Good Time to Visit
Weather
Kuwait has a hot, dry climate, with an average annual rainfall of 10 cm. Summer temperatures are very high, often above 45°C (July to August) and even winter temperatures can exceed 20°C (November to March).
More information about the Kuwaiti weather may be found in Climate in Kuwait.
Festivals
National Day on 25 February celebrates the birth of Kuwait as a nation in 1961. National dress is worn, people get together, and towns put on firework displays. The following day is Liberation Day, celebrating the liberation from Iraqi occupation in 1991: a day of remembrance as well as a celebration.
When spring arrives, Kuwaitis hold the Hala February Festival, involving cultural events and entertainment for young and old. It is at this time that the parched sands turn green with blossoming flora. Other festivals follow the Muslim calendar.
Public Holidays
The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Kuwait:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day |
| 25 February | National Day |
| 26 February | Liberation Day |
| Variable* | Islamic New Year |
| Variable* | Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet) |
| Variable* | Al-Esra Wa Al-Meraj (Ascension of the Prophet) |
| Variable* | Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) |
| Variable* | Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) |
* Although Muslim holidays always fall on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date they are celebrated on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, due to the fact that the Islamic calendar is lunar whilst the Gregorian calendar is solar. Because this lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Islamic holy days usually shift 11 days earlier each successive solar year. The method used to determine when each Islamic month begins also varies from country to country.
