Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: 60 million

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

98,000 telephones; 170 telephones/1,000 persons; modern system; good domestic services; excellent international connections local: NA intercity: NA international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station; tropospheric scatter to Qatar, UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 2 televisions: 21 million

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, Coast Guard, Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $247 million, 5.5% of GDP (1994) BAKER ISLAND (territory of the US)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 210,725; males fit for military service 117,414; males reach military age (15) annually 4,346 (1995 est.)

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 (1989) 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: 1,050,000 kW production: 3.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,453 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1 - 0.3760 (fixed rate)

Exports [time series]

$3.69 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 80%, aluminum 7% partners: Japan 11%, UAE 5%, South Korea 4%, India 4%, Saudi Arabia 3% (1992)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2.6 billion (1993)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$3.83 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% partners: Saudi Arabia 47%, UK 7%, Japan 7%, US 6%, Germany 5% (1992)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 13% (1992); accounts for 38% of GDP, including petroleum

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2% (1994 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power parity - $7.1 billion (1994 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$12,100 (1994 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

2.2% (1994 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Tiny in area, Bahrain is well-to-do in economic resources and per capita income. 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. 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 imported crude. Prospects for 1995 are good, with private enterprise the main driving force, e.g., in banking and construction. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% (1991 est.)

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 natural fresh water resources so that groundwater and sea water are the only sources for all water needs natural hazards: periodic droughts; dust storms international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

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, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia

Map references [time series]

Middle East

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined 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

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 Muhammad ABD AL-GHAFFAR al-Abdallah chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741, 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] 272594

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, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, 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: Ambassador David M. RANSOM embassy: Building No. 979, Road 3119 (next to Ahli Sports Club), Zinj District, Manama mailing address: FPO AE 09834-5100; P.O. Box 26431, Manama (International Mail) telephone: [973] 273300; afterhours [973] 275-126

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 31% (female 87,398; male 89,976) 15-64 years: 67% (female 152,363; male 231,586) 65 years and over: 2% (female 7,051; male 7,551) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

24.12 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

3.31 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Bahraini 63%, Asian 13%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%, other 6%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

18 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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: 73.94 years male: 71.46 years female: 76.49 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1991) total population: 84% male: 89% female: 77%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini

Net migration rate [time series]

4.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

575,925 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.58% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.12 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Airports [time series]

total: 4 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 2,670 km paved: 2,010 km unpaved: 660 km (1991 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 79,949 GRT/120,900 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

0 km