Map of Bahrain | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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 Shia community. Shia political societies participated in 2010 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 Shia discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence.


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Location: Middle East archipelago in the Persian Gulf east of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates: 26 00 N 50 33 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 760 km²
Rank: 187
Land: 760 km²
Water: 0 km²
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
Extremes 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 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0.1 km³ (1997)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; dust storms

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


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Population: 738,004
Rank: 163
Note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2010 est.)
Growth rate: 1.243% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 100
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Bahraini
Adjective: Bahraini

Ethnic groups: Bahraini 62.4% non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)

Languages: Arabic (official) English Farsi Urdu

Religions: Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2% Christian 9% other 9.8% (2001 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 25.9%
15-64 years: 70.1% (male 293,340/female 217,815)
65 years and over: 4% (male 15,274/female 13,766) (2010 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 30.4 years
Male: 33.5 years
Female: 27.1 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.243% (2010 est.)
Rank: 100

Birth rate: 16.81 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 120

Death rate: 4.37 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 204

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 72

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 89% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

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)
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.33 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.24 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 14.76 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 126
Male: 17.01 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 12.44 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.4 years
Rank: 84
Male: 72.87 years
Female: 78.01 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.47 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 90

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 110
People living with hivaids: fewer than 600 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 145
Deaths: fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Deaths rank: 126

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 149

Literacy
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
Total: 14 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 15 years (2006)

Youth unemployment


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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

Dependent areas

Independence: 15 August 1971 (from the 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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa ; Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (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 bin Salim 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 in two rounds on 23 and 30 October 2010 (next election to be held in 2014)
Election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - al Wifaq (Shia) 18 al Asala (Sunni Salafi) 3 al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 2 independents 17

Judicial branch: High Civil Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law

International organization participation: ABEDA AFESD AMF CICA FAO G-77 GCC IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICRM 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 chief of mission: Ambassador Huda Azra Ibrahim NUNU
In the us chancery: 3,502 International Drive NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111
In the us fax: [1] (202) 362-2,192
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph Adam ERELI
From the us embassy: Building #979 Road 3,119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club) Block 331 Zinj District Manama
From the us mailing address: PSC 451 Box 660 FPO AE 9,834-5,100; international mail: American Embassy Box 26,431 Manama
From the us telephone: [973] 1724-2,700
From the us 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
Note: until 2002 the flag had eight white points but this was reduced to five to avoid confusion with the Qatari flag

National symbols

National anthem
Name: 'Bahrainona'
Lyricsmusic: unknown
Note: adopted 1971; although Mohamed Sudqi AYYASH wrote the original lyrics they were changed in 2002 following the transformation of Bahrain from an emirate to a kingdom

National heritage


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Economy overview: Bahrain is one of the most diversified economies in the Persian Gulf. Highly developed communication and transport facilities make Bahrain home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. As part of its diversification plans Bahrain implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US in August 2006 the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. Bahrain's economy however continues to depend heavily on oil. Petroleum production and refining account for more than 60% of Bahrain's export receipts 70% of government revenues and 11% of GDP (exclusive of allied industries). Other major economic activities are production of aluminum - Bahrain's second biggest export after oil - finance and construction. Bahrain competes with Malaysia as a worldwide center for Islamic banking and continues to seek new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. Unemployment especially among the young is a long-term economic problem Bahrain struggles to address. In 2009 to help lower unemployment among Bahraini nationals Bahrain reduced sponsorship for expatriate workers increasing the costs of employing foreign labor. The global financial crisis caused funding for many non-oil projects to dry up and resulted in slower economic growth for Bahrain. Other challenges facing Bahrain include the slow growth of government debt as a result of a large subsidy program the financing of large government projects and debt restructuring such as the bailout of state-owned Gulf Air.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 108
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 84

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 19
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.5%
Industry: 56.6%
Services: 42.9% (2010 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: 1.5% (2010 est.)
Rank: 138

Labor force: 611,000
Rank: 154
Note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2010 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 1%
By occupation industry: 79%
By occupation services: 20% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (2005 est.)
Rank: 148

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 38.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 35

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.8% (2009 est.)
Rank: 95

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

Stock of narrow money: $5.74 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Rank: 80

Stock of broad money: $18.93 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 81

Stock of domestic credit: $16.34 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 81

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 60

Current account balance: $560.2 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 51

Exports: $12.05 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 75
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products aluminum textiles
Partners: India 4.2% Saudi Arabia 2.78% (2009)

Imports: $9.613 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 84
Commodities: crude oil machinery chemicals
Partners: Saudi Arabia 22.91% France 9.76% US 7.95% China 6.4% South Korea 5.26% Japan 5.19% Germany 5.01% UK 4.34% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.54 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 78

Debt external: $10.55 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 79

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $15 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 73

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $7.549 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 51

Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - 0.376 (2010) 0.376 (2009) 0.376 (2008) 0.376 (2007) 0.376 (2006)


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Electricity
Production: 10.25 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 91
Consumption: 10.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 87
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 12.64 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 38
Consumption: 12.64 billion m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 43
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 48
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 73
Proven reserves: 92.03 billion m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 54

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 238,400 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 123
Mobile cellular: 1.578 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 137

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)

Broadcast media: state-run broadcast media; Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) operates 5 terrestrial TV networks; satellite TV systems provide access to international broadcasts; state-run BRTC broadcasts over several radio stations; 1 private FM station directs broadcasts to Indian listeners; radio and TV broadcasts from countries in the region are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .bh
Hosts: 53,944 (2010)
Hosts rank: 86
Users: 419,500 (2009)
Users rank: 122

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 4.5% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 19

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for NCOs technicians and cadets; no conscription (2010)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 4 (2010)
Rank: 183
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2010)

Heliports: 1 (2010)

Pipelines: gas 20 km; oil 32 km (2009)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 3,851 km
Rank: 158
Paved: 3,121 km
Unpaved: 730 km (2007)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 7
Rank: 126
By type: bulk carrier 2 container 4 petroleum tanker 1
Foreign owned: 5 (Kuwait 5)
Registered in other countries: 6 (Honduras 5 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Mina' Salman Sitrah


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs