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

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Background:


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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
Land: 760 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 188
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
Agricultural land: 11.3%
Forest: 0.7%
Other: 88%

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


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Population: 1,346,613
Note: immigrants make up almost 55% of the total population according to UN data (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 156
Growth rate: 2.41% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 31
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Bahraini
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
0-14 years: 19.48%
15-24 years: 15.84%
25-54 years: 56.13%
55-64 years: 5.79%
65 years and over: 2.77% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 31.4%
Youth dependency ratio: 28.2%
Elderly dependency ratio: 3.2%
Potential support ratio: 31.6%

Median age
Total: 31.8 years
Male: 33.3 years
Female: 29.1 years

Population growth rate: 2.41% (2015 est.)
Rank: 31

Birth rate: 13.66 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 144

Death rate: 2.69 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 222

Net migration rate: 13.09 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 6

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 88.8% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.71% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: MANAMA (capital) 411,000 (2015)

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
0-14 years: 1.03 male/female
15-24 years: 1.29 male/female
25-54 years: 1.89 male/female
55-64 years: 1.84 male/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male/female
Total population: 1.54 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.35 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 10.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8.26 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 142

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.73 years
Male: 76.53 years
Female: 80.98 years
Rank: 51

Total fertility rate: 1.78 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 156

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.92 physicians/1000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 2.1 beds/1000 population (2012)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 34.1% (2014)
Rank: 20

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 2.7% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 153

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.7%
Male: 96.9%
Female: 93.5%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

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 State of Bahrain
Etymology: the name means 'the two seas' in Arabic and refers to the water bodies surrounding the archipelago

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital
Name: Manama
Geographic coordinates: 26 14 N 50 34 E
Time difference: UTC+3

Administrative divisions: 4 governorates (muhafazat singular - muhafazah); Asimah (Capital) Janubiyah (Southern) Muharraq Shamaliyah (Northern)
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; amended 2012 (2015)

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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Bahrain
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years; 15 years for Arab nationals

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa ; 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 ; 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 (since 11 December 2006) KHALID bin Abdallah Al Khalifa (since November 2010) MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa (since September 2005)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Consultative Council or Majlis al Shura and the Council of Representatives or Majlis al Nuwab (40 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in two rounds if needed; members serve 4-year renewable terms)
Elections: Council of Representatives - last held in two rounds on 23 and 29 November 2014
Election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - Al-Asalah 2 Islamic Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 1 independent 36 other 1; note - Bahrain has societies rather than parties

Judicial branch
Highest court: Court of Cassation or Supreme Court of Appeal ; Constitutional Court (consists of the president and 6 members); High Sharia Court of Appeal
Note: the judiciary of Bahrain is divided into civil law courts and sharia law courts
Judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by royal decree and serve for a specified tenure; Constitutional Court president and members appointed by the Higher Judicial Council a body chaired by the monarch and includes judges from the Court of Cassation sharia law courts and Civil High Courts of Appeal; members serve 9-year terms; High Sharia Court of Appeal member appointment and tenure NA
Subordinate courts: Civil High Courts of Appeal; middle and lower civil courts; High Sharia Court of Appeal; Senior Sharia Court

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

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 chief of mission: Ambassador ABDALLAH bin Muhammad bin Rashid Al Khalifa
In the us chancery: 3,502 International Drive NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 342-1111
In the us FAX: [1] 362-2,192
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador William V. ROEBUCK
From the us embassy: Building
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: a red field surmounted by a white serrated band with five white points; national colors: red white

National anthem
Name: 'Bahrainona'
Lyrics and music: 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 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 2013 petroleum production and refining accounted for 73% of Bahrain's export receipts 88% of government revenues and 21% of GDP. Other major economic activities are production of aluminum - Bahrain's second biggest export after oil - finance and construction. Bahrain 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 2012-14 partly as a result of improved tourism. Lower oil prices in 2015 will likely exacerbate Bahrain's budget deficit.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 99

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 67

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 22

Gross national saving:
Rank: 89

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 41%
Government consumption: 15.7%
Investment in fixed capital: 15.3%
Investment in inventories: 1%
Exports of goods and services: 71.2%
Imports of goods and services: -44.1%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.3%
Industry: 47.1%
Services: 52.6%

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: 4.3% (2014 est.)
Rank: 67

Labor force: 738,000
Note: excludes unemployed; 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
Rank: 151
By occupation agriculture: 1%
By occupation industry: 32%
By occupation services: 67%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 39

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
Revenues: $8.217 billion
Expenditures: $9.427 billion
Surplus or deficit: -3.6% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 141

Taxes and other revenues: 24.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 128

Public debt:
Rank: 98

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 120

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 137

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 86

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 80

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 79

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 64

Current account balance:
Rank: 47

Exports:
Rank: 74
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products aluminum textiles
Partners: Saudi Arabia 3.3% US 2.4% UAE 2.2% (2014)

Imports:
Rank: 90
Commodities: crude oil machinery chemicals
Partners: Saudi Arabia 24% Algeria 11.9% China 8.2% US 7% Japan 5.7% Australia 4.4% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 93

Debt external:
Rank: 87

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 79

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 57

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 13.26 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 89
Consumption: 11.69 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 86
Exports: 190 million kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 76
Imports: 35 million kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 106
Installed generating capacity: 3.94 million kW (2012 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 84
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 38
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 46
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 158
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 117

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 49,500 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 57
Crude oil exports: 152,600 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 33
Crude oil imports: 243,300 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 29
Crude oil proven reserves: 124.6 million bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 70

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 278,500 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 46
Products consumption: 50,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 99
Products exports: 242,900 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 28
Products imports: 2,357 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 179

Natural gas
Production: 15.7 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 36
Consumption: 15.7 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 43
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 58
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 158
Proven reserves: 92.03 billion m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 55

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 32.2 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 74

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 280,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22
Fixed lines rank: 118
Mobile cellular total: 2.3 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 177
Mobile cellular rank: 148

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 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
Users total: 1.3 million
Users percent of population: 96.5%
Users rank: 116

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 19

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


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

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

Heliports: 1 (2013)

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

Railways

Roadways
Total: 4,122 km
Paved: 3,392 km
Unpaved: 730 km
Rank: 157

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 8
By type: bulk carrier 2 container 4 petroleum tanker 2
Foreign owned: 5
Registered in other countries: 5 (2010)
Rank: 119

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Mina' Salman Sitrah


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs