Bahrain

Dawlat al Bahrayn

traditional monarchyIndependence 15 August 1971 (from UK)

Bahrain as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 98 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 Saudi

Populationas each edition published it

603,318 people July 1997 est. · 520,186 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.18% 1997 est. · 3.01% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 28.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.63 years 1997 est. · 73.12 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.04 children per woman 1997 est. · 4.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

16.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 19 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$13,000 1996 est. · $7,800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3% 1996 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 620 sq km

permanent crops 1%permanent pastures 6%forests and woodland 0%other 92% (1993 est.)arable land 1% in all · irrigated 10 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

620sq km

land: 620 sq kmwater: 0 sq km3.5 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

Highest point

122m

Jabal ad Dukhanlowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

Location

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

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified :: none of the selected agreements

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

People

15 fields

Population

603,318

(July 1997 est.)note: includes 221,182 non-nationals (July 1997 est.)growth rate: 2.18% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

23.01Death

3.27Net migration

2.07

Ethnic groups

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

Literacy

85.2%

definition : age 15 and over can read and writemale: 89.1%female: 79.4% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 31% (male 94,330; female 91,532)
15-64 years:: 66% (male 240,496; female 160,662) 65 years and over : 3% (male 8,375; female 7,923) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years :: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.5 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.32 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

16.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 74.63 years
male:: 72.1 years
female :: 77.24 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Bahraini(s)
adjective:: Bahraini

Government

Traditional monarchy; Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 19 January 1970)

21 fields

Country name

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

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

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 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

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 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

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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission :: Ambassador Muhammad ABD AL-GHAFFAR 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador David M. RANSOM (scheduled to depart in June 1997)
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

FAX

[973] 275-418

Flag description

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

Economy

22 fields

Real growth rate

(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 3.4% (1995)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

15%

(1996 est.)

Labor force

140,000

by occupation: industry and commerce 85%, agriculture 5%, services 5%, government 3% (1982)note: 44.39% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1995)

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

Budget

Revenues

$1.49 billionExpenditures

$1.67 billion (1995)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $300 million

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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $13,000 (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

1.05 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production

4.28 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

7,102 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

total value:: $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities :: petroleum and petroleum products 61%, aluminum 7%
partners:: India 22%, Japan 12%, Saudi Arabia 6%, US 6%, UAE 5% (1995)

Imports

total value :: $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities:: nonoil 63%, crude oil 37%
partners:: Saudi Arabia 40%, US 13%, UK 7%, Japan 5%, Switzerland 5% (1995)

Debt - external

$3.2 billion (1995)

Economic aid

$NA

Currency

1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 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