Sheikhdom of Kuwait In the early 20th century, Kuwait immensely declined in regional economic importance, mainly due to many trade blockades and the world economic depression. Before Mary Bruins Allison visited Kuwait in 1934, Kuwait lost its prominence in long distance trade. During World War I, the British Empire imposed a trade blockade against Kuwait because Kuwait's ruler (Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah) supported the Ottoman Empire, who was in the Central Powers. The British economic blockade heavily damaged Kuwait's economy. The Great Depression negatively impacted Kuwait's economy starting in the late 1920s. International trading was one of Kuwait's main sources of income before oil.
Postage stamps and postal history of the postal convention states of India of 117 stamps and 68 official stamps from 1885 till 20 Aug 1948 when it was absorbed into the Patiala and East Punjab states union. Patiala was a princely state in the Punjab. The largest, wealthiest and most populous of the Phulkian states, it had the highest precedence amongst them. Patiala was the first of the Phulkian states to sign a postal convention which it did on 1 October 1884. The convention was later modified in 1900. At the time of the signing of the convention, the ruler Maharaja Rajendra Singh, was a minor and the state administered by a