Bahrain

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet country code

.bh

Internet users

37,500 (2000)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

338,000 (1997)

Telephone system

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

Telephones - main lines in use

152,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

58,543 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1997)

Televisions

275,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Currency

Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Currency code

BHD

Debt - external

$2.7 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

$48.4 million (1995)

Economy - overview

In Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of 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. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil revenue granted as aid. 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.

Electricity - consumption

5.752 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

6.185 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Exchange rates

Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.3760 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)

Exports

$5.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products 61%, aluminum 7%

Exports - partners

India 14%, Saudi Arabia 5%, US 5%, UAE 5%, Japan 4%, South Korea 4% (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $10.1 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 1% industry: 46% services: 53% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $15,900 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$4.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities

nonoil 59%, crude oil 41%

Imports - partners

France 20%, US 14%, UK 8%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Japan 5% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (2000 est.)

Labor force

295,000 (1998 est.) note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

industry, commerce, and service 79%, government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

15% (1998 est.)

Area

total: 620 sq km land: 620 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Coastline

161 km

Elevation extremes

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

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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

26 00 N, 50 33 E

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

Irrigated land

10 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 0% other: 92% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural hazards

periodic droughts; dust storms

Natural resources

oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Terrain

mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

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

Capital

Manama

Constitution

adopted late December 2000 (new constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary)

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Johnny YOUNG embassy: #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 321, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 273-300

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741

Executive branch

chief of state: Amir 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 NA 1971) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

FAX

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

FAX

[973] 272-594

Flag description

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

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Independence

15 August 1971 (from UK)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch

High Civil Appeals Court

Legal system

based on Islamic law and English common law

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; the National Action Charter created a bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum of 14 February 2001

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

Political parties and leaders

political parties prohibited

Political pressure groups and leaders

Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active

Suffrage

none

Background

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. Possessing minimal oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining, and has transformed itself into an international banking center. The new amir is pushing economic and political reforms, and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In 2001, the International Court of Justice awarded the Hawar Islands, long disputed with Qatar, to Bahrain.

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$318 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

5.2% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 222,141 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 121,833 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - military age

15 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 5,926 (2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 29.6% (male 96,697; female 94,330) 15-64 years: 67.43% (male 257,360; female 177,839) 65 years and over: 2.97% (male 9,721; female 9,414) (2001 est.)

Birth rate

20.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups

Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.15% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

19.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.2 years male: 70.81 years female: 75.67 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.2% male: 89.1% female: 79.4% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini

Net migration rate

1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

645,361 note: includes 228,424 non-nationals (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

1.73% (2001 est.)

Religions

Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.45 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.29 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.79 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

in March of 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar Islands to Bahrain and also adjusted Bahrain's maritime boundary with Qatar

Airports

3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Heliports

1 (2000 est.)

Highways

total: 3,164 km paved: 2,433 km unpaved: 731 km note: there is a paved causeway connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia (1997)

Merchant marine

total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 175,609 GRT/207,652 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, container 2 (2000 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km

Ports and harbors

Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none