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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Ground Force, 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)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 213,792 males fit for military service: 118,702 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

320,000 (1993 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

modern system; good domestic services and excellent international connections domestic: NA 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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

73,552 (1987 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (1988 est.)

Televisions [time series]

270,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.38 billion expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils

Economic aid [time series]

$NA

Economic overview [time series]

In Bahrain, 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. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.

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]

$3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 80%, aluminum 7% partners: India 20%, Japan 14%, Saudi Arabia 7%, US 6%, UAE 5% (1994)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2.6 billion (1993)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $7.3 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

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

$12,000 (1995 est.)

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

-2% (1995 est.)

Imports [time series]

$3.29 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% partners: Saudi Arabia 37%, US 12%, UK 6%, Japan 5%, Germany 4% (1994)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

13% (1992)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3% (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

Unemployment rate [time series]

25% (1994 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 620 sq km land area: 620 sq km comparative area: 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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

26 00 N, 50 33 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

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

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

12 municipalites (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 [time series]

Manama

Constitution [time series]

26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973

Data code [time series]

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

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Amir ISA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 2 November 1961) is a traditional Arab monarch; Heir Apparent HAMAD bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (son of the Amir, born 28 January 1949) head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 19 January 1970) was appointed by the amir cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the amir

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

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

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)

International organization participation [time series]

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, 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, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

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

Country name (Name of country) [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 (1971)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active; following the arrest of a popular Shi'a cleric, Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically from late 1994 to September 1995, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

political parties prohibited

Suffrage [time series]

none

Government type (Type of government) [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 Al-Ahli Sports Club), Zinj District, Manama mailing address: FPO AE 09834-5100; P.O. Box 26431, Manama (International Mail) telephone: [973] 273-300

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 31% (male 92,455; female 89,554) 15-64 years: 67% (male 236,048; female 156,556) 65 years and over: 2% (male 7,956; female 7,473) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

23.58 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

3.29 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

17.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.27 years male: 71.78 years female: 76.83 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini

Net migration rate [time series]

2.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

590,042 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.27% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Shi'a Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim 25%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female all ages: 1.33 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.08 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 3 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Heliports [time series]

1 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 2,671 km paved: 2,011 km unpaved: 660 km (1991 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 117,060 GRT/194,061 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, oil tanker 1 (1995 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Railways [time series]

0 km