Bahrain (2002) | Bouvet Island (2008) | |
Administrative divisions | 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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Age structure | 0-14 years: 29.2% (male 97,022; female 94,605)
15-64 years: 67.7% (male 261,919; female 182,727) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 10,230; female 9,894) (2002 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish | - |
Airports | 4 (2001) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2 (2002) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
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Area | total: 665 sq km
land: 665 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 49 sq km
land: 49 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. Possessing minimal oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining, and has transformed itself into an international banking center. The new amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms, and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In local elections held in May 2002, Bahraini women were allowed to vote and run for office for the first time. | This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Norway designated Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters a nature reserve. Since 1977, it has run an automated meteorological station on the island. |
Birth rate | 19.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $1.8 billion
expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (2002 est.) |
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Capital | Manama | - |
Climate | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers | antarctic |
Coastline | 161 km | 29.6 km |
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) | - |
Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn former: Dilmun |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bouvet Island |
Currency | Bahraini dinar (BHD) | - |
Death rate | 3.95 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $2.8 billion (2000) | - |
Dependency status | - | territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN
embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 321, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 273-300 FAX: [973] 272-594 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Khalifa bin Ali bin Rashid AL KHALIFA
chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York |
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Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $48.4 million (1995) (1995) | - |
Economy - overview | In Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil revenue granted as aid. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from refining imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. | no economic activity; declared a nature reserve |
Electricity - consumption | 5,361.45 million kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production | 5.765 billion kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m |
lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Olav Peak 935 m |
Environment - 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; lack of freshwater resources, groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Ethnic groups | Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8% | - |
Exchange rates | Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.3760 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) | - |
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 NA 1971) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch |
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Exports | $5.5 billion (2001) | - |
Exports - commodities | petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles | - |
Exports - partners | India 8.4%, US 3.9%, Saudi Arabia 3.4%, Japan 2.8%, South Korea 2.1% (2000) | - |
Fiscal year | calendar year | - |
Flag description | red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side | the flag of Norway is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $8.4 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 35% services: 64% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $13,000 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2001 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 26 00 N, 50 33 E | 54 26 S, 3 24 E |
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 | covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve |
Heliports | 1 (2002) | - |
Highways | total: 3,164 km
paved: 2,433 km unpaved: 731 km note: a paved causeway links Bahrain and Saudi Arabia |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Imports | $4.5 billion (2001) | - |
Imports - commodities | crude oil, machinery, chemicals | - |
Imports - partners | Saudi Arabia 28.7%, US 12.5%, UK 6.6%, France 6%, Japan 4% (2000) | - |
Independence | 15 August 1971 (from UK) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | 2% (2000 est.) | - |
Industries | petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism | - |
Infant mortality rate | 19.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (2001 est.) | - |
International organization participation | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 50 sq km (1998 est.) | 0 sq km |
Judicial branch | High Civil Appeals Court | - |
Labor force | 295,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.) (1998 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation | industry, commerce, and service 79%, government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 4.35%
permanent crops: 4.35% other: 91.3% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (2005) |
Languages | Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu | - |
Legal system | based on Islamic law and English common law | the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members elected by restricted vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next election to be held NA 2006) election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10 note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14 February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on 25 December 2002 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 73.47 years
male: 71.05 years female: 75.96 years (2002 est.) |
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Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.5% male: 91.6% female: 84.2% (2002 est.) |
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Location | Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia | island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) |
Map references | Middle East | Antarctic Region |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 4 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 270,784 GRT/384,561 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 4, container 2, includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1 (2002 est.) |
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Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Norway |
Military branches | Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF) comprising Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police Force, Amiri Guards, National Guard | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $526.2 million (FY01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 6.7% (FY01) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 222,572 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 121,955 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 15 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 5,926 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | 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 | - |
Nationality | noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini |
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Natural hazards | periodic droughts; dust storms | NA |
Natural resources | oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls | none |
Net migration rate | 1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
Pipelines | crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | political parties prohibited but politically oriented nongovernment organizations are allowed | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active | - |
Population | 656,397
note: includes 228,424 non-nationals (July 2002 est.) |
uninhabited |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 1.67% (2002 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | - |
Radios | 338,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30% | - |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.43 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.29 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones 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 (1997) |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 152,000 (1997) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 58,543 (1997) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (1997) | - |
Terrain | mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment | volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible |
Total fertility rate | 2.75 children born/woman (2002 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 15% (1998 est.) | - |
Waterways | none | - |