Bahrain
Kingdom of BahrainMamlakat al Bahrayn
constitutional monarchyIndependence 15 August 1971 (from UK)
Bahrain as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 132 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
In 1783, 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 Shia community. Shia political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shia 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
20 fieldsLand useshare of 665 sq km
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.3 cu km/yr (40%/3%/57%)
- per capita:
- 411 cu m/yr (2000)
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
21 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)
Male · female
Religions(2001 census)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.36 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.1 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.25 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Government
Constitutional monarchy; King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa (since 1971)
18 fieldsCouncil of Representatives, 40 seats, elected November-December 2006one dot, one seat
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
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
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
Legal system
based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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:
- 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
Political parties and leaders
political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
Political pressure groups and leaders
Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators; other: several small leftist and other groups are active
International organization participation
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Houda Ezra Ibrahim NUNU
- 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.
49 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2007 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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.
Aluminum is Bahrain's second major export after oil. Other major segments of Bahrain's economy are the financial and construction sectors. Bahrain is focused on Islamic banking and is competing on an international scale with Malaysia as a worldwide banking center. 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. Continued strong growth hinges on Bahrain's ability to acquire new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are long-term economic problems.
Industries
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
Exchange rates
Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone 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 station - 1 (2007)
Transportation
7 fieldsMerchant marine, 9 ships by typeone square, one ship
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Military
Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard
Military service age and obligation
- 17 years of age for voluntary military service;
- 15 years of age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets;
- no conscription (2008)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsTrafficking in persons
- current situation:
- Bahrain is a destination country for men and women trafficked for the purposes of involuntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation;
- men and women from Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia migrate voluntarily to Bahrain to work as laborers or domestic servants where some face conditions of involuntary servitude such as unlawful withholding of passports, restrictions on movements, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse;
- women from Thailand, Morocco, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia are trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation
- tier rating:
- Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increased efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly efforts that enforce laws against trafficking in persons, and that prevent the punishment of victims of trafficking;
- during 2007, Bahrain passed a comprehensive law prohibiting all forms of trafficking in persons;
- the government also established a specialized anti-trafficking unit within the Ministry of Interior to investigate trafficking crimes;
- however, the government did not report any prosecutions or convictions for trafficking offenses during 2007, despite reports of a substantial problem of involuntary servitude and sex trafficking (2008)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Bahrain.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bahrain/2008.