Kuwait City is the capital of the State of Kuwait, with a history dating back to 1672. The development of urban regions in Kuwait differs somewhat from most Third World regions because Kuwait has no appreciable agricultural sector. Instead, the urban regions developed as trading centers, notably maritime trading centers along the coast, and expansion came with the discovery of oil and the shift to an oil-producing economy. The aim of this study is to determine the general nature of urban development as it relates to Kuwait City and to find how it reflects or counters trends in other Third World regions. The study examines the history of Kuwait and Kuwait city to determine the dynamics of the region as an economic unit and the way in which the economic development of the country relates to its urbanization. This is further related to similar developments elsewhere in the world to see whether Kuwait follows the general trend or runs counter to it. The study utilizes a theory of urbanization that applies to countries that have passed through a colonial period. The intent is to analyze the kinds of changes that have been brought about in Kuwait City. The analysis tries to show why those changes occurred. It is hoped that this analysis will show how they relate to the economic development of Kuwait as a nation and to urban development as seen in other Third World countries.
The first population census in Kuwait was in 1957, and little was known about the populace before that time. A 1910 estimate showed the population at about 35,000, while in 1957 there were 206,000. by 1985 the population had reached 1,712,133 (Kuwait: Facts and Figures, 1988: 38). The high growth rate seems related to the increase in the number of births compared to the mortality rate and the artificial growth caused by the increase of non-Kuwaitis from the Arab countries and elsewhere, a massive influx of foreigners resulting from the rapid rate of econo...