Pray for Kuwait

Located at the head of the Persian Gulf between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, the desert state of Kuwait is blessed with an abundance of oil, great material wealth, and strategic access to major shipping lanes. The Kuwaiti people are descendants of nomadic tribes who settled in the area in the 18th century, yet today they are a minority in their own nation. The population is only 40% Kuwaiti, while the majority is composed of a large immigrant population. These migrant workers are often taken advantage of and treated with resentment.

The Kuwaiti government is a constitutional emirate headed by an Emir, who shares power with an elected national assembly. The political environment has recently been shaken by political unrest, protests, accusations of corruption, and many successive changes in the government. Kuwait was invaded by its northern neighbor Iraq in 1990, and in the following year a coalition of nations removed the Iraqi forces and liberated Kuwaitis. The nation has since made a strong economic recovery. Oil is the primary economic driver behind the Kuwaiti economy and composes nearly half of the GDP. Kuwait possesses roughly 7% of the world’s proven oil reserve and produces over 2.6 million barrels every day.

Sunni Islam is the official religion of Kuwait, and 60% of the people follow that faith. Twenty-five percent are Shi’a Muslims, and 14% are Christians. The underground church is growing quickly in numbers and maturity. Between 2005 and 2010, Christianity in Kuwait had an annual growth rate of nearly 6%. Christian meetings are allowed, but only in certain designated compounds. More space is needed. Christian satellite TV, radio programing, and websites are effective tools that are reaching numerous Kuwaitis with the message of Christ. Many Kuwaiti students who study abroad encounter Christian witnesses and become followers of Jesus. The large minority group of “Bidoon”, or stateless Arabs, has no known believers.