stay for a limited period.
There are a number of locally owned yachts, mainly power, and two well-endowed marinas, one near the capital, the other in the south of the country. Because of the large number of local yachts, facilities are of a high standard. There are two marinas, one near Kuwait City, referred to as the Yacht Club, the other near the Khiran tourist resort, some 60 miles (97 km) south of the capital near the Saudi border.

*Indicates a port of entry.