<P> 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 supported the Ottoman Empire . The British economic blockade heavily damaged Kuwait's economy . </P> <P> 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 . Kuwaiti merchants were mostly intermediary merchants . As a result of European decline of demand for goods from India and Africa, the economy of Kuwait suffered . The decline in international trade resulted in an increase in gold smuggling by Kuwaiti ships to India . Some Kuwaiti merchant families became rich due to gold smuggling to India . </P> <P> Kuwait's pearling industry also collapsed as a result of the worldwide economic depression . At its height, Kuwait's pearling industry led the world's luxury market, regularly sending out between 750 and 800 ship vessels to meet the European elite's need for luxuries pearls . During the economic depression, luxuries like pearls were in little demand . The Japanese invention of cultured pearls also contributed to the collapse of Kuwait's pearling industry . </P> <P> Following the Kuwait--Najd War of 1919 - 1920, Ibn Saud imposed a tight trade blockade against Kuwait from the years 1923 until 1937 . The goal of the Saudi economic and military attacks on Kuwait was to annex as much of Kuwait's territory as possible . At the Uqair conference in 1922, the boundaries of Kuwait and Najd were set . Kuwait had no representative at the Uqair conference . Ibn Saud persuaded Sir Percy Cox to give him two - thirds of Kuwait's territory . More than half of Kuwait was lost due to Uqair . After the Uqair conference, Kuwait was still subjected to a Saudi economic blockade and intermittent Saudi raiding . </P>

What were the main activities of the kuwaitis in the 19th century