Kuwait, city, capital of Kuwait and a port on Kuwait Bay (an arm of the Persian Gulf). Also called Al Kuwait. Wealth from oil fields in the coastal desert and in the gulf has been used to make the city one of the most modern in the Middle East. An important oil port, Kuwait produces petrochemicals and other petroleum products and is a trade and financial center. Shrimp and pearls are obtained from the Persian Gulf. The city is the site of Kuwait University (1962); vocational, technical, and teachers colleges; and a state museum. Founded in the early 18th century, Kuwait was once considered a terminus for a projected Berlin-Baghdad railway. It began to expand after World War II. In the early 1990s, however, it faced the difficulties of recovering from the severe damage inflicted during the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and the Persian Gulf War. The name is also spelled Al Kuwayt, Kuweit, or Koweit. Population (1995) 28,859.
