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Länder
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Background:
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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 Shi'a 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. |
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Location:
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Middle East, archipelago
in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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26 00 N, 50 33 E |
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Map references:
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Middle East |
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Area:
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total: 665 sq km
land: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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3.5 times the size of
Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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161 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined |
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Climate:
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arid; mild, pleasant
winters; very hot, humid summers |
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Terrain:
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mostly low desert plain
rising gently to low central escarpment |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m |
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Natural resources:
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oil, associated and
nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls |
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63%
other: 91.55% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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50 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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periodic droughts; dust
storms
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
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Population:
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698,585
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2006 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 27.4%
(male 96,567/female 94,650)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 280,272/female 202,451)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 12,753/female 11,892) (2006 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 29.4 years
male: 32.4 years
female: 25.8 years (2006 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.45% (2006 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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17.8 births/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.14 deaths/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.82 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 16.8
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
74.45 years
male: 71.97 years
female: 77 years (2006 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.6 children born/woman
(2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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less than 600 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 200 (2003 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini |
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Ethnic groups:
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Bahraini 62.4%,
non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census) |
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Religions:
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Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni)
81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census) |
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Languages:
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Arabic, English, Farsi,
Urdu
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15
and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 91.9%
female: 85% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long
form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun |
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Government type:
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constitutional hereditary
monarchy
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Capital:
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Manama |
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Administrative divisions:
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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, Juzur Hawar,
Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Sitrah
note: all municipalities administered from Manama |
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Independence:
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15 August 1971 (from UK)
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National holiday:
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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
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Constitution:
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new constitution 14
February 2002
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Legal system:
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based on Islamic law and
English common law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age;
universal |
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Executive branch:
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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)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister
appointed by the monarch |
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Legislative branch:
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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
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Judicial branch:
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High Civil Appeals Court
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Political parties and leaders:
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political parties
prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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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 |
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International organization participation:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 (consular) |
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$14.11 billion (2005
est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$11.3 billion (2005 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.9% (2005 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$20,500 (2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 0.6%
industry: 42.5%
services: 56.9% (2005 est.) |
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Labor force:
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380,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is
non-national (2005 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 1%, industry,
commerce, and services 79%, government 20% (1997 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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15% (2005 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.7% (2005 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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14.7% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $4.662
billion
expenditures: $3.447 billion; including capital expenditures of
$700 million (2005 est.) |
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Public debt:
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51.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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fruit, vegetables;
poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish |
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Industries:
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petroleum processing and
refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore
banking, ship repairing, tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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2% (2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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7.345 billion kWh (2003)
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption:
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6.83 billion kWh (2003)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2003) |
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Oil - production:
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188,300 bbl/day (2005
est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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26,000 bbl/day (2003
est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA bbl/day |
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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124 million bbl (2005
est.)
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Natural gas - production:
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9.65 billion cu m (2003
est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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9.65 billion cu m (2003
est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2002 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2002 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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92.03 billion cu m (2005)
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Current account balance:
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$1.569 billion (2005
est.) |
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Exports:
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$11.17 billion (2005
est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum and petroleum
products, aluminum, textiles |
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Exports - partners:
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Saudi Arabia 3%, US 2.9%,
UAE 2.2%, note - data are for non-oil exports only (2004) |
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Imports:
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$7.83 billion (2005 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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crude oil, machinery,
chemicals
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Imports - partners:
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Saudi Arabia 32.4%, Japan
7.3%, Germany 6.1%, US 5.6%, UK 5.4%, France 4.8% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$2.433 billion (2005
est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$6.831 billion (2005
est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$150 million; note - $50
million annually since 1992 from the UAE and Kuwait (2002) |
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Currency (code):
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Bahraini dinar (BHD)
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Currency code:
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BHD |
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Exchange rates:
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Bahraini dinars per US
dollar - 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002), 0.376
(2001) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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191,600 (2004) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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649,800 (2004) |
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Telephone system:
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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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
(1998)
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Radios:
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338,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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4 (1997) |
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Televisions:
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275,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.bh |
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Internet hosts:
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1,952 (2005) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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152,700 (2005) |
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Airports:
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3 (2005) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005) |
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Heliports:
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1 (2005) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 20 km; oil 53 km
(2004)
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Roadways:
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total: 3,498 km
paved: 2,768 km
unpaved: 730 km (2003) |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 8 ships
(1000 GRT or over) 235,449 GRT/339,728 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 4 (India 1, Kuwait 3) (2005) |
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Ports and terminals:
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Mina' Salman, Sitrah
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Military branches:
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Bahrain Defense Forces
(BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, National
Guard |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years of age for
voluntary military service (2001) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 18-49:
202,126
females age 18-49: 151,734 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 18-49:
161,372
females age 18-49: 125,488 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males: 6,013
females age 18-49: 5,852 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$627.7 million (2005
est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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4.9% (2005 est.)
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Transnational Issues |
Bahrain |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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Information |
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Här hittar du information om alla världens länder. Listan fylls på efter hand
som jag har tid. Tyvärr så är informationen på engelska. |
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-SM3VVZ |
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