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. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors. It has also endeavored to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, economic dependence on Saudi Arabia, and proximity to Iran require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Its foreign policy activities usually fall in line with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In 2022, the United States designated Bahrain as a major non-NATO ally.

Geographic coordinates: 26 00 N, 50 33 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 760 km²
Land: 760 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries
Total: 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
Highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 135 m
Lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Land use
Agricultural land: 11.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 2.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 3.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 5.3% (2018 est.)
Forest: 0.7% (2018 est.)
Other: 88% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 km² (2012)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 280 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 120 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

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

Population
Distribution: smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq: 1,553,886 (2023 est.)
Note: immigrants make up approximately 45% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)
Growth rate: 0.85% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Bahraini(s)
Adjective: Bahraini

Ethnic groups: Bahraini 47.4%, Asian 43.4%, other Arab 4.9%, African 1.4%, North American 1.1%, Gulf Co-operative countries 0.9%, European 0.8%, other 0.1% (2020 est.)

Languages: Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu
Major-language samples:

Religions: Muslim 74.2%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Baha'i) 25.8% (2020 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.14% (male 142,866/female 139,083)
15-64 years: 77.83% (male 759,539/female 449,848)
65 years and over: 4.03% (2023 est.) (male 32,162/female 30,388)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 31.3
Youth dependency ratio: 26.8
Elderly dependency ratio: 4.6
Potential support ratio: 21.8 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 33.3 years (2023 est.)
Male: 34.6 years
Female: 31 years

Population growth rate: 0.85% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 12.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 2.8 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: -1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution: smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq

Urbanization
Urban population: 89.9% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 709,000 MANAMA (capital) (2023)

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); lowered water table leaves aquifers vulnerable to saline contamination; desalinization provides some 90% of the country's freshwater
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 51.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 31.69 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 15.47 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.69 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.51 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 16 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 11.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.1 years (2023 est.)
Male: 77.9 years
Female: 82.5 years

Total fertility rate: 1.66 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure: 4.2% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: 0.93 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 29.8% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 1.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 14.9% (2020 est.)
Male: 25.3% (2020 est.)
Female: 4.5% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 2.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.5%
Male: 99.9%
Female: 94.9% (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 17 years (2019)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 9.9% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 6.1%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 20.5%

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, Tylos, Awal, Mishmahig, Bahrayn, 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 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: name derives from the Arabic "al-manama" meaning "place of rest" or "place of dreams"

Administrative divisions: 4 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Asimah (Capital), Janubiyah (Southern), Muharraq, Shamaliyah (Northern)
Note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor

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
History: adopted 14 February 2002
Amendments: proposed by the king or by at least 15 members of either chamber of the National Assembly followed by submission to an Assembly committee for review and, if approved, submitted to the government for restatement as drafts; passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both chambers and validation by the king; constitutional articles on the state religion (Islam), state language (Arabic), and the monarchy and "inherited rule" cannot be amended; amended 2012, 2017

Legal system: mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) 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

Executive branch
Chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (born 21 October 1969)
Head of government: Prime Minister Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (since 11 November 2020); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure KHALID bin Abdallah Al Khalifa (since 13 June 2022)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Cassation (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Supreme Court of Appeal (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the president and 6 members); High Sharia Court of Appeal (court sittings include the president and at least one judge)
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 appointments by royal decree for a specified tenure
Subordinate courts: Civil High Courts of Appeal; middle and lower civil courts; High Sharia Court of Appeal; Senior Sharia Court; Administrative Courts of Appeal; military courts
Note: the judiciary of Bahrain is divided into civil law courts and sharia law courts; sharia courts (involving personal status and family law) are further divided into Sunni Muslim and Shia Muslim; the Courts are supervised by the Supreme Judicial Council.

Political parties and leaders
Note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under 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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulla bin Rashed AL KHALIFA (since 21 July 2017)
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 email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Steven C. BONDY (since 9 February 2022)
From the us embassy: Building 979, Road 3,119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, P.O. Box 26,431, Manama
From the us mailing address: 6,210 Manama Place, Washington DC 20,521-6,210
From the us telephone: [973] 17-242,700
From the us FAX: [973] 17-272,594
From the us email address and website:

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" (Our Bahrain)
Lyrics/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
Total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Economy overview: growing, economically diverse Middle Eastern island economy; major recovery and balancing efforts to fulfill Economic Vision 2,030; regional finance hub; increasing openness; high youth unemployment; water scarcity amid reservoir depletion

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 45.8% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 15.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 26.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.4% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 80.2% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -67.9% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.3% (2017 est.)
Industry: 39.3% (2017 est.)
Services: 60.4% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: mutton, dates, milk, poultry, tomatoes, fruit, sheep offals, sheep skins, eggs, pumpkins

Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 0.4% (2021 est.)

Labor force: 819,100 (2021 est.)
Note: excludes unemployed; 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national

Unemployment rate:
Note: official estimate; actual rate is higher

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 9.9% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 6.1%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 20.5%

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Budget
Revenues: $9.168 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $12.63 billion (2019 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: -10.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 16.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt:

Revenue
From forest resources: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

Current account balance:

Exports:
Note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Partners: United Arab Emirates 17%, Saudi Arabia 16%, United States 7%, Japan 7%, India 4% (2021)
Commodities: refined petroleum, aluminum, iron ore and reductions, aluminum wiring, crude petroleum (2021)

Imports:
Note: data are in current year dollars
Partners: United Arab Emirates 24%, Saudi Arabia 15%, Brazil 12%, China 9%, India 6% (2021)
Commodities: iron ore, jewelry, cars, floating platforms, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment (2021)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification-total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 6.982 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 31,038,250,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 447 million kWh (2019 est.)
Imports: 652 million kWh (2019 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 611 million kWh (2019 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 185,300 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 73,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 228,800 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 186.5 million barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum
Products production: 274,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports: 245,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 14,530 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 18,271,840,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
Consumption: 18,251,140,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 81.382 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 43.112 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 7.308 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 35.804 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 547.976 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 253,431 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1,923,443 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2021 est.)

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 (2019)

Internet
Country code: .bh
Users total: 1.5 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 100% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 148,928 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2020 est.)

Military expenditures:

Military and security forces:

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for non-commissioned officers, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2022)
Note: the BDF hires foreign nationals, Sunni Muslims primarily from Arabic countries and Pakistan, to serve under contract; as of 2020, foreigners were estimated to comprise as much as 80% of the military; the policy has become a controversial issue with the primarily Shia population; during the 2011, the BDF reportedly deployed mostly foreign personnel against protesters

Space program
Overview: space program in nascent stages and is focused on developing the capabilities to build and operate satellites; the NSSA’s mission includes promoting space science, technology, and research, building capacity in the fields of satellite manufacturing, tracking, control, data processing and analysis, and remote sensing, developing space-related programs and space policy, and facilitating international cooperation; cooperates with a variety of foreign agencies and commercial entities, including those of India, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and the UAE; also a member of the Arab Space Coordination Group, established by the UAE in 2019 (2023)
Overview note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in space programs

Terrorist groups
Terrorist groups: al-Ashtar Brigades; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force
Note 1: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in terrorist organizations

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 42
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 5,877,003 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 420.98 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: A9C

Airports: 4 (2021)
With paved runways: 4
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Heliports: 1 (2021)

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

Roadways
Total: 4,122 km (2010)
Paved: 3,392 km (2010)
Unpaved: 730 km (2010)

Merchant marine
Total: 190 (2022)
By type: general cargo 11, oil tanker 3, other 176

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Disputes international: none identified