LandScape of Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

LandScape of Kuwait - Essay Example With these features in mind, it is helpful to consider the various components of the physical and cultural landscape of Kuwait that has made the country into the powerful regional force that it is today. Origin of the Landscape On its surface, Kuwait would appear to possess a landscape with quite a few possibilities. This is far from reality, however, as the small area of land, coupled with its lack of fresh water and inability to grow crops have made it is a harsh environment to thrive under for centuries. While it is in the Arabian Gulf, the climate is extremely dry. The landscape of the region has not developed much at all over the years. It is still the flat and barren desert that it was long ago. In fact, it appears that there are only slight elevations of landscape present throughout the relatively small country. The summer is particularly harsh on the landscape, as temperatures can get above 120 degrees F, or 49 degrees C, with relatively little rain to speak of. In addition, because of the barren desert landscape, there are frequent and severe sandstorms that add to the uniqueness of the country and contribute to the difficulty that the land affords daily Kuwaiti life. Ethnic Makeup of the Kuwaiti People It appears that Kuwait has been settled for several thousand years. The early inhabitants of the region actually traded with other Mesopotamian cities. Today, most of the population surrounds itself around Kuwait City. Nearly all Kuwaiti people are Arabs. There is a unique distinction among ethnic Kuwaiti’s, however, in that they are one of the few countries in the world where there own citizens actually form the minority. Only about 45% of the population today is actually Kuwaiti, with the rest being comprised of expatriate workers from around the globe. This certainly creates a unique cultural landscape. It is also important to note that Kuwait is home to numerous Bedoun and Bedoiun tribes. As opposed to the Bedoiun in other countries, however, even the ethnic tribe in Kuwait tend to live in city centers, while still maintaining there conservative and traditional ways of life (Osborn, 1977). They do tend to live in harmony with the ethnic Kuwaitis, yet they maintain their own way of life and cultural traditions. Role of Religion in Forming the Landscape Like many other countries in the Middle East, religion has played an integral part in the development of Kuwait. More than 85% of the population if Muslim. Of this number, nearly all Kuwaiti’s themselves identify with the Islamic faith. One of the primary tenants of this faith is that it impacts nearly aspect of the development of the country, and Kuwait is certainly no exception. The heritage and traditions of the Kuwaiti people, owed to their Islamic roots, remain relatively in tact today. It is interesting to note that Kuwait does guarantee the freedom of religion to all inhabitants, and this is largely honored without question. Remember, however, that most Kuwai ti’s are Muslim, so it definitely forms the foundation for government and social institutions. While this freedom of religion is guaranteed, the constitution of the country also designates Islam as the official religion of the state, and Islamic does largely form the basis for civil law in existence today. These are traditions that