2005 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.8% (male 96,807/female 94,863) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 275,792/female 197,424) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 12,078/female 11,381) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

3 over 3,047 m: 2 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Area

land

665 sq km

total

665 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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. The new amir, installed 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 the amir's political liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. Geography Bahrain

Birth rate

18.1 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$3.262 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (2004 est.)

revenues

$3.825 billion

Capital

Manama

Climate

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

Coastline

161 km

Constitution

new constitution 14 February 2002

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Bahrain

conventional short form

Bahrain

former

Dilmun

local long form

Mamlakat al Bahrayn

local short form

Al Bahrayn

Currency (code)

Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Currency code

BHD

Current account balance

$586.1 million (2004 est.)

Death rate

4.08 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$6.215 billion (2004 est.)

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

FAX

[973] 1725-6242 (consular)

mailing address

American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama

telephone

[973] 1724-2700

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Nasir al-BALUSHI

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 362-2192

telephone

[1] (202) 342-1111

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Economic aid - recipient

$150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from each of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait (2002)

Economy - overview

In well-to-do Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of 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 consist 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 September 2004 Bahrain signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States - the first such agreement undertaken by a Gulf state. Both countries must ratify the FTA before it is enforced.

Electricity - consumption

6.379 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

6.86 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

lowest point

Persian Gulf 0 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; 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

Ethnic groups

Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)

Exchange rates

Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002), 0.376 (2001), 0.376 (2000)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the monarch

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)

elections

none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

head of government

Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa (since NA 1971)

Exports

$8.205 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Exports - partners

Saudi Arabia 3%, US 2.9%, UAE 2.2% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Bahrain

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 Economy Bahrain

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

0.7%

industry

41%

services

58.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.6% (2004 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$13.01 billion (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

26 00 N, 50 33 E

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 People Bahrain

Government type

constitutional hereditary monarchy

Heliports

1 (2004 est.) Military Bahrain

Highways

paved

2,653 km

total

3,459 km

unpaved

806 km (2002)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

less than 600 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$5.87 billion (2004 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)

Independence

15 August 1971 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

14.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

20.17 deaths/1,000 live births

total

17.27 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.1% (2004 est.)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.bh

Internet hosts

1,334 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

195,700 (2003) Transportation Bahrain

Investment (gross fixed)

12.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Irrigated land

50 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

High Civil Appeals Court

Labor force

370,000 note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 1%, industry, commerce, and services 79%, government 20% (1997 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

2.82%

other

91.55% (2001)

permanent crops

5.63%

Languages

Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Legal system

based on Islamic law and English common law

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)

election results

House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10 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

elections

House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next election to be held NA 2006)

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.78 years (2005 est.)

male

71.76 years

total population

74.23 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

85% (2003 est.) Government Bahrain

male

91.9%

total population

89.1%

Location

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

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.)

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

extending to boundaries to be determined

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

25.54 years (2005 est.)

male

32.16 years

total

29.19 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 3, cargo 2, container 2, petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned

2 (Kuwait 2) (2005)

total

8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 219,083 GRT/312,638 DWT

Military branches

Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF)

Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, National Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$628.9 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

6.3% (2004) Transnational Issues Bahrain

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

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

Nationality

adjective

Bahraini

noun

Bahraini(s)

Natural gas - consumption

32.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - production

32.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

46 billion cu m (2004)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts; dust storms

Natural resources

oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Net migration rate

1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

40,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

44,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves

126 million bbl (2004 est.)

Pipelines

gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2004)

Political parties and leaders

political parties prohibited but politically oriented societies are allowed

Political pressure groups and leaders

Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active

Population

688,345 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Population growth rate

1.51% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Public debt

63.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

338,000 (1997)

Religions

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.141 billion (2004 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.4 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.27 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones

general assessment

modern system

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 - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)

Telephones - main lines in use

185,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

443,100 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1997)

Televisions

275,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Total fertility rate

2.63 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

15% (1998 est.)