World Facts Index
 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 Shi'a community. 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 of Bahrain
|
Location:
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Middle East, archipelago in
the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
|
Coordinates:
|
26 00 N, 50 33 E |
|
Area:
|
total: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 665 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
3.5 times the size of
Washington, DC |
|
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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contiguous zone: 24
NM
territorial sea: 12 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 |
|
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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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 |
|
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
|
More Geography
Population of Bahrain
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Population:
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718,306
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 95,709/female 93,747)
15-64 years: 69.8% (male 288,957/female 212,706)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 14,224/female 12,963) |
|
Median age:
|
29.9 years |
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Infant mortality:
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15.64 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 74.92 years
male: 72.41 years
female: 77.5 years |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
2.53 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
|
noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini |
|
Ethnic groups:
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Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8% |
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Religions:
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Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% |
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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%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Kingdom of
Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn |
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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,
Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar, 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 |
|
Constitution:
|
adopted late December 2000; Bahrani voters
approved on 13-14 February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised constitution
calls for a partially elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent
judiciary) |
|
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:
|
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:
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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) |
|
Judicial branch:
|
High Civil Appeals Court |
Economy
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.
|
GDP:
|
$24.01 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
6.7% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$33,900 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 0.5%
industry: 38.7%
services: 60.8% |
|
Inflation rate:
|
3.3% |
|
Labor force:
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380,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 1%
industry: 79%
services: 20% |
|
Unemployment:
|
15% |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% |
|
Industries:
|
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum
smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism |
|
Agriculture:
|
fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products;
shrimp, fish |
|
Exports:
|
petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum,
textiles |
|
Export partners:
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Saudi Arabia 3%, US 2.5%, UAE 2.2% |
|
Imports:
|
crude oil, machinery, chemicals |
|
Import partners:
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Saudi Arabia 37.9%, Japan 7.2%, US 6.3%, Germany
4.7%, UK 4.5%, UAE 4.3%, China 4.1% |
|
Currency:
|
Bahraini dinar (BHD) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |