Governorates of Kuwait

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Updates: 

I've been persuaded to change my translation of muhafazah from "province" to "governorate", which is the word most English-language sources are using.

ISO 3166-2 has come out in a second edition, dated 2007-12-15. This contains the ISO code for Mubarak Al-Kabir, as shown below.

FIPS 10-4 Change Notice 12, dated 2007-06-11, has FIPS codes for the new and changed governorates. The table has been updated accordingly.

The Europa World Year Book 2001 reports that a sixth governorate was created in 1999-11. Its name is Great Mubarak. No further details are provided. Other sources give its name as Mubarak Al-Kabir, and show that it was formed from the southern part of Hawalli. It was probably named for Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah, who ruled from 1896 to 1915.

I have acquired more recent census data for the governorates of Kuwait.

Country overview: 

Kuwait was under British protection from 1899 to 1961-06-19, when it became fully independent. It was invaded by Iraq on 1990-08-08, but the annexation was never internationally recognized, and it was liberated again on 1991-02-26.

Other names of country: 

1. Arabic: Dowlat al-Kuwait (formal)
2. Danish: Kuwait
3. Dutch: Koeweit, Staat Koeweit (formal)
4. English: State of Kuwait (formal)
5. Finnish: Kuwait
6. French: Koweït m
7. German: Kuwait m
8. Icelandic: Kúveit
9. Italian: Kuwait m
10. Norwegian: Kuwait, Staten Kuwait (formal)
11. Portuguese: Caueite, Cuvaite, Kuwait, Kuweit, Coveite (Brazil), Estado m do Kuwait m (formal)
12. Spanish: Kuwait, Estado m de Kuwait (formal)
13. Swedish: Kuwait

Origin of name: 

Arabic al-Kuwait, a diminutive form of kut: fort

Primary subdivisions: 

Kuwait is divided into six muhafazat (sing. muhafazah: governorates).

Postal codes: 

Kuwait uses five-digit postal codes.

Territorial extent: 

1. Al Jahrah includes Bubiyan and Warbah Islands.
2. Al Kuwayt includes Faylakah, Maskan, and Awhah Islands.

Change history: 

1. 1946: Al Ahmadi governorate created, according to a personal Web page. It was named for Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (ruled 1921-1950).
2. 1969-12-18: Kuwait took over administration of the northern half of the Kuwait-Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone.
3. 1979: Al Jahrah governorate split from Al Kuwayt (former FIPS code KU01). These were the divisions of Kuwait at that time.

1. 1988: Al Farwaniyah governorate split from Al Kuwayt.
2. 1999-11: Mubarak Al-Kabir governorate split from Hawalli (former HASC code KW.HA, FIPS KU03). FIPS also changed the code for Al Farwaniyah from KU06, suggesting that they believe that part of the territory for Mubarak Al-Kabir was taken from Al Farwaniyah.

Other names of subdivisions: 

1. Al Farwānīyah: Farwaniya (variant)
2. Hawallī: Hawali, Howali (variant)
3. Al Jahrah: Jahra (variant)
4. Al Kuwayt: Al Asimah, Capital, Kuwait (variant)