Bahrain

Kingdom of BahrainMamlakat al Bahrayn

constitutional hereditary monarchyIndependence 15 August 1971 (from UK)

Bahrain as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 124 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, UTC+3

Position26 00 N, 50 33 E

Area665 sq km

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

Populationas each edition published it

698,585 people July 2006 est. · 520,186 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.45% 2006 est. · 3.01% in 1993

Median ageyears

29.4 years 2006 est. · 28.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.45 years 2006 est. · 73.12 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.6 children per woman 2006 est. · 4.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

16.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 2006 est. · 19 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$23,100 2005 est. · $7,800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5.9% 2005 est. · 3% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

In 1782, the Al Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. 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. Sheikh HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa, who came to power in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms and has worked to improve relations with the Shia community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National Action Charter - the centerpiece of Sheikh HAMAD's political liberalization program.

In February 2002, Sheikh HAMAD pronounced Bahrain a constitutional monarchy and changed his status from amir to king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral legislature, the National Assembly.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 665 sq km

arable land 2.82%permanent crops 5.63%other 91.55% (2005)irrigated 40 sq km (2003)

Area

665sq km

land: 665 sq kmwater: 0 sq km3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

161km

land boundaries: 0 kmterritorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Highest point

122m

Jabal ad Dukhanlowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

26 00 N, 50 33 E

Map references

Middle East

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, pearls

Natural hazards

periodic droughts; dust storms

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

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

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)

12,753

65 and over3.5%

11,892

280,272

15-6469.1%

202,451

96,567

0-1427.4%

94,650

MaleFemale

Population

698,585

note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)growth rate: 1.45% (2006 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)

Birth

17.8Death

4.14Net migration

0.82

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2006 est.)74.45

71.97 · 77Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)16.8

19.65 · 13.87

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)89.1%

91.9% · 85%Median age years (2006 est.)29.4

32.4 · 25.8

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions(2001 census)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2%

(2001 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.38 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.07 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.26 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.6 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

less than 600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Bahraini(s)
adjective:: Bahraini

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Government

Constitutional hereditary monarchy; King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa (since 1971)

18 fields

House of Deputies, 40 seats, elected 31 October 2002one dot, one seat

Sunni Islamists 12Shia grouping 7other groupings and independents 21

Country name

conventional long form:: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form:: Bahrain
local long form:: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
local short form:: Al Bahrayn
former:: Dilmun

Government type

constitutional hereditary monarchy

Capital

name:: Manama
geographic coordinates:: 26 13 N, 50 35 E
time difference:: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor

Independence

15 August 1971 (from UK)

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

Constitution

new constitution 14 February 2002

Legal system

based on Islamic law and English common law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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)
head of government:: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa (since 1971);
Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections:: none;
the monarchy is hereditary;
prime minister appointed by the monarch

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)

elections:: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next election to be held in September 2006)
election results:: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Sunni Islamists 12, Shia grouping 7, other groupings and independents 21

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

Judicial branch

High Civil Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders

political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law

Political pressure groups and leaders

Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests and marches, demanding that more power be vested in the elected Council of Representatives and that the government do more to decrease unemployment;
several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Nasir bin Muhammad al-BALUSHI
chancery:: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 342-1111
FAX:: [1] (202) 362-2192
consulate(s) general:: New York

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
mailing address:: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama
telephone:: [973] 1724-2700
FAX:: [973] 1727-0547

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

45 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$15.9billion

(2005 est.)official exchange rate: $11.01 billion (2005 est.)

GDP per capita, PPP

$23,100

(2005 est.)

Real growth rate

5.9%

(2005 est.)industrial production growth: 2% (2000 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

2.7%

(2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2005 est.)

agriculture 0.5%industry 38.7%services 60.8% (2005 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

3.3%

Saudi Arabia

36.4%

Japan

6.6%

Germany

6.4%

2.6%

5.4%

2.3%

UAE

4.1%

Exports $11.17 billion (2005 est.)Imports $7.83 billion (2005 est.)(2005)

Budget

Revenues

$4.662 billionExpenditures

$3.447 billion (2005 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $700 million

Electricity

Electricity production

7.345 billion (2003)Electricity consumption

6.83 billion (2003)

Economy - overview

Petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of Bahrain's 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 consists 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 2005 Bahrain and the US ratified a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state.

Labor force

380,000 note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:: 1%
industry:: 79%
services:: 20% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate

15% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Investment (gross fixed)

19.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Public debt

33.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

748,700

(2005)

Internet users

2,165

(2006)

Fixed lines

196,500

(2005) · country code .bh

Telephone system

general assessment:: modern system
domestic:: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
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 - 1 (1997)

Transportation

7 fields

Merchant marine, 8 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1000 GRT or over) 235,449 GRT/339,728 DWT

bulk carrier 4cargo 1container 2petroleum tanker 1foreign-owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2006)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m

21,524 to 2,437 m

total:: 3,498 km
paved:: 2,768 km
unpaved:: 730 km (2003)

Ports and terminals

Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Military

Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, National Guard

6 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.9%

(2005 est.)

males age 18-49:: 202,126
females age 18-49:: 151,734 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49:: 161,372
females age 18-49:: 125,488 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49:: 6,013
females age 18-49:: 5,852 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

none

Trafficking in persons

current situation:: Bahrain is a destination country for men and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly to work as laborers or domestic servants, but may be subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude when faced with exorbitant recruitment and transportation fees, withholding of their passports, restrictions on their movement, non-payment of wages, and physical or sexual abuse;
Eastern European women are also believed to be trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor
tier rating:: Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain's efforts to address trafficking in persons are based largely on pledges of future efforts;
the government did not enact a comprehensive anti-trafficking law extending labor protection to domestic workers

Central Intelligence Agency. “Bahrain.” The World Factbook 2006. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bahrain/2006.

How to cite ← 2005 edition 2007 edition →

Introduction

Geography

People

Government

Economy

Communications

Transportation

Military

Transnational Issues

Cite this entry