ARCHIVE // BH // 1994
Bahrain
1994 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Airports
[time series]
total: 3 usable: 3 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1
Roadways
(Highways)
[time series]
total: NA paved: bituminous 200 km unpaved: NA
Merchant marine
[time series]
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 101,844 GRT/143,997 DWT, bulk 1, cargo 4, container 1
Pipelines
[time series]
crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km
Ports
[time series]
Mina' Salman, Manama, Sitrah
Telecommunication systems
(Telecommunications)
[time series]
modern system; good domestic services; 98,000 telephones (1 for every 6 persons); excellent international connections; tropospheric scatter to Qatar, UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 2 TV
Defense Forces
Affiliation
[time series]
(territory of the US)
Military and security forces
(Branches)
[time series]
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, Police Force
Military expenditures
(Defense expenditures)
[time series]
exchange rate conversion - $245 million, 6% of GDP (1993)
Manpower availability
[time series]
males age 15-49 198,414; fit for military service 109,431; reach military age (15) annually 5,093 (1994 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture)
[time series]
including fishing, accounts for less than 2% of GDP; not self-sufficient in food production; heavily subsidized sector produces fruit, vegetables, poultry, dairy products, shrimp, fish
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $1.2 billion expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992)
Exchange rates
(Currency)
[time series]
1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils
Economic aid
[time series]
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-79), $24 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $45 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $9.8 billion
Electricity
[time series]
capacity: 1,600,000 kW production: 4.7 billion kWh consumption per capita: 8,500 kWh (1992)
Exchange rates
[time series]
Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1 - 0.3760 (fixed rate)
Exports
[time series]
$3.5 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 80%, aluminum 7% partners: Japan 13%, UAE 12%, India 10%, Pakistan 8%, Singapore 6% (1991)
Debt - external
(External debt)
[time series]
$2.6 billion (1993)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
Imports
[time series]
$3.7 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% partners: Saudi Arabia 42%, US 14%, UK 7%, Japan 5%, Germany 4% (1991)
Industrial production growth rate
(Industrial production)
[time series]
growth rate 3.8% (1988); accounts for 44% of GDP
Industries
[time series]
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
2% (1993 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(National product)
[time series]
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6.8 billion (1993 est.)
Real GDP per capita
(National product per capita)
[time series]
$12,000 (1993 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
(National product real growth rate)
[time series]
4% (1993 est.)
Economic overview
(Overview)
[time series]
Petroleum production and processing account for about 80% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. Economic conditions have fluctuated with the changing fortunes of oil since 1985, for example, during and following the Gulf crisis of 1990-91. Bahrain with its highly developed communication and transport facilities is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude. Prospects for 1994 are good, with private enterprise the main driving force, e.g., in banking and construction.
Unemployment rate
[time series]
8%-10% (1989)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total area: 620 sq km land area: 620 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
[time series]
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Coastline
[time series]
161 km
Environment - current issues
(Environment)
[time series]
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 surface water resources; groundwater and sea water are the only sources for all water needs natural hazards: periods of drought, dust storms international agreements: party to - Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change
Disputes - international
(International disputes)
[time series]
territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Qatar
Irrigated land
[time series]
10 sq km (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
[time series]
0 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 2% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 6% forest and woodland: 0% other: 90%
Location
[time series]
Middle East, in the central Persian Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and Qatar
Map references
[time series]
Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
[time series]
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
[time series]
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish
Note
[time series]
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf through which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean
Terrain
[time series]
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
12 districts (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, Mintaqat Juzur Hawar, Sitrah
Capital
[time series]
Manama
Constitution
[time series]
26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973
Digraph
[time series]
BA
Diplomatic representation in the US
(Diplomatic representation in US)
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohammad ABD al-GHAFFAR chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 342-0741 or 342-0742 consulate(s) general: New York
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: Amir ISA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 2 November 1961); Heir Apparent HAMAD bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (son of the Amir, born 28 January 1950) head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 19 January 1970) cabinet: Cabinet
Diplomatic representation in the US
(FAX)
[time series]
(973) 272-594
Flag
[time series]
red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side
Independence
[time series]
15 August 1971 (from UK)
Judicial branch
[time series]
High Civil Appeals Court
Legal system
[time series]
based on Islamic law and English common law
Legislative branch
[time series]
unicameral National Assembly was dissolved 26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet; appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992
International organization participation
(Member of)
[time series]
ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GATT, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Country name
(Names)
[time series]
conventional long form: State of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Dawlat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn
National holiday
[time series]
Independence Day, 16 December (1961)
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
political parties prohibited; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
Suffrage
[time series]
none
Government type
(Type)
[time series]
traditional monarchy
Diplomatic representation from the US
(US diplomatic representation)
[time series]
chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David S. ROBINS embassy: Road No. 3119 (next to Alahli Sports Club), Zinj District, Manama mailing address: FPO AE 09834-5100; P.O. Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 273-300
People
Birth rate
[time series]
26.59 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
3.83 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Ethnic groups
(Ethnic divisions)
[time series]
Bahraini 63%, Asian 13%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%, other 6%
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
19 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Labor force
[time series]
140,000 by occupation: industry and commerce 85%, agriculture 5%, services 5%, government 3% (1982) note: 42% of labor force is Bahraini
Languages
[time series]
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 73.51 years male: 71.1 years female: 76.05 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 77% male: 82% female: 69%
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini
Net migration rate
[time series]
6.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Population
[time series]
585,683 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
2.96% (1994 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%
Total fertility rate
[time series]
3.96 children born/woman (1994 est.)