Based on the Persian Gulf and bordered by Saudi Arabia and Iraq, Kuwait has benefited intensely from its subterranean oilfields. Oil and petroleum-related products now account for 95 per cent of the nation's exports, placing Kuwait among the top-four wealthiest nations (per capita) in the world. Governed by a parliamentary, constitutional monarchy, the country is home to just over three million citizens.

Kuwait moved to the centre of the world stage in 1991, when a US-led military intervention force ousted Iraqi forces that had invaded the country in 1990. The conflict caused significant damage to Kuwait's infrastructure, and the massive rebuilding campaign in the years to come resulted in new attractions such as Liberation Tower the ultramodern Kuwait Towers.

Most of the country's infrastructure is located in neighbourhoods emanating from the nation's capital, Kuwait City. There are relatively few heritage homes, placing 19th-century structures like Bayt Al-Badr and Bayt Al-Sadu at the centre of historic tours of the country. Dhow Harbour offers insight into the nation's past, displaying the antique wooden boats used by the pearling industry that was well-established in the years before the oil boom.

A nation built on a long tradition of Islam, Kuwait is home to numerous mosques. Despite the country's economic success, its mosques are surprisingly low-key with unassuming façades. The Islam Presentation Committee Mosque is a new facility that welcomes the non-Muslim public with regular, free classes on the Arabic language and the Islamic faith.

Kuwait City and the surrounding suburbs boast a strong network of accommodation options. Upscale resorts and international hotel chains are well-represented here in this wealthy nation. It is also possible to arrange accommodation in seaside chalets along the Gulf. Many of these options can be booked online at a discounted rate.

As the only airport in the country, Kuwait International Airport is the primary gateway into the region. A network of buses (both government-funded and privately-operated) connect Kuwait City with the smaller villages in the interior. Visitors who wish to hire a car while travelling in Kuwait need only to have an international driver's license before arriving.

Kuwait enjoys a warm, tropical climate throughout the year. Summertime highs can be very high, easily reaching 45°C between the months of April and September. Winters are much cooler, with average temperatures falling just shy of 15°C between November and February. March is usually a very comfortable time to travel in Kuwait, with occasional spring showers to offset the rising heat.

Precipitation is greatest between the months of October and April. In many ways, the day-to-day weather patterns depend greatly on the prevailing winds. Winds from the southeast (common in late summer) are hot and damp; while the drier, hot winds from the south are more common earlier in the summer. A wind from the northwest, known as the shamal, creeps in during June and July, bringing intense sandstorms.