Kuwait Timeline of Events

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Kuwait

The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the Arabic أكوات ākwāt, the plural of كوت kūt, meaning a fortress built near water...

Timeline of Events

1961

6.19.1961

Kuwait declares independence from the United Kingdom.

1962

11.11.1962

Kuwait's National Assembly ratifies the Constitution of Kuwait.

1963

5.14.1963

Kuwait joins the United Nations.

1981

5.25.1981

In Riyadh, the Gulf Cooperation Council is created between Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

1990

7.24.1990

Iraqi forces start massing on the Kuwait-Iraq border.

8.2.1990

Iraq invades Kuwait, eventually leading to the Gulf War.

8.6.1990

Gulf War: the United Nations Security Council orders a global trade embargo against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.

8.8.1990

Iraq occupies Kuwait and the state is annexed to Iraq. This would lead to the Gulf War shortly afterward.

8.28.1990

Iraq declares Kuwait to be its newest province.

11.29.1990

Gulf War: The United Nations Security Council passes United Nations Security Council Resolution 678, authorizing "use all necessary means to uphold and implement" United Nations Security Council Resolution 660 "to restore international peace and security" if Iraq did not withdraw its forces from Kuwait and free all foreign hostages by January 15, 1991.

1991

1.12.1991

Gulf War: An act of the U.S. Congress authorizes the use of military force to drive Iraq out of Kuwait.

1.15.1991

The United Nations deadline for the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from occupied Kuwait expires, preparing the way for the start of Operation Desert Storm.

2.26.1991

Gulf War: On Baghdad Radio Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein announces the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait.

2.27.1991

Gulf War: U.S. President George H. W. Bush announces that "Kuwait is liberated".

3.31.1991

The Islamic Constitutional Movement, or Hadas, is established in Kuwait.

2005

5.16.2005

Kuwait permits women's suffrage in a 35-23 National Assembly vote.

2010

8.19.2010

Operation Iraqi Freedom ends, with the last of the United States brigade combat teams crossing the border to Kuwait.