Bahrain

State of BahrainDawlat al Bahrayn

traditional monarchyIndependence 15 August 1971 (from UK)

Bahrain as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalManama

Area620 sq km

LocationMiddle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi

Populationas each edition published it

575,925 people July 1995 est. · 520,186 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.58% 1995 est. · 3.01% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 28.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

73.94 years 1995 est. · 73.12 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.12 children per woman 1995 est. · 4.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

18 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 19 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$12,100 1994 est. · $7,800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2.2% 1994 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

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

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Land useshare of 620 sq km

permanent crops 2%meadows and pastures 6%forest and woodland 0%other 90%arable land 2% in all · irrigated 10 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

620sq km

land area: 620 sq kmcomparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

161km

land boundaries: 0 kmcontiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determinedterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

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

International disputes

territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Qatar

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Natural resources

oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish

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
natural hazards:: periodic droughts; dust storms
international agreements:: party to - Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

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

People

15 fields

Population

575,925

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.58% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

24.12Death

3.31Net migration

4.95

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years73.94

71.46 · 76.49

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy84%

89% · 77%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1991)

Ethnic divisions

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

Labor force

140,000

by occupation: industry and commerce 85%, agriculture 5%, services 5%, government 3% (1982)note: 42% of labor force is Bahraini

Age structure

0-14 years:: 31% (female 87,398; male 89,976)
15-64 years:: 67% (female 152,363; male 231,586)
65 years and over:: 2% (female 7,051; male 7,551) (July 1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Bahraini(s)
adjective:: Bahraini

Government

Traditional monarchy; Amir ISA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 2 November 1961); Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 19 January 1970)

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Names

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

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

Legal system

based on Islamic law and English common law

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

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

Political parties and leaders

political parties prohibited; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Muhammad ABD AL-GHAFFAR al-Abdallah
chancery:: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 342-0741, 342-0742
consulate(s) general:: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador David M. RANSOM
embassy:: Building No. 979, Road 3119 (next to Ahli Sports Club), Zinj District, Manama
mailing address:: FPO AE 09834-5100; P.O. Box 26431, Manama (International Mail)
telephone:: [973] 273300; afterhours [973] 275-126

FAX

[973] 272594

Flag

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

Economy

Tiny in area, Bahrain is well-to-do in economic resources | and per capita income.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$12,100

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

2.2%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 13% (1992); accounts for 38% of GDP, including petroleum

Inflation, consumer prices

(1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

15%

(1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$1.2 billion (1989)Expenditures

$1.6 billion (1992)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 1,050,000 kW

Electricity production

3.3 billionElectricity consumption per capita

5,453 (1993)

Overview

Tiny in area, Bahrain is well-to-do in economic resources and per capita income. 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.

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. Prospects for 1995 are good, with private enterprise the main driving force, e.g., in banking and construction.

Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $7.1 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$3.69 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: petroleum and petroleum products 80%, aluminum 7%
partners:: Japan 11%, UAE 5%, South Korea 4%, India 4%, Saudi Arabia 3% (1992)

Imports

$3.83 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41%
partners:: Saudi Arabia 47%, UK 7%, Japan 7%, US 6%, Germany 5% (1992)

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

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

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 4 in all

over 3,047 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

2,670Railroads

Highways: paved: 2,010 km · unpaved: 660 km (1991 est.)

Highways

total:: 2,670 km
paved:: 2,010 km
unpaved:: 660 km (1991 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 56 km;
petroleum products 16 km;
natural gas 32 km

Ports

Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Merchant marine

total:: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 79,949 GRT/120,900 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 1, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

98,000 telephones;
170 telephones/1,000 persons;
modern system;
good domestic services;
excellent international connections

local:: NA
intercity:: NA
international:: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station;
tropospheric scatter to Qatar, UAE;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia;
submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia