Bahrain

state-run Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) operates 5 terrestrial TV networks and several radio stations; satellite TV systems provide access to international broadcasts; 1 private FM station directs broadcasts to Indian listeners; radio and TV broadcasts from countries in the region are available (2009)

.bh

total: 1,351,326 | percent of population: 98.0% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

general assessment: modern system | domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones | international: country code - 973; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth station - 1 (2016)

total subscriptions: 287,203 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 118

total: 2,994,865 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 217 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 148

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

revenues: $5.047 billion | expenditures: $9.394 billion (2016 est.)

-13.6% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 208

5.2% (31 December 2016 est.) | 4.78% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

$-1.493 billion (2016 est.) | $-752.1 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142

$42.55 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $40.07 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 68

Low oil prices have generated a budget deficit of at least a $4 billion deficit in 2016, nearly 14% of GDP. Bahrain has few options for covering this deficit, with meager foreign assets and a constrained borrowing ability. In the last year the three major US credit agencies downgraded Bahrain’s sovereign debt rating to “junk” status, citing persistently low oil prices and the government’s inability to more effectively cut spending. | Oil comprises 86% of Bahraini budget revenues, despite past efforts to diversify its economy and to build communication and transport facilities for multinational firms with business in the Gulf. As part of its diversification plans, Bahrain implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US in August 2006, the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. | Other major economic activities are production of aluminum - Bahrain's second biggest export after oil - finance, and construction. Bahrain continues to seek new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. | In 2011, Bahrain experienced economic setbacks as a result of domestic unrest driven by the majority Shia population; however, the economy recovered in 2012-15, partly as a result of improved tourism. In addition to addressing its current fiscal woes, Bahraini authorities face the long-term challenge of boosting Bahrain’s regional competitiveness — especially regarding industry, finance, and tourism — and reconciling revenue constraints with popular pressure to maintain generous state subsidies and a large public sector. Over the past year, the government lifted subsidies on meat, diesel, kerosene, and gasoline and announced new higher prices for electricity and water, although it plans to roll these increases out more gradually than previous subsidy cuts.

Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - | 0.376 (2016 est.) | 0.376 (2015 est.) | 0.376 (2014 est.) | 0.376 (2013 est.) | 0.376 (2012 est.)

$12.78 billion (2016 est.) | $16.54 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77

petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Saudi Arabia 18.3%, UAE 17.5%, US 11.1%, Japan 8.7%, Qatar 4.8%, China 4.2% (2016)

calendar year

$31.86 billion (2016 est.)

$66.92 billion (2016 est.) | $64.17 billion (2015 est.) | $61.71 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 98

household consumption: 45.6% | government consumption: 16% | investment in fixed capital: 25.2% | investment in inventories: 2.9% | exports of goods and services: 75.9% | imports of goods and services: -65.6% (2016 est.)

agriculture: 0.3% | industry: 37.3% | services: 62.3% (2016 est.)

$50,700 (2016 est.) | $50,200 (2015 est.) | $49,800 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 24

3% (2016 est.) | 2.9% (2015 est.) | 4.4% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97

21% of GDP (2016 est.) | 22% of GDP (2015 est.) | 31.4% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

lowest 10%: NA% | highest 10%: NA%

$13.59 billion (2016 est.) | $15.71 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

crude oil, machinery, chemicals

China 9.7%, US 8.6%, UAE 7.4%, Japan 6.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.5% (2016)

2.8% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89

petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism

2.8% (2016 est.) | 1.8% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

808,900 | note: excludes unemployed; 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 150

agriculture: 1% | industry: 32% | services: 67% (2004 est.)

$19.25 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $22.07 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $18.57 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 67

NA%

72% of GDP (2016 est.) | 60.3% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 48

$3.094 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.387 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 105

$27.36 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $27.02 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79

$10.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $10.33 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61

$21.56 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $21.28 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

$29.08 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $28.29 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79

$9.157 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $9.105 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 85

15.8% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

3.7% (2016 est.) | 4.3% (2013 est.) | note: official estimate; actual rate is higher | country comparison to the world: 50

37 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91

223,900 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

50,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 53

124.6 million bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 70

26.09 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 66

213 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75

99.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 160

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

0.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 158

205 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 93

3.928 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90

26.78 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69

population without electricity: 41,317 | electrification - total population: 98% | electrification - urban areas: 98% | electrification - rural areas: 93% (2012)

21.92 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

15.5 billion cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36

92.03 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 55

58,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

244,500 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 30

13,320 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

270,100 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

total: 760 sq km | land: 760 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 188

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

161 km

mean elevation: NA | elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m | highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 135 m

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)

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

26 00 N, 50 33 E

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

40 sq km (2012)

0 km

agricultural land: 11.3% | arable land 2.1%; permanent crops 3.9%; permanent pasture 5.3% | forest: 0.7% | other: 88% (2011 est.)

Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia

Middle East

territorial sea: 12 nm | contiguous zone: 24 nm | continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

periodic droughts; dust storms

oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq

mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

4 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Asimah (Capital), Janubiyah (Southern), Muharraq, Shamaliyah (Northern) | note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor

name: Manama | geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E | time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Bahrain | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years; 15 years for Arab nationals

history: adopted 14 February 2002 | amendments: proposed by the king or by at least 15 members of either chamber of the National Assembly followed by submission to an Assembly committee for review and, if approved, submitted to the government for restatement as drafts; passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both chambers and validation by the king; constitutional articles on the state religion (Islam), state language (Arabic), and the monarchy and “inherited rule” cannot be amended; amended 2012, 2017 (2017)

conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain | conventional short form: Bahrain | local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn | local short form: Al Bahrayn | former: Dilmun, State of Bahrain | etymology: the name means "the two seas" in Arabic and refers to the water bodies surrounding the archipelago

chief of mission: Ambassador William V. ROEBUCK (since 14 January 2015) | embassy: Building | mailing address: PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama | telephone: [973] 1724-2700 | FAX: [973] 1727-2594

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulla bin Rashid AL KHALIFA (since 21 July 2017) | chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111 | FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 | consulate(s) general: New York

chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969) | head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al-Khalifa (since 1971); First Deputy Prime Minister SALMAN bin Hamad Al Khalifa (since 11 March 2013); Deputy Prime Ministers MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa (since September 2005), Jawad bin Salim al-ARAIDH, ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa (since 11 December 2006), KHALID bin Abdallah Al Khalifa (since November 2010) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch | elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

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 | note: until 2002 the flag had eight white points, but this was reduced to five to avoid confusion with the Qatari flag

constitutional monarchy

15 August 1971 (from the UK)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Supreme Court of Appeal (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the president and 6 members); High Sharia Court of Appeal (court sittings include the president and at least one judge); appeals beyond the High Sharia Court of Appeal are heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal | note: the judiciary of Bahrain is divided into civil law courts and sharia law courts; sharia courts(involving personal status and family law) are further divided into Sunni Muslim and Shia Muslim | judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by royal decree and serve for a specified tenure; Constitutional Court president and members appointed by the Higher Judicial Council, a body chaired by the monarch and includes judges from the Court of Cassation, sharia law courts, and Civil High Courts of Appeal; members serve 9-year terms; High Sharia Court of Appeal member appointment and tenure NA | subordinate courts: Civil High Courts of Appeal; middle and lower civil courts; High Sharia Court of Appeal; Senior Sharia Court; military courts

mixed legal system of Islamic law, English common law, Egyptian civil, criminal, and commercial codes; customary law

description: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Consultative Council or Majlis al Shura (40 seats; members appointed by the king) and the Council of Representatives or Majlis al Nuwab (40 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year renewable terms) | elections: Council of Representatives - last held in two rounds on 23 and 29 November 2014 (next to be held in November 2018) | election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - Al-Asalah (Sunni Salafi) 2, Islamic Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 1, independent 37; note - Bahrain has societies rather than parties

name: "Bahrainona" (Our Bahrain) | lyrics/music: unknown | note: adopted 1971; although Mohamed Sudqi AYYASH wrote the original lyrics, they were changed in 2002 following the transformation of Bahrain from an emirate to a kingdom

