A small, oil-rich country on the Persian Gulf, Kuwait is flat and arid, but oil wealth makes this an attractive place for immigrants. Kuwaiti Arabs make up a third of the population, with other Arabs (Egyptians, Palestinians) 22 percent, and non-Arabs (mostly South Asians) 38 percent. Founded in the 18th century, the ruling al-Sabah dynasty was in place in 1899 when Kuwait came under British protection. Full independence was achieved in 1961. Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, but a U.S.-led coalition routed Iraqi forces. Kuwait was the principal platform for U.S. military operations against Saddam Hussein in 2003.