1998 Edition

Area

total: 620 sq km land: 620 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area-comparative

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Coastline

161 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

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 natural fresh water resources so that groundwater and sea water 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

26 00 N, 50 33 E

Geography-note

close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

Irrigated land

10 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 0% other: 92% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

periodic droughts; dust storms

Natural resources

oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish

Terrain

mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Age structure

0-14 years: 31% (male 95,871; female 93,232) 15-64 years: 67% (male 245,099; female 164,946) 65 years and over: 2% (male 8,799; female 8,395) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

22.43 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

3.25 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Bahraini 63%, Asian 13%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%, other 6%

Infant mortality rate

15.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.96 years male: 72.42 years female: 77.57 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.2% male: 89.1% female: 79.4% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini

Net migration rate

1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

616,342 (July 1998 est.) note: includes 224,640 non-nationals (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

2.09% (1998 est.)

Religions

Shi'a Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim 25%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.49 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.01 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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, Madinat Hamad, Madinat Isa, Juzur Hawar, Sitrah note: all municipalities administered from Manama

Constitution

26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973

Country name

conventional long form: State of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Dawlat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn

Data code

BA

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 1949) head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 19 January 1970) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the amir elections: none; the amir is a traditional Arab monarch; prime minister appointed by the amir

FAX

[1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Johnny YOUNG embassy: Building No. 979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Zinj District, Manama mailing address: FPO AE 09834-5100; International Mail Box 26431, Manama (International Mail) telephone: [973] 273-300

[973] 275-418

Flag description

red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side

Government type

traditional monarchy

Independence

15 August 1971 (from UK)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Muhammad ABD AL-GHAFFAR Abdallah chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741, 342-0742

Judicial branch

High Civil Appeals Court Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited Political pressure groups and leaders: several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active; following the arrest of a popular Shi'a cleric, Shi'a activists have fomented unrest sporadically since late 1994, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment

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

National capital

Manama

National holiday

Independence Day, 16 December (1971)

Suffrage

none

Agriculture-products

fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Budget

revenues: $1.7 billion expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $400 million (1998 est.)

Currency

1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils

Debt-external

$3.2 billion (1995)

Economic aid

$NA

Economy-overview

In Bahrain, petroleum production and processing account for about 60% 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. 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 imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.

Electricity-capacity

1.05 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

7,640 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

4.4 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1-0.3760 (fixed rate)

Exports

total value: $4.6 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 61%, aluminum 7% partners: India 22%, Japan 12%, Saudi Arabia 6%, US 6%, UAE 5% (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$8.2 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 1% industry: 38% services: 61% (1995)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$13,700 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

2.7% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $3.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: nonoil 63%, crude oil 37% partners: Saudi Arabia 40%, US 13%, UK 7%, Japan 5%, Switzerland 5% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

3.4% (1995)

Industries

petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism

Inflation rate-consumer price index

-0.2% (1996 est.)

Labor force

total: 140,000 by occupation: industry, commerce, and service 78%, government 21%, agriculture 1% (1994) note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios

320,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system

modern system; good domestic services and excellent international connections domestic: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Telephones

73,552 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1988 est.)

Televisions

270,000 (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

15% (1996 est.)

Airports

3 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Heliports

1 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 3,013 km paved: 2,284 km unpaved: 729 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 131,919 GRT/212,510 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, oil tanker 1 (1997 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km Ports and harbors: Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Railways

0 km

Military branches

Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Internal Security Forces

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$256 million (1994)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

5.4% (1995)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 218,831 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 120,753 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

15 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: NA

Disputes-international

territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands and maritime boundary dispute with Qatar currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) (territory of the US)