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. The Sunni royal family has long struggled to manage relations with its Shia-majority population. In 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government responded to similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces. In 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed the US-brokered Abraham Accords with Israel. In 2023, Bahrain and the United States signed the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement to enhance cooperation across a wide range of areas, from defense and security to emerging technology, trade, and investment.

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

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 10.1% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 5% (2023 est.)
Forest: 4.3% (2023 est.)
Other: 84.2% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 km² (2012)

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
Total: 1,566,888 (2024 est.)
Male: 940,022
Female: 626,866
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
Growth rate: 0.82% (2024 est.)

Languages: Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu
Major-language sample(s): ; كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.1% (male 143,399/female 139,667)
15-64 years: 77.7% (male 762,190/female 454,616)
65 years and over: 4.3% (2024 est.) (male 34,433/female 32,583)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 28.8 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 23.3 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.5 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 18.2 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 33.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 34.6 years
Female: 31.2 years

Population growth rate: 0.82% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 12.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 2.8 deaths/1,000 population (2024 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)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.5 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 17 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 78.1 years
Female: 82.7 years

Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 1.2% (2024 est.); 1.2% (2023 est.); 1.4% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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 word al-manama, meaning 'place of rest' or 'place of dreams'

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

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999)
Head of government: Prime Minister Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (since 11 November 2020)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
Election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch
Legislature name: National Assembly (Al-Majlis Al-Watani)
Legislative structure: bicameral

Flag description: red, with a white serrated band of five white points on the left side

National anthem
Title: 'Bahrainona' (Our Bahrain)
Lyrics/music: unknown
History: adopted 1971; Mohamed Sudqi AYYASH wrote the original lyrics, but they were changed in 2002 after Bahrain became a kingdom

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (2024 est.); 3.9% (2023 est.); 6.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 3% (2024 est.); 3.9% (2023 est.); 6.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 38.9% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 14.6% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 27.5% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.8% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 87.4% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -70.1% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Industry: 43.4% (2023 est.)
Services: 51.9% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 913,300 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 1.2% (2024 est.); 1.2% (2023 est.); 1.4% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 1.2% (2024 est.); 1.2% (2023 est.); 1.4% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $5.538 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $9.982 billion (2020 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 2.8% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $41.303 billion (2024 est.); $40.344 billion (2023 est.); $44.58 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, aluminum, iron ore, aluminum wire, jewelry (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $33.044 billion (2024 est.); $32.374 billion (2023 est.); $33.066 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: iron ore, aluminum oxide, ships, cars, gold (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 7.031 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 35.09 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 467.898 million kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 480.883 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.093 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Exports: 600 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 190,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 72,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 186.5 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 19.55 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 19.878 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 81.98 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 81.383 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 47.818 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: -1,401 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 8.825 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 38.995 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 554.202 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 246,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 2.42 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 145 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 268,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 3% of GDP (2024 est.); 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.); 3.2% of GDP (2022 est.); 3.6% of GDP (2021 est.); 4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 3 (2025)

Heliports: 8 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 184 (2023)
By type: general cargo 12, oil tanker 3, other 169