Bahrain

§1. Bahrain Introduction

Background:
  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. Sheikh HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa, who came to
  power in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms and has worked to
  improve relations with the Shi'a community. In February 2001, Bahraini
  voters approved a referendum on the National Action Charter - the
  centerpiece of Sheikh HAMAD's political liberalization program. In February
  2002, Sheikh HAMAD pronounced Bahrain a constitutional monarchy and changed
  his status from amir to king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected members of
  the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral legislature, the
  National Assembly.

§2. Bahrain Geography

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

Geographic coordinates:
  26 00 N, 50 33 E

Map references:
  Middle_East

Area:
  total: 665 km²
  land: 665 km²
  water: 0 km²

Area - 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
  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:
  50 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; dust storms

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

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
    Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

§3. Bahrain People

Population:
  698,585
  note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.4% (male 96,567/female 94,650)
  15-64 years: 69.1% (male 280,272/female 202,451)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 12,753/female 11,892) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.4 years
  male: 32.4 years
  female: 25.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.45% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  4.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.38 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.45 years
  male: 71.97 years
  female: 77 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.6 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Bahraini(s)
  adjective: Bahraini

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

Religions:
  Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89.1%
  male: 91.9%
  female: 85% (2003 est.)

§4. Bahrain Government

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 hereditary monarchy

Capital:
  Manama

Administrative divisions:
  12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al
  Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al
  Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Juzur Hawar,
  Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Sitrah
  note: all municipalities administered from Manama

Independence:
  15 August 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
  National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the date of
  independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of independence from
  British protection

Constitution:
  new constitution 14 February 2002

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law and English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir
    Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch, born 21
    October 1969)
  head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa (since
    1971)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by
    the monarch

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members appointed by the
  King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly elected to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next election to
    be held in September 2006)
  election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats
    by party - Sunni Islamists 12, Shia grouping 7, other groupings and
    independents 21
  note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National Assembly
    dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created bicameral
    legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14 February 2001;
    first legislative session of Parliament held on 25 December 2002

Judicial branch:
  High Civil Appeals Court

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

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently
  engaged in protests and marches, demanding that more power be vested in the
  elected Council of Representatives and that the government do more to
  decrease unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic
  fundamentalist groups are active

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO,
  ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Muhammad al-BALUSHI
  chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111
  FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE
  embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331,
    Zinj District, Manama
  mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100;
    international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama
  telephone: [973] 1724-2700
  FAX: [973] 1727-0547 (consular)

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

§5. Bahrain Economy

Economy - overview:
  Petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of Bahrain's export
  receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly
  developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to
  numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. A large share of
  exports consists of petroleum products made from refining imported crude.
  Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment,
  especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water
  resources are major long-term economic problems. In 2005 Bahrain and the US
  ratified a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a
  Gulf state.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $14.11 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $11.3 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.9% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $20,500 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 0.6%
  industry: 42.5%
  services: 56.9% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  380,000
  note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2005
    est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1%, industry, commerce, and services 79%, government 20% (1997
  est.)

Unemployment rate:
  15% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.7% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  14.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4.662 billion
  expenditures: $3.447 billion; including capital expenditures of $700
    million (2005 est.)

Public debt:
  51.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  7.345 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  6.83 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  188,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  26,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
  124 million bbl (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  9.65 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  9.65 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2002 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 m³ (2002 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  92.03 billion m³ (2005)

Current account balance:
  $1.569 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $11.17 billion (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Exports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 3%, US 2.9%, UAE 2.2%, note - data are for non-oil exports
  only (2004)

Imports:
  $7.83 billion (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 32.4%, Japan 7.3%, Germany 6.1%, US 5.6%, UK 5.4%, France 4.8%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $2.433 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $6.831 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and
  Kuwait (2002)

Currency (code):
  Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Exchange rates:
  Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003),
  0.376 (2002), 0.376 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Bahrain Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  191,600 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  649,800 (2004)

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; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE;
    microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and
    Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bh

Internet hosts:
  1,952 (2005)

Internet users:
  152,700 (2005)

§7. Bahrain Transportation

Airports:
  3 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)

Heliports:
  1 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 3,498 km
  paved: 2,768 km
  unpaved: 730 km (2003)

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 235,449 GRT/339,728 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 4 (India 1, Kuwait 3) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Mina' Salman, Sitrah

§8. Bahrain Military

Military branches:
  Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy,
    Air Force, National Guard

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 202,126 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 161,372 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 6,013 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $627.7 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.9% (2005 est.)

§9. Bahrain Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none


<Factbook 2006>
