Shia Islam in Kuwait

Shia Islam in Kuwait constitutes 30%-40%[1] of Kuwait's citizen population.

In 2001, the US Department of State reported that there were 300,000 Shia Kuwaiti citizens and 820,000 Kuwaiti citizens in total thus Shias formed 36.5% of the Kuwaiti citizen population.[2] In 2002, the US Department of State reported that Shia Kuwaitis formed 30-40% of Kuwait's citizen population,[3] noting there were 525,000 Sunni citizens and 855,000 Kuwaiti citizens in total (61% Sunnis, 39% Shias).[3] In 2004, there were 300,000-350,000 Shia Kuwaiti citizens and 913,000 Kuwaiti citizens in total.[4] In 2008, the Strategic Studies Institute reported that 40% of Kuwaitis were Shias.[1]

Shiites are usually under-represented in the National Assembly parliaments although hold a few positions in the government.[5]

They founded the local armed resistance movement during the occupation of Kuwait in the Gulf War.[6][7] The Kuwaiti resistance's casualty rate far exceeded that of the coalition military forces and Western hostages.[8] The resistance predominantly consisted of ordinary citizens who lacked any form of training and supervision.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The New Middle East, Turkey, and the Search for Regional Stability". Strategic Studies Institute. April 2008. p. 93. Shiites comprise 60 percent of the population in Bahrain, 40 percent in Kuwait, 14 percent in Saudi Arabia, and 35 percent in Lebanon.
  2. ↑ "International Religious Freedom Report". US State Department. 2001.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "International Religious Freedom Report". US State Department. 2002.
  4. ↑ "International Religious Freedom Report". US State Department. 2004.
  5. ↑ "Shi'ites lose more than half their seats in Kuwait polls as liberals make gains". 28 Jul 2013.
  6. ↑ "Iran, Israel and the Shi'ite Crescent". S. Daniel Abraham Center for Strategic Dialogue. pp. 14–15.
  7. ↑ "Saddam's Security Apparatus During the Invasion of Kuwait and the Kuwaiti Resistance". The Journal of Intelligence History. Winter 2003. pp. 74–75.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "The Kuwaiti Resistance". Middle East Forum. March 1995.