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This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


Map of Bahrain



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Bahrain Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
In 1783, the al-Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shia community. Shia political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shia political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shi'a discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence.
   Geography    Bahrain Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
26 00 N, 50 33 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Middle East
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 665 sq km
land: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
161 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63%
other: 91.55% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
40 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
0.1 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
total: 0.3 cu km/yr (40%/3%/57%)
per capita: 411 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
periodic droughts; dust storms
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources (groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs)
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean
   People    Bahrain Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
718,306
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 95,709/female 93,747)
15-64 years: 69.8% (male 288,957/female 212,706)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 14,224/female 12,963) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 29.9 years
male: 33 years
female: 26.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.337% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
17.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.36 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.25 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 15.64 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 74.92 years
male: 72.41 years
female: 77.5 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.53 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
fewer than 600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 88.6%
female: 83.6% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing
total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.9% of GDP (1991)
   Government    Bahrain Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Manama
geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat
note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
15 August 1971 (from UK)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
adopted 14 February 2002
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969)
head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa (since 1971); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
bicameral legislature consists of the Consultative Council (40 members appointed by the King) and the Council of Representatives or Chamber of Deputies (40 seats; members directly elected to serve four-year terms)
elections: Council of Representatives - last held November-December 2006 (next election to be held in 2010)
election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - al Wifaq (Shia) 17, al Asala (Sunni Salafi) 5, al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7, independents 11; note - seats by party as of February 2007 - al Wifaq 17, al Asala 8, al Minbar 7, al Mustaqbal (Moderate Sunni pro-government) 4, unassociated independents (all Sunni) 3, independent affiliated with al Wifaq (Sunni oppositionist) 1
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
High Civil Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators
other: several small leftist and other groups are active
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Houda Ezra Ibrahim NUNU
chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111
FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Adam ERELI
embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama
mailing address: PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama
telephone: [973] 1724-2700
FAX: [973] 1727-0547
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam
   Economy    Bahrain Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for over 60% of Bahrain's export receipts, over 70% of government revenues, and 11% of GDP (exclusive of allied industries), underpinning Bahrain's strong economic growth in recent years. Aluminum is Bahrain's second major export after oil. Other major segments of Bahrain's economy are the financial and construction sectors. Bahrain is focused on Islamic banking and is competing on an international scale with Malaysia as a worldwide banking center. Bahrain is actively pursuing the diversification and privatization of its economy to reduce the country's dependence on oil. As part of this effort, in August 2006 Bahrain and the US implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. Continued strong growth hinges on Bahrain's ability to acquire new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are long-term economic problems.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$24.01 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$19.66 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$33,900 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 43.6%
services: 56% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
437,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 1%
industry: 79%
services: 20% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
22.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $5.418 billion
expenditures: $4.968 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
31.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.3% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.35% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$4.169 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$10.63 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$10.32 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.233 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.742 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
48,610 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
32,830 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
238,900 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
221,500 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
124.6 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11.33 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11.33 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
92.03 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.907 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$13.79 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Saudi Arabia 3.5%, US 2.5%, UAE 2.5% (2007)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$10.93 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
crude oil, machinery, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Saudi Arabia 37.7%, Japan 7.2%, US 6.2%, Germany 4.7%, UK 4.5%, UAE 4.2%, China 4.1% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$4.101 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$7.858 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$13.31 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$7.72 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$21.12 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003)
   Communications    Bahrain Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
194,200 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.116 million (2007)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones
international: country code - 973; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth station - 1 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
4 (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.bh
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,621 (2008)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
250,000 (2007)
   Transportation    Bahrain Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2007)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 3,498 km
paved: 2,768 km
unpaved: 730 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 9
by type: bulk carrier 4, container 4, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 5, UAE 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Mina' Salman, Sitrah
   Military    Bahrain Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
17 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 210,938
females age 16-49: 170,471 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 171,536
females age 16-49: 142,714 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing
male: 6,543
female: 6,429 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.5% of GDP (2006)
   Transnational Issues    Bahrain Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none
Trafficking in persons:
Definition Field Listing
current situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men and women trafficked for the purposes of involuntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; men and women from Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia migrate voluntarily to Bahrain to work as laborers or domestic servants where some face conditions of involuntary servitude such as unlawful withholding of passports, restrictions on movements, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse; women from Thailand, Morocco, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia are trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increased efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly efforts that enforce laws against trafficking in persons, and that prevent the punishment of victims of trafficking; during 2007, Bahrain passed a comprehensive law prohibiting all forms of trafficking in persons; the government also established a specialized anti-trafficking unit within the Ministry of Interior to investigate trafficking crimes; however, the government did not report any prosecutions or convictions for trafficking offenses during 2007, despite reports of a substantial problem of involuntary servitude and sex trafficking (2008)

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


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