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

top of page


Background: In 1783 the Sunni Al-Khalifa family took power in Bahrain. 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. Facing declining oil reserves Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has become an international banking center. Bahrain's small size and central location among Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. The Sunni-led government has struggled to manage relations with its large Shia-majority population. In early 2011 amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region the Bahraini Government confronted similar protests at home with police and military action including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces to Bahrain. Sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces continue in Bahrain. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo has led to a broader discussion termed the Bahrain National Dialogue a process that convenes members of the executive parliament and political societies in an attempt to reach a political agreement.


top of page


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

Geographic coordinates: 26 00 N 50 33 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 188
Land: 760 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 161 km

Maritime claims
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 highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Natural resources: oil associated and nonassociated natural gas fish pearls

Land use
Permanent crops: 3.95%
Other: 94.26% (2011)

Irrigated land: 40.15 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0.12 km³ (2011)

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


top of page


Population: 1,314,089
Rank: 157
Growth rate: 2.49% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 31
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Adjective: Bahraini

Ethnic groups: Bahraini 46% Asian 45.5% other Arabs 4.7% African 1.6% European 1% other 1.2% (includes Gulf Co-operative country nationals North and South Americans and Oceanians) (2010 est.)

Languages: Arabic (official) English Farsi Urdu

Religions: Muslim 70.3% Christian 14.5% Hindu 9.8% Buddhist 2.5% Jewish 0.6% folk religion .1 unaffiliated 1.9% other 0.2% (2010 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 15.9% (male 117,156/female 91,477)
25-54 years: 56.2% (male 483,449/female 254,627)
55-64 years: 5.5% (male 47,172/female 25,354)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 17,106/female 18,387) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 27.9 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 3 %
Potential support ratio: 33.3 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 33 years
Female: 28.8 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.49% (2014 est.)
Rank: 31

Birth rate: 13.92 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 142

Death rate: 2.67 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 222

Net migration rate: 13.6 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 9

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 2.21% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: MANAMA (capital) 262,000 (2011)

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 signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.28 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.9 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.54 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.54 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 143
Male: 10.69 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8.65 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 51
Male: 76.4 years
Female: 80.81 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 153

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 1.49 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 1.8 beds/1000 population (2009)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 107
People living with hivaids: fewer than 600 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 153
Deaths: fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Deaths rank: 111

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 32.9% (2008)
Rank: 20

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 2.6% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 153

Literacy
Total population: 94.6%
Male: 96.1%
Female: 91.6% (2010 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional short form: Bahrain
Local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
Local short form: Al Bahrayn
Former: Dilmun State of Bahrain

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital
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 (muhafazat singular - muhafazah); Asamah (Capital) Janubiyah (Southern) Muharraq Shamaliyah (Northern) Wasat (Central)

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; amended 2012 (2012)

Legal system: mixed legal system of Islamic law English common law Egyptian civil criminal and commercial codes; customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal; note - Bahraini Cabinet in May 2011 endorsed a draft law lowering eligibility to 18 years

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al-Khalifa (since 1971); First Deputy Prime Minister SALMAN bin Hamad Al Khalifa (since 11 March 2013); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa Jawad bin Salim al-ARAIDH KHALID bin Abdallah Al Khalifa MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Shura Council or 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 fall 2014); byelections to fill 18 vacated seats held in two rounds on 24 September and 1 October 2011
Election results: Council of Representatives (2010) - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - Wifaq (Shia) 18 Asalah (Sunni Salafi) 3 Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 2 independents 17; Council of Representatives byelection for 18 seats vacated by Wifaq (2011) - seats by society - independent Sunni 8 independent Shia 8 other 2; note - Bahrain has societies rather than parties

Judicial branch: note - the judiciary of Bahrain is divided into the civil law and sharia law courts
Judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation and Constitutional Court judges appointed by royal decree and serve for a specified tenure
Subordinate courts: High Court of Appeal; middle and lower civil courts; higher and lower shariah courts and the High Shariah Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ABEDA AFESD AMF CAEU CICA FAO G-77 GCC IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IDB IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM (observer) IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) LAS MIGA NAM OAPEC OIC OPCW PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
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 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

National symbols

National anthem
Lyrics and music: unknown

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Bahrain has made great efforts to diversify its economy; its 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. In 2012 petroleum production and refining accounted for 77% of Bahrain's export receipts 87% of government revenues and 19% of GDP. 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. In 2011 Bahrain experienced economic setbacks as a result of domestic unrest however the economy recovered in 2012-13 partly as a result of improved tourism. Some economic policies aimed at restoring confidence in Bahrain's economy such as the suspension of an expatriate labor tax and frequent bailouts of Gulf Air will make Bahrain's long-term economic challenges - youth unemployment and the growth of government debt - more difficult to address.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 110

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 69

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 49

Gross national saving:
Rank: 36

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 15.6%
Investment in fixed capital: 20.7%
Investment in inventories: 0.8%
Exports of goods and services: 74.8%
Imports of goods and services: -51.7%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 46.7%
Services: 53% (2013 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: 4.7% (2013 est.)
Rank: 61

Labor force: 716,500
Rank: 151
By occupation industry: 79%
By occupation services: 20% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (2005 est.)
Rank: 136

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

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

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Expenditures: $9.232 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -3.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 141

Taxes and other revenues: 28.7% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 99

Public debt: 54.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 48

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.8% (2012 est.)
Rank: 116

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 6.05% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 130

Stock of narrow money: $6.944 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 90

Stock of broad money: $22.51 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 79

Stock of domestic credit: $22.19 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 71

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 61

Current account balance: $2.221 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 42

Exports: $20.39 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 72
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products aluminum textiles
Partners: Saudi Arabia 3.3% India 2.2% UAE 2.2% South Korea 2% (2012)

Imports: $13.24 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 88
Commodities: crude oil machinery chemicals
Partners: Saudi Arabia 27.4% US 9.6% China 9.5% Japan 6.4% India 4.9% France 4.7% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $5.211 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 89

Debt external: $27.54 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 74

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $16.83 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 76

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $9.699 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 53

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Production: 13.16 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 87
Consumption: 12.97 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 84
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 100
Imports: 214 million kWh (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 87
Installed generating capacity: 3.169 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 88
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 4
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 43
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 155
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 153

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 49,160 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 62
Crude oil exports: 152,600 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 33
Crude oil imports: 256,000 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 29
Crude oil proven reserves: 124.6 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 68

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 270,800 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 46
Products consumption: 51,450 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products consumption rank: 98
Products exports: 226,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 27
Products imports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 210

Natural gas
Production: 12.62 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 37
Consumption: 12.77 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 43
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 60
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 155
Proven reserves: 92.03 billion m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 56

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 29.7 million Mt (2011 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 290,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 118
Mobile cellular: 2.125 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 144

Telephone 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 Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) operates 5 terrestrial TV networks and several radio stations; satellite TV systems provide access to international broadcasts; 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: 47,727 (2012)
Hosts rank: 97
Users: 419,500 (2009)
Users rank: 122

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures:
Rank: 18

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for NCOs technicians and cadets; no conscription (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 4 (2013)
Rank: 184
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: gas 20 km; oil 54 km (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 156
Paved: 3,392 km
Unpaved: 730 km (2010)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Rank: 119
By type: bulk carrier 2 container 4 petroleum tanker 2
Foreign owned: 5 (Kuwait 5)
Registered in other countries: 5 (Honduras 5) (2010)

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs