Bahrain

Kingdom of BahrainMamlakat al Bahrayn

constitutional monarchyIndependence 15 August 1971 (from UK)

Bahrain as the 2007 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 127 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
2007

Every edition of Bahrain

Populationas each edition published it
708,573 people July 2007 est. · 520,186 in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.392% 2007 est. · 3.01% in 1993
Median ageyears
29.7 years 2007 est. · 28.7 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
74.68 years 2007 est. · 73.12 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.57 children per woman 2007 est. · 4.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
16.18 deaths per 1,000 live births 2007 est. · 19 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$25,600 2006 est. · $7,800 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
7.1% 2006 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. King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shi'a community and Shi'a political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shi'a political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shi'a discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence.

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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 · (2007 est.)

13,451
65 and over3.7%
12,413
284,662
15-6469.5%
207,555
96,217
0-1426.9%
94,275
MaleFemale
Population
708,573
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)growth rate: 1.392% (2007 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2007 est.)

Birth
17.53Death
4.21Net migration
0.6

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2007 est.)74.68
72.18 · 77.25Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)16.18
18.89 · 13.4
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2001 census)86.5%
88.6% · 83.6%Median age years (2007 est.)29.7
32.7 · 26.1
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)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.021 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.372 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
1.084 male(s)/female
total population:
1.255 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.57 children born/woman (2007 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 monarchy; King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa (since 1971)

18 fields

Council of Representatives, 40 seats, elected November-December 2006one dot, one seat

al Wifaq (Shia) 17al Asala (Sunni Salafi) 5al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7independents 11

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 monarchy

Capital

name:
Manama
geographic coordinates:
26 14 N, 50 34 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 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection

Constitution

adopted 14 February 2002

Suffrage

20 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 legislature consists of the Consultative Council (40 members appointed by the King) and the Council of Representatives or Chamber of Deputies (40 seats; members directly elected to serve four-year terms)

elections:
Council of Representatives - last held November-December 2006 (next election to be held in 2010)
election results:
  • Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - al Wifaq (Shia) 17, al Asala (Sunni Salafi) 5, al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7, independents 11;
  • note - seats by party as of February 2007 - al Wifaq 17, al Asala 8, al Minbar 7, al Mustaqbal (Moderate Sunni pro-government) 4, unassociated independents (all Sunni) 3, independent affiliated with al Wifaq (Sunni oppositionist) 1

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 with occasional low-level violence;
  • protests related to a host of issues, including the 2002 constitution, elections, unemployment, and release of detainees;
  • Sunni Islamist legislators support a greater role for Shari'a in daily life;
  • several small leftist and other groups are active

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, 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 J. Adam ERELI
embassy:
Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama
mailing address:
PSC 451, Box 660, 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

With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf.

48 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$17.91billion
(2006 est.)official exchange rate: $12.07 billion (2006 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$25,600
(2006 est.)
Real growth rate
7.1%
(2006 est.)industrial production growth: 2% (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2006 est.)

agriculture 0.3%industry 45%services 54.6% (2006 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

3.2%
Saudi Arabia
37.6%
2.3%
Japan
6.8%
3%
US
6.2%
UK
6.2%
Germany
5.1%
UAE
4.2%
Exports $11.7 billion (2006 est.)Imports $8.565 billion (2006 est.)note: excludes oil exports (2006) · (2006)

Budget

Revenues
$4.894 billionExpenditures
$4.516 billion (2006 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production
8.187 billion (2005)Electricity consumption
7.614 billion (2005)

Economy - overview

With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for over 60% of Bahrain's export receipts, over 70% of government revenues, and 11% of GDP (exclusive of allied industries), underpinning Bahrain's strong economic growth in recent years.

Other major segments of Bahrain's economy are the financial and construction sectors. Bahrain is actively pursuing the diversification and privatization of its economy to reduce the country's dependence on oil. As part of this effort, in August 2006 Bahrain and the US implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.

Labor force

352,000 note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

15% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

17.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Public debt

31% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

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

Oil - production

188,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

27,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves

121 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Natural gas - production

10.27 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

10.27 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

88.26 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance

$1.918 billion (2006 est.)

Exports

$11.7 billion (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Imports

$8.565 billion (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Economic aid - recipient

$103.9 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and Kuwait (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.818 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$7.159 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Exchange rates

Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
898,900
(2006)
Internet users
2,413
(2007)
Fixed lines
193,300
(2006) · 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;
  • landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US;
  • tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE;
  • microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia;
  • satellite earth stations - 1 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Internet users

157,300 (2006)

Transportation

7 fields

Merchant marine, 7 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1000 GRT or over) 220,264 GRT/314,289 DWT

bulk carrier 3cargo 1container 2petroleum tanker 1foreign-owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2007)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m
21,524 to 2,437 m
1

Airports

3 (2007)

Heliports

1 (2007)

Pipelines

gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2006)

Roadways

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), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard

6 fields

Military branches

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

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service

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

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;
  • women from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Morocco, and Thailand are also trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor
tier rating:
  • Tier 3 - Bahrain made no discernable progress in preventing trafficking in 2006;
  • the government failed to enact a comprehensive anti-trafficking law and did not report any prosecutions or convictions for trafficking offenses, despite reports of a substantial problem of involutary servitude and trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation

Central Intelligence Agency. “Bahrain.” The World Factbook 2007. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bahrain/2007.

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