| Iraq–Kuwait border | |
|---|---|
 Map of Kuwait, with Iraq to the north | |
| Characteristics | |
| Entities |  Iraq Kuwait |
| Length | 254 km (158 mi) |
| Enclave and exclaves | None |
| History | |
| Established | 1932 Confirmation of the border betweenIraq andKuwait afterIraq gained independence. |
| Current shape | Yes Ongoing as the official border betweenIraq andKuwait, with minor adjustments after theGulf War. |
| Disestablished | No |
| Treaties | Anglo-Ottoman Convention of 1913 (not ratified),United Nations demarcation (1992) |
| Notes | The border is marked by a 120 miborder barrier to prevent re-invasion ofKuwait byIraq, with an additional iron barrier constructed in 2004. |
TheIraq–Kuwait border is 254 km (158 mi) in length and runs from thetripoint withSaudi Arabia in the west to thePersian Gulf coast in the east.[1]
The border starts in the west at the Saudi tripoint on theWadi al-Batin, and then follows thiswadi as it flows north-eastwards. The border then turns east, following a straight line for 32 km (20 mi), before another straight line veers to the south-east for 26 km (16 mi), terminating at the coast by the junction of theKhawr Abd Allah and Khor as Subiyah opposite Hajjam Island.
Historically there was no clearly defined boundary in this part of the Middle East; Kuwaitde jure fell underBasra Vilayet administration from 1875 until the end ofWorld War I. At the start of the 20th century theOttoman Empire controlled what is now Iraq and Britainde facto controlled Kuwait as aprotectorate.[2] Britain and the Ottoman Empire theoretically divided their realms of influence via the so-called "Blue" and "Violet lines" in theAnglo-Ottoman Convention of 1913, by which the Ottomans recognised British claims on Kuwait, divided from Ottoman Mesopotamia along the Wadi al-Batin (the so-called 'green line',see map right). The convention was never ratified therefore remained not binding. Finally, the Ottomans and British emerged as enemies within months of the convention, as the outbreak ofWorld War I diminished any hope left for ratification.[3][4][5][6][7]
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During theFirst World War anArab Revolt, supported by Britain, succeeded in removing the Ottomans from most of the Middle East. As a result of the secret 1916 Anglo-FrenchSykes-Picot Agreement Britain gained control of the Ottoman Vilayets ofMosul,Baghdad andBasra. After arevolt broke out in Iraq that demanded independence, the three Vilayets becamemandatory Iraq in 1921, following a previous policy of centralization byMamluks andOttomans.[8][9][10][11] In 1932, the year that Iraq gainedindependence, Britain confirmed that the border between Iraq and Kuwait would run along the Wadi al-Batin, as well as confirming thatBubiyan andWarbah islands were Kuwaiti territory, though the precise positioning of the northern straight line segments near Safwan remained imprecise.[5]
Kuwait gained independence in 1961, though Iraq refused to recognise the country claiming it as part of Iraq, which resulted in ashow of force by Britain and theArab League in support of Kuwait.[12][13][14] Following anIraqi coup in 1963, a treaty of friendship was signed the same year by which Iraq recognised the 1932 border.[5] Despite this, the treaty was never ratified thus remained unbinding, and was later rejected by therevolutionary command.[15] Over the ensuing decade Iraq often raised the issue of sea access and the traditional claim to Kuwait, most notably in 1973 with the1973 Samita border skirmish.
In 1990 Iraqinvaded and annexed Kuwait, precipitating theGulf War which restored Kuwait's sovereignty.[16][17] In July 1992 the matter of border demarcation was referred to theUnited Nations, which accurately mapped the boundary and then demarcated it on the ground, following the 1932 line with some minor adjustments.[18][5] The border initially was accepted by Kuwait but not Iraq.[5] Iraq accepted the border in November 1994.[19][20] TheUnited Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission monitored the border during the period 1991–2003. Relations between the two states have improved since thefall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
In February 2023, Kuwait's foreign minister SheikhSalem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said Iraq and Kuwait would hold talks aimed at resolving their bilateral maritime border dispute.[21]
TheIraq–Kuwait barrier (Arabic:حدود العراق-الكويتHudud al-'Irāq-al-Kuwayt) is a 120-mile (190 km)border fence extending six miles (9.7 km) intoIraq, three miles (4.8 km) intoKuwait, and across the full length of their mutual border fromSaudi Arabia to thePersian Gulf. Constructed by authorisation of theUnited Nations Security Councilresolution 689, its stated purpose was to stop a re-invasion of Kuwait by Iraq.
Theborder barrier, made of electrified fencing andconcertina wire, is braced by a 15-foot-wide (4.6 m) and 15-foot-deep (4.6 m) trench, complete with a 10-foot-high (3.0 m) dirt berm and guarded by hundreds of soldiers, several patrol boats, and helicopters. Construction of the barrier began in 1991.[citation needed]
In January 2004, Kuwait decided to install a new 135-mile (217 km) iron barrier along the border. The barrier was estimated to have cost $28 million and the entire length of the border; asphalted roads were also constructed to facilitate border security movement.[22]
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