Salmiya

Salmiya (Arabic السالمية; transliterated al-Sālmiah) located 12 kilometers southeast of Kuwait City, is one of the largest areas in Kuwait consisting of both commercial and residential areas with a population of 223,640 as of January 2007. It is arguably Kuwait's flagship district being a major cultural and commercial hub. It is well connected to the rest of the country having a multitude of significant highways and roads passing through it en-route to the Capital Kuwait City.

Salmiya is administratively divided into 12 blocks. The blocks located closer to the interior tend to be mostly residential whilst those located besides the coast (Arabian sea) have a great deal of commercial and up-scale residential real estate, especially those through which the Gulf road passes through. The interior residential areas boast a huge proportion of expatriates, comprising mainly of those from the Indian sub-continent and Non-Gulf Arabs.

Salmiya, has been a model district in the context of modernization. It has undertaken a major face lift in recent times primarily due to ever-expanding commercial real estate on the Gulf Road, the popular Salem Al-Mubarak Shopping strip and its relatively close proximity to the capital, Kuwait City. The boom in real estate in Salmiya as seen its demographics being constantly on the move. Increasing rental prices have gradually pushed out its working class expatriate community towards the interior districts of Kuwait.

The influx of expatriates to Salmiya is of historical importance dating as far back as the 1960s. Salmiya was gradually rebuilt and re-populated after the horrors of the Gulf war. The old rugged 3-storied buildings and open fields have given way to a high density layouts of high rise apartments and complexes. The beach front, once a hub and harbor for the fishing and pear-diving community now transformed into a well-developed and modern bustling commercial avenue.

The Salem Al-Mubarak Street shopping districts, commonly known as Salmiya center, runs down the outer blocks of Salmiya. It is one of the oldest and largest shopping districts of Kuwait. It is a remnant of Kuwait's once numerous traditional souk bazaars, others being located in Jleeb al-shoyouk and Kuwait city. Well known in the past for pearls, gold and jewelery, it now boasts an array of world-renowned retail giants to local outlets. Much of the old souk had been built over, but the feel and atmosphere of the past albeit remains visible at the eastern precincts of this shopping district. The experience varies from extremely westernized in the strip malls to a true Kuwaiti experience on some of the back streets. It is notable, to point out that the more eastward away from the capital, one moves along the strip ,the fancier and pricier the shops in general get. There are many gold and fabric shops in the "Old Souk" area located onwards from the intersection of the 4th ring road and the strip.

Salmiya is also host to numerous mosques, an aquarium and Scientific center, IMAX theater, football stadium, medical centers, a roman catholic chapel, the district passport office (Jawazat) and a well equipped park beside the 5th ring road. Notable malls include the Souk salmiya mega-mall, Marina Mall and the omniya mall.

The Gulf Road is coveted for its amazing sea vistas, and is the main hub for construction. A boulevard passing through much of coastal Salmiya, it a reflection of Kuwait's drive to modernity. Being one of Kuwait's priciest real-estate zone. It falls nothing short of high-end commercial and residential complexes. Much of the beach front had been renovated by the Kuwaiti Govt. post Gulf war for visitors and tourists alike.

Salmiya is also host to numerous educational institutions. The American University of Kuwait is the most prominent university in Salmiya. There are a large number of schools catering to different nationalities, notable among these are the Indian, Arabic and Pakistani schools present in the area serving their respective communities to the span of many decades. The Indian community school being one of the oldest in the area opened on May 1959.

Block 10 is where most of Salmiya's South East-Asian community have taken up residence ever since the start of major migration to Kuwait from the sub-continent. One can expect to experience a typical sub-continental feel of this area especially during festive periods. The surrounding blocks also feature a mix of Arab and south-east Asian residents.

Some of the major roads connecting Salmiya are the 4th ring road, 5th ring road and the Gulf road. Public transport is generally used by the lower class and is not widely regarded as a means of travel by the wealthier classes. There are 2 major bus operators, City Bus and Kuwait Public transportation company (KPTC) serving all major routes along Salmiya. Taxis are widely available and one can expect to pre-bargain about the fares.