Bahrain

State of BahrainDawlat al Bahrayn

traditional monarchyIndependence 15 August 1971 (from UK)

Bahrain as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 87 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

Position26 00 N, 50 33 E

Area620 sq km

LocationMiddle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of

Populationas each edition published it

590,042 people July 1996 est. · 520,186 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.27% 1996 est. · 3.01% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 28.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.27 years 1996 est. · 73.12 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.08 children per woman 1996 est. · 4.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

17.1 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 19 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$12,000 1995 est. · $7,800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-2% 1995 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

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

15 fields

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: 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

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

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

Geographic 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

People

15 fields

Population

590,042

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 2.27% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

23.58Death

3.29Net migration

2.42

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years74.27

71.78 · 76.83

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy85.2%

89.1% · 79.4%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 31% (male 92,455; female 89,554)
15-64 years:: 67% (male 236,048; female 156,556)
65 years and over:: 2% (male 7,956; female 7,473) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.51 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.06 male(s)/female
all ages:: 1.33 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

17.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Bahraini(s)
adjective:: Bahraini

Government

Traditional monarchy; Amir ISA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 2 November 1961) is a traditional Arab monarch; Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 19 January 1970) was appointed by the amir

21 fields

Name of country

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

Data code

Type of government

traditional monarchy

Capital

Manama

Administrative divisions

12 municipalites (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

Independence

15 August 1971 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 16 December (1971)

Constitution

26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973

Legal system

based on Islamic law and English common law

Suffrage

none

Executive branch

chief of state:: Amir ISA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 2 November 1961) is a traditional Arab monarch;
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) was appointed by the amir
cabinet:: Cabinet was appointed by the amir

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

Judicial branch

High Civil Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders

political parties prohibited

Other political or pressure groups

several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active;
following the arrest of a popular Shi'a cleric, Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically from late 1994 to September 1995, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, 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, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

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

FAX

[1] (202) 362-2192; consulate(s) general: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador David M. RANSOM
embassy:: Building No. 979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Zinj District, Manama
mailing address:: FPO AE 09834-5100; P.O. Box 26431, Manama (International Mail)
telephone:: [973] 273-300

FAX

[973] 272-594

Flag

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

Economy

20 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$12,000

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

-2%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 13% (1992)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

25%

(1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$1.38 billionExpenditures

$1.7 billion (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 1,050,000 kW

Electricity production

3.3 billionElectricity consumption per capita

5,453 (1993)

Economic overview

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.3 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture:: NA%
industry:: NA%
services:: NA%

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

Exports

$3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities:: petroleum and petroleum products 80%, aluminum 7%
partners:: India 20%, Japan 14%, Saudi Arabia 7%, US 6%, UAE 5% (1994)

Imports

$3.29 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

commodities:: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41%
partners:: Saudi Arabia 37%, US 12%, UK 6%, Japan 5%, Germany 4% (1994)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 3 in all

over 3 047 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

2,671Railways

Highways: paved: 2,011 km · unpaved: 660 km (1991 est.)

Highways

total:: 2,671 km
paved:: 2,011 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 117,060 GRT/194,061 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 1, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, oil tanker 1 (1995 est.)

Heliports

1 (1995 est.)

Communications

Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, Coast Guard, | Police Force

9 fields

Fixed lines

73,552

(1987 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

males age 15-49:: 213,792
males fit for military service:: 118,702 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $247 million, 5.5% of GDP (1994)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Bahrain.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bahrain/1996.

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