Natural Resources
Kuwait has few natural resources other than oil, a gigantic natural harbour, fisheries, and a few sparse water supplies. Oil is Kuwait's prime natural resource on which its economy depends. The country is reckoned to have reserves of 94.8 billion barrels, about 9.6% of the world's total. This ranks it third in the world behind Saudi Arabia and Iraq. At current levels of production, Kuwait has enough oil to last for more than 100 years. The other natural resources of Kuwait are petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas.

Kuwait bay is a generously sized natural harbour and has always been a prime access point for trade entering and leaving the hinterland of northeast Arabia and Iraq. Before oil was discovered, it was the country's most valuable natural resource and today, as the location of Kuwait's main commercial port, its economic importance continues.

Kuwait produces a relatively modest volume of natural gas the vast majority of which is 'associated gas' (i.e., found and produced in conjunction with oil). Kuwait hopes to significantly increase its use of natural gas, both domestic and imported, especially in electricity generation, water desalination, and petrochemicals.

Fifty years ago Kuwait was self-sufficient in marine foods and, despite a 20-fold increase in population, fishing still provides 50% of the country's seafood requirements. But stocks are being depleted through overfishing and the breeding grounds are being polluted by increased sediment due to marsh-draining in southern Iraq.

Kuwait's only reserves of pure drinking water are in the northern areas of Ar-Rawdatain and Umm Al-Aish. The rest of its naturally occurring water, which is found in Sulaibiya, Shigaya, Abdali, Wafra and Umm Qdair, is brackish and can only be used, in its natural state, for irrigation. Kuwait has no lakes and rivers and few sources of fresh water. Water for drinking and irrigation is available only from underground aquifers and through desalination (removal of salt) of seawater. There is little vegetation except for marsh plants along the coast and grasses and scattered thorn trees inland. Kuwait’s only significant natural resource is petroleum, the country’s main economic product. Without the economic resources available from oil, the Kuwaiti environment would be too harsh to support a substantial population.

Kuwait bay has a generously sized natural harbour and has always been a prime access point for trade entering and leaving the hinterland of northeast Arabia and Iraq. Before oil was discovered, it was the country's most valuable resource and today, as the location of Kuwait's main commercial port, it's economic importance continues to grow.

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