National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection

a red field surmounted by a white serrated band with five white points; national colors: red, white

note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law | Arab Islamic Center Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER] | Constitutional Gathering Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER] | Islamic Asalah [Abd al-Halim MURAD] | Islamic Saff Society [Abdullah Khalil BU GHAMAR] | Islamic Shura Society | Movement of National Justice Society [Muhi al-Din KHAN] | National Action Charter Society [Muhammad AL-BUAYNAYN] | National Democratic Action Society or Wa'ad [Fouad SEYADI] | National Democratic Assembly [Hasan AL-ALI] | National Dialogue Society | National Fraternity Society [Musa AL-ANSARI] | National Islamic Minbar [Ali AHMAD] | National Progressive Tribune [Abd al-Nabi SALMAN] | National Unity Gathering [Abdullatif AL-MAHMOOD] | Unitary National Democratic Assemblage [Fadhil ABBAS]

none

20 years of age; universal; note - Bahraini Cabinet in May 2011 endorsed a draft law lowering eligibility to 18 years

In 1783, the Sunni Al-Khalifa family took power in Bahrain. 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. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing successful petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors, and also to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, and proximity to Iran require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. | The Sunni-led government has long struggled to manage relations with its large Shia-majority population. In early 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government confronted similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces to Bahrain. Political talks throughout 2014 between the government and opposition and loyalist political groups failed to reach an agreement, prompting opposition political societies to boycott parliamentary and municipal council elections in late 2014. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

Bahrain Defense Force (BDF): Royal Bahraini Army (RBA), Royal Bahraini Navy (RBN), Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF), Royal Bahraini Air Defense Force (RBADF) (2013)

4.59% of GDP (2015) | 4.42% of GDP (2014) | 4.14% of GDP (2013) | 3.84% of GDP (2012) | 3.59% of GDP (2011) | country comparison to the world: 19

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2012)

0-14 years: 19.08% (male 136,669/female 132,493) | 15-24 years: 15.65% (male 124,906/female 95,881) | 25-54 years: 56.04% (male 516,064/female 274,604) | 55-64 years: 6.28% (male 56,671/female 31,983) | 65 years and over: 2.95% (male 20,656/female 21,015) (2017 est.)

13.3 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 145

2.8 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 223

total dependency ratio: 30.2 | youth dependency ratio: 27.1 | elderly dependency ratio: 3 | potential support ratio: 33.1 (2015 est.)

urban: 100% of population | rural: 100% of population | total: 100% of population | urban: 0% of population | rural: 0% of population | total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

2.6% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 153

Bahraini 46%, Asian 45.5%, other Arab 4.7%, African 1.6%, European 1%, other 1.2% (includes Gulf Co-operative country nationals, North and South Americans, and Oceanians) (2010 est.)

<.01% (2016 est.)

<100 (2016 est.)

<500 (2016 est.)

5% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 142

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2012)

total: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu

total population: 79 years | male: 76.8 years | female: 81.3 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 95.7% | male: 96.9% | female: 93.5% (2015 est.)

MANAMA (capital) 411,000 (2015)

15 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 135

total: 32.3 years | male: 33.8 years | female: 29.5 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99

noun: Bahraini(s) | adjective: Bahraini

12.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 7

29.8% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 25

0.94 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

1,410,942 (July 2017 est.) | note: immigrants make up approximately 50% of the total population, according to UN data (2015) | country comparison to the world: 155

smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq

2.26% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 34

Muslim 70.3%, Christian 14.5%, Hindu 9.8%, Buddhist 2.5%, Jewish 0.6%, folk religion <.1, unaffiliated 1.9%, other 0.2% (2010 est.)

urban: 99.2% of population | rural: 99.2% of population | total: 99.2% of population | urban: 0.8% of population | rural: 0.8% of population | total: 0.8% of population (2015 est.)

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.3 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.88 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 1.81 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female | total population: 1.54 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

1.75 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

total: 5.3% | male: 2.6% | female: 12.2% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

urban population: 88.9% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 1.77% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

none

4 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 184

total: 4 | over 3,047 m: 3 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017)

A9C (2016)

1 (2013)

total: 8 | by type: bulk carrier 2, container 4, petroleum tanker 2 | foreign-owned: 5 (Kuwait 5) | registered in other countries: 5 (Honduras 5) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 120

number of registered air carriers: 6 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 42 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 5,313,756 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 240,107,004 mt-km (2015)

gas 20 km; oil 54 km (2013)

major seaport(s): Mina' Salman, Sitrah

total: 4,122 km | paved: 3,392 km | unpaved: 730 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 156