World Countries Info 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. The new amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and
political reforms and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a
community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the
National Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political
liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa
proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected members of the
lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral legislature, the National
Assembly.
Geography of Bahrain
|
Location:
|
Middle East, archipelago in
the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
26 00 N, 50 33 E |
|
Area:
|
total: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 665 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
3.5 times the size of
Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
161 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
contiguous zone: 24
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined |
|
Climate:
|
arid; mild, pleasant
winters; very hot, humid summers |
|
Terrain:
|
mostly low desert plain
rising gently to low central escarpment |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
oil, associated and
nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 4.35%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 91.3% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
50 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
periodic droughts; dust
storms |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
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:
|
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
|
Geography - note:
|
close to primary Middle
Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, which
much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean
|
More Geography
Population of Bahrain
|
Population:
|
677,886
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2004 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 28.4% (male 97,179;
female 95,043)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 271,015; female 192,342)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 11,426; female 10,881) (2004 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total: 29 years
male: 31.9 years
female: 25.3 years (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
1.56% (2004 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
18.54 births/1,000 |
|
Death rate:
|
4.03 deaths/1,000 |
|
Net migration rate:
|
1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live
births
female: 14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 20.93 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 73.98 years
male: 71.52 years
female: 76.51 years (2004 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
2.67 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.3% (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
less than 1,000 |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
NA |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%,
Iranian 8% |
|
Religions:
|
Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30% |
|
Languages:
|
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 91.9%
female: 85% (2003 est.)
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Kingdom of
Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn |
|
Government type:
|
constitutional hereditary monarchy |
|
Capital:
|
Manama |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
12 municipalities (manatiq, singular -
mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al
Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs,
Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar, Sitrah
note: all municipalities administered from Manama |
|
Independence:
|
15 August 1971 (from UK) |
|
National holiday:
|
National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15
August 1971 is the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of
independence from British protection |
|
Constitution:
|
adopted late December 2000; Bahrani voters
approved on 13-14 February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised constitution
calls for a partially elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent
judiciary) |
|
Legal system:
|
based on Islamic law and English common law |
|
Suffrage:
|
18 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
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 NA 1971)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the
monarch |
|
Legislative branch:
|
bicameral Parliament consists of Shura
Council (40 members appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly
elected to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next election to be held
NA 2006)
note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National Assembly dissolved
26 August 1975; National Action Charter created bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000;
approved by referendum 14 February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on
25 December 2002
election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10 |
|
Judicial branch:
|
High Civil Appeals Court |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
political parties prohibited but
politically oriented societies are allowed |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
Shi'a activists fomented unrest
sporadically in 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end
to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are
active |
Economy
In well-to-do Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of
export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed
communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms
with business in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil granted as aid.
A large share of exports consist of petroleum products made from refining imported
crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment,
especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are
major long-term economic problems.
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power parity - $11.38 billion
(2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
3.6% (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $17,100 (2003
est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 1%
industry: 35%
services: 64% (2002 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% (2000) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
0.4% (2003 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
295,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (1998 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
industry, commerce, and service 79%,
government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
15% (1998 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $1.8 billion
expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (2002
est.) |
|
Industries:
|
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum
smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
2% (2000 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
6.257 billion kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
5.819 billion kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh (2001) |
|
Oil - production:
|
43,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
125 million bbl (1 January 2003) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
8.9 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
8.9 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
0 cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
0 cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
46 billion cu m (1 January 2003) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products;
shrimp, fish |
|
Exports:
|
$6.492 billion (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum,
textiles |
|
Exports - partners:
|
US 4.5%, India 3.2%, Saudi Arabia 2.1%
(2002) |
|
Imports:
|
$5.126 billion (2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
crude oil, machinery, chemicals |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Saudi Arabia 29.5%, US 11.4%, Japan 7%,
Germany 6.4%, UK 5.5% (2002) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$5.9 billion (2003) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$150 million; note - $50 million annually
since 1992 from each of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait (2002) |
|
Currency:
|
Bahraini dinar (BHD) |
|
Currency code:
|
BHD |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.38
(2003), 0.38 (2002), 0.38 (2001), 0.38 (2000), 0.38 (1999) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
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