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Introduction | Bahrain

Background: | 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 Shi'a community. Shi'a political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shi'a 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

Location: | Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: | 26 00 N, 50 33 E
Map references: | Middle East
Area: | total: 665 sq km land: 665 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: | 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 161 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 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: 2.82% permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 40 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: | 0.1 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | total: 0.3 cu km/yr (40%/3%/57%) per capita: 411 cu m/yr (2000)
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, 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: | 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

Population: | 718,306 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 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: | total: 29.9 years male: 33 years female: 26.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | 1.337% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 17.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 4.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | 0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio: | 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: | 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: | total population: 74.92 years male: 72.41 years female: 77.5 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 2.53 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | fewer than 600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini
Ethnic groups: | Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)
Religions: | Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)
Languages: | Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.5% male: 88.6% female: 83.6% (2006 est.)

Government | Bahrain

Country name: | 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: | constitutional monarchy
Capital: | 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: | 5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
Independence: | 15 August 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: | 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: | adopted 14 February 2002
Legal system: | based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: | 20 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 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: | 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 (Shi'a) 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: | High Civil Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders: | political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
Political pressure groups and leaders: | Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests with occasional low-level violence; protests related to a host of issues, including the 2002 constitution, elections, unemployment, and release of detainees; Sunni Islamist legislators support a greater role for Sharia in daily life; several small leftist and other groups are active
International organization participation: | 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, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Muhammad al-BALUSHI 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: | 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: | 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

Economy - overview: | 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): | $24.5 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $19.66 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 6.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $32,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 0.3% industry: 43.6% services: 56% (2007 est.)
Labor force: | 363,000 note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 1% industry: 79% services: 20% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 15% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3.4% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 17.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $6.168 billion expenditures: $5.205 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt: | 29.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products: | fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
Industries: | petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: | 5.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production: | 8.187 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 7.614 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production: | 184,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 31,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports: | 235,500 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports: | 216,300 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves: | 118.6 million bbl (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 10.27 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 10.27 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 88.26 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance: | $3.913 billion (2007 est.)
Exports: | $13.44 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities: | petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
Exports - partners: | Saudi Arabia 3.2%, US 3%, Japan 2.3% (2006)
Imports: | $9.858 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities: | crude oil, machinery, chemicals
Imports - partners: | Saudi Arabia 37.6%, Japan 6.8%, US 6.2%, UK 6.2%, Germany 5.1%, UAE 4.2% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient: | $103.9 million (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $4.101 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external: | $7.895 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $14.61 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $7.489 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $21.12 billion (2006)
Currency (code): | Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Currency code: | BHD
Exchange rates: | Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Bahrain

Telephones - main lines in use: | 193,300 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 898,900 (2006)
Telephone system: | 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: | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: | 338,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 4 (1997)
Televisions: | 275,000 (1997)
Internet country code: | .bh
Internet hosts: | 2,413 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000)
Internet users: | 157,300 (2006)

Transportation | Bahrain

Airports: | 3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports: | 1 (2007)
Pipelines: | gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2007)
Roadways: | total: 3,498 km paved: 2,768 km unpaved: 730 km (2003)
Merchant marine: | total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 220,264 GRT/314,289 DWT by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Military | Bahrain

Military branches: | Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard
Military service age and obligation: | 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: | males age 16-49: 210,938 females age 16-49: 170,471 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 171,536 females age 16-49: 142,714 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | males age 16-49: 6,543 females age 16-49: 6,429 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 4.5% (2006)

Transnational Issues | Bahrain

Disputes - international: | none
Trafficking in persons: | current situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly to work as laborers or domestic servants, but may be subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude when faced with exorbitant recruitment and transportation fees, withholding of their passports, restrictions on their movement, non-payment of wages, and physical or sexual abuse; women from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Morocco, and Thailand are also trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain made no discernable progress in preventing trafficking in 2006; the government failed to enact a comprehensive anti-trafficking law and did not report any prosecutions or convictions for trafficking offenses, despite reports of a substantial problem of involutary servitude and trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation

This page was last updated on 19 June, 2008