1994 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1994 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Administrative divisions
12 districts (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, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Mintaqat Juzur Hawar, Sitrah
Agriculture
including fishing, accounts for less than 2% of GDP; not self-sufficient in food production; heavily subsidized sector produces fruit, vegetables, poultry, dairy products, shrimp, fish
Airports
total: 3 usable: 3 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1
Area
total area: 620 sq km land area: 620 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Birth rate
26.59 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, Police Force
Budget
revenues: $1.2 billion expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992)
Capital
Manama
Climate
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Coastline
161 km
Constitution
26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973
Currency
1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils
Death rate
3.83 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $245 million, 6% of GDP (1993)
Digraph
BA
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohammad ABD al-GHAFFAR chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 342-0741 or 342-0742 consulate(s) general: New York
Economic aid
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $24 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $45 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.8 billion
Electricity
capacity: 1,600,000 kW production: 4.7 billion kWh consumption per capita: 8,500 kWh (1992)
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; no surface water resources; groundwater and sea water are the only sources for all water needs natural hazards: periods of drought, dust storms international agreements: party to - Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change
Ethnic divisions
Bahraini 63%, Asian 13%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%, other 6%
Exchange rates
Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1 - 0.3760 (fixed rate)
Executive branch
chief of state: Amir ISA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 2 November 1961); Heir Apparent HAMAD bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (son of the Amir, born 28 January 1950) head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 19 January 1970) cabinet: Cabinet
Exports
$3.5 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 80%, aluminum 7% partners: Japan 13%, UAE 12%, India 10%, Pakistan 8%, Singapore 6% (1991)
External debt
$2.6 billion (1993)
FAX
(973) 272-594
Fiscal year
calendar year
Flag
red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side
Highways
total: NA paved: bituminous 200 km unpaved: NA
Imports
$3.7 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% partners: Saudi Arabia 42%, US 14%, UK 7%, Japan 5%, Germany 4% (1991)
Independence
15 August 1971 (from UK)
Industrial production
growth rate 3.8% (1988); accounts for 44% of GDP
Industries
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing
Infant mortality rate
19 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2% (1993 est.)
International disputes
territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Qatar
Irrigated land
10 sq km (1989 est.)
Judicial branch
High Civil Appeals Court
Labor force
140,000 by occupation: industry and commerce 85%, agriculture 5%, services 5%, government 3% (1982) note: 42% of labor force is Bahraini
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 2% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 0% other: 90%
Languages
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Legal system
based on Islamic law and English common law
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly was dissolved 26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet; appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.51 years male: 71.1 years female: 76.05 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 77% male: 82% female: 69%
Location
Middle East, in the central Persian Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and Qatar
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 198,414; fit for military service 109,431; reach military age (15) annually 5,093 (1994 est.)
Map references
Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 nm
Member of
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Merchant marine
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 101,844 GRT/143,997 DWT, bulk 1, cargo 4, container 1
Names
conventional long form: State of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Dawlat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn
National holiday
Independence Day, 16 December (1961)
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6.8 billion (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$12,000 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
4% (1993 est.)
Nationality
noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini
Natural resources
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish
Net migration rate
6.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Note
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf through which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean
Overview
Petroleum production and processing account for about 80% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. Economic conditions have fluctuated with the changing fortunes of oil since 1985, for example, during and following the Gulf crisis of 1990-91. Bahrain with its highly developed communication and transport facilities is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude. Prospects for 1994 are good, with private enterprise the main driving force, e.g., in banking and construction.
Pipelines
crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km
Political parties and leaders
political parties prohibited; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
Population
585,683 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
2.96% (1994 est.)
Ports
Mina' Salman, Manama, Sitrah
Religions
Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%
Suffrage
none
Telecommunications
modern system; good domestic services; 98,000 telephones (1 for every 6 persons); excellent international connections; tropospheric scatter to Qatar, UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 2 TV
Terrain
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Total fertility rate
3.96 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Type
traditional monarchy
Unemployment rate
8%-10% (1989)
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David S. ROBINS embassy: Road No. 3119 (next to Alahli Sports Club), Zinj District, Manama mailing address: FPO AE 09834-5100; P.O. Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 273-300