Kuwaiti Americans are an
ethnic group
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
of citizens or residents of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
with total or partial ancestry from
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
i descent.
Demographics
There are over 14,000 Kuwaiti students studying at universities across the U.S. Kuwaiti Students have created communities in certain cities or states. States like
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
(in cities such as
Fresno
Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...
),
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
,
Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
and
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
have large Kuwaiti populations.
[Kuwaiti in America]
Population estimates are seen to have a very small diaspora, mainly because Kuwait provides students with more than adequate welfare benefits and Kuwait is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, removing the need for Kuwaitis to live and work in other developed countries.
Organizations
The government of Kuwait and other prominent individuals and organizations in Kuwait support Kuwaiti students in the United States through NUKS, the National Union of Kuwaiti Students. This association, among other things, organizes and sponsors activities for students from entire U.S., says the concerns and problems of the Kuwaiti students in United States to Kuwaiti authorities and helps to students, especially freshmen, to adapt to the American life. The students vote by his representatives, many of them in the same place. There are usually two parties between which the students can vote: Al-Wihda (United) and Al Mustaqbal Al Tulaby (Student Future). Although both parties work for send to largest number of Kuwaiti students to United States, Student Future is a conservative party that aims to strengthen, among students, the idea of keeping religion and Kuwaiti traditions, having even an own magazine, while that United is a liberal party that supports the integration of students in American society.
[
Other Kuwaiti American association is the Kuwait-America Foundation (KAF), established in ]Washington D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
in 1991. The association is inspired in the fight for Kuwait's liberation, that was exerted by Allied Coalition forces in the Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
. The association is grateful for the American help during the Gulf War and reinforces ties among the two countries. However, the association mainly is dedicated on education, cultural exchange and programs for youth and disadvantaged persons.Kuwait American Foundation (KAF)
Notable people
*
Dina Al-Sabah
Dina Al-Sabah (born February 28, 1974) is a professional figure competitor from Kuwait. She is the only female Arab athlete to achieve pro card status as of 2006, as well as the first female Arab athlete to ever stand on the Olympia stage.
Bio ...
See also
*
Kuwait–United States relations
Kuwait is a designated major non-NATO ally of the United States.
As of 2013, there were 5,115 international students of Kuwaiti origin studying in the United States, representing 0.6% of all foreigners pursuing higher education in America.
Histo ...
References
{{Middle Eastern American
Middle Eastern American
Arab American
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
Kuwait–United States relations