The Central Bank of Kuwait predicts similar surpluses in future years if oil stays above $55 a barrel, creating a vast pool of cash to spend on the tiny population of 3.6 million.

But the country’s double-digit inflation mars the economic picture.

The central bank has made it a priority to tackle price rises, which are being felt by Kuwait’s middle class consumers, who until recently were used to an inflation rate of just over 1 per cent a year.

Some of the inflationary pressures, such as global food and energy price rises, are beyond the government’s control, but the rising cost of land is something it can and should tackle.

The state’s tight grip on land ownership has caused property prices to rocket by up to a third over the past 12 months, putting the small number of new developments beyond the reach of many Kuwaitis.

A botched legal reform banning speculative investments in new plots has only had the effect of pushing prices higher, giving Kuwait a reputation for extortionate real estate prices and a reluctance to deal with the root causes of inflation.

Index of stories:

• Kuwait’s first steps on the road to reform

• Monetary policy eases inflation in Kuwait

• Kuwait weighs up calls for intervention in banking sector

• Kuwaiti production plans hang in the balance

• Kuwaiti power network shows signs of strain

• Kuwait missing out on the property boom

• Comment: Kuwaiti oil plan needs foreign firms