Page "Geography of Kuwait" Paragraph 1

Kuwait is situated in Southwest Asia, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Once a small Persian Gulf sheikhdom known locally as a center for pearl diving and boat construction, Kuwait came to international prominence in the post-World War II era largely because of its enormous oil revenues.

Yet its history as an autonomous political entity is much older, dating back to the eighteenth century.

At that time, the town of Kuwait was settled by migrants from central Arabia who arrived at what was then a lightly populated fishing village under the suzerainty of the Bani Khalid tribe of Arabia.

Members of one family, the Al Sabah, have ruled Kuwait from that time.