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Compare Bahrain (2006) - Syria (2001)

Compare Bahrain (2006) z Syria (2001)

 Bahrain (2006)Syria (2001)
 BahrainSyria
Administrative divisions 5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat


note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.4% (male 96,567/female 94,650)


15-64 years: 69.1% (male 280,272/female 202,451)


65 years and over: 3.5% (male 12,753/female 11,892) (2006 est.)
0-14 years:
39.92% (male 3,440,060; female 3,238,576)

15-64 years:
56.87% (male 4,868,816; female 4,644,870)

65 years and over:
3.21% (male 261,036; female 275,450) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Airports 3 (2006) 100 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
total:
24

over 3,047 m:
5

2,438 to 3,047 m:
16

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total:
76

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
11

under 914 m:
63 (2000 est.)
Area total: 665 sq km


land: 665 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
185,180 sq km

land:
184,050 sq km

water:
1,130 sq km

note:
includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
Area - comparative 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC slightly larger than North Dakota
Background In 1782, the Al Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. 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. 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. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. Sheikh HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa, who came to power in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms and has worked to improve relations with the Shia community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National Action Charter - the centerpiece of Sheikh HAMAD's political liberalization program. In February 2002, Sheikh HAMAD pronounced Bahrain a constitutional monarchy and changed his status from amir to king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights.
Birth rate 17.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 30.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $4.662 billion


expenditures: $3.447 billion; including capital expenditures of $700 million (2005 est.)
revenues:
$2.25 billion

expenditures:
$5.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital name: Manama


geographic coordinates: 26 13 N, 50 35 E


time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Damascus
Climate arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically hitting Damascus
Coastline 161 km 193 km
Constitution new constitution 14 February 2002 13 March 1973
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:
Syrian Arab Republic

conventional short form:
Syria

local long form:
Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

local short form:
Suriyah

former:
United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Currency - Syrian pound (SYP)
Death rate 4.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 5.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $6.814 billion (2005 est.) $22 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE


embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama


mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama


telephone: [973] 1724-2700


FAX: [973] 1727-0547
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER

embassy:
Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus

mailing address:
P. O. Box 29, Damascus

telephone:
[963] (11) 333-2814

FAX:
[963] (11) 224-7938
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Muhammad al-BALUSHI


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 mission:
Ambassador Rustum al-ZU'BI

chancery:
2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 232-6313

FAX:
[1] (202) 234-9548
Disputes - international none Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976
Economic aid - recipient $150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and Kuwait (2002) $199 million (1997 est.)
Economy - overview Petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of Bahrain's 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. 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. In 2005 Bahrain and the US ratified a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a shaky footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive economic reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the great distance between major water supplies and population centers poses serious distribution problems. The water problem is exacerbated by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the agricultural, energy, and export sectors. Oil production is leveling off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded technological base, and weak educational system make it vulnerable to future shocks and hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and Israel. The government recognizes the need to open the economy to additional domestic and foreign investment.
Electricity - consumption 6.83 billion kWh (2003) 16.684 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 7.345 billion kWh (2003) 17.94 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
57.64%

hydro:
42.36%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
lowest point:
unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m

highest point:
Mount Hermon 2,814 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 deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water
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
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census) Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Exchange rates Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002), 0.376 (2001) Syrian pounds per US dollar - 46 (2000), 46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997)
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 1971); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
chief of state:
President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)

head of government:
Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa MIRU (since 13 March 2000), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Khalid RA'D (since 13 March 2000), Muhammad NAJI 'UTRI (since 13 March 2000)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held NA 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

election results:
Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%

note:
Hafiz al-ASAD died 10 June 2000; 20 June 2000 the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council 25 June 2000
Exports NA bbl/day $4.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles petroleum 65%, textiles 10%, manufactured goods 10%, fruits and vegetables 7%, raw cotton 5%, live sheep 2%, phosphates 1% (1998 est.)
Exports - partners Saudi Arabia 3.3%, US 2.6%, UAE 2.3% (2005) Germany 21%, Italy 12%, France 10%, Saudi Arabia 9%, Turkey 8% (1999 est.)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description 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 three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band
GDP - purchasing power parity - $50.9 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 0.5%


industry: 38.7%


services: 60.8% (2005 est.)
agriculture:
29%

industry:
22%

services:
49% (1997)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.9% (2005 est.) 3.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 26 00 N, 50 33 E 35 00 N, 38 00 E
Geography - note 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 there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1999 est.)
Heliports 1 (2006) 2 (2000 est.)
Highways - total:
41,451 km

paved:
9,575 km (including 877 km of expressways)

unpaved:
31,876 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs - a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets
Imports NA bbl/day $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities crude oil, machinery, chemicals machinery and equipment 23%, foodstuffs/animals 20%, metal and metal products 15%, textiles 10%, chemicals 10% (1998 est.)
Imports - partners Saudi Arabia 36.4%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 6.4%, US 5.4%, UK 5%, UAE 4.1% (2005) France 11%, Italy 8%, Germany 7%, Turkey 5%, China 4% (1999 est.)
Independence 15 August 1971 (from UK) 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Industrial production growth rate 2% (2000 est.) NA%
Industries petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing, tourism petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining
Infant mortality rate total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
33.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.7% (2005 est.) 1.5% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 40 sq km (2003) 9,060 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch High Civil Appeals Court Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts
Labor force 380,000


note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2005 est.)
4.7 million (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 1%


industry: 79%


services: 20% (1997 est.)
agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1996 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total:
2,253 km

border countries:
Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Land use arable land: 2.82%


permanent crops: 5.63%


other: 91.55% (2005)
arable land:
28%

permanent crops:
4%

permanent pastures:
43%

forests and woodland:
3%

other:
22% (1993 est.)
Languages Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Legal system based on Islamic law and English common law based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly elected to serve four-year terms)


elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next election to be held in September 2006)


election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Sunni Islamists 12, Shia grouping 7, other groupings and independents 21


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
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, non-NPF 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receive one-half of the seats
Life expectancy at birth total population: 74.45 years


male: 71.97 years


female: 77 years (2006 est.)
total population:
68.77 years

male:
67.63 years

female:
69.98 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 89.1%


male: 91.9%


female: 85% (2003 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
70.8%

male:
85.7%

female:
55.8% (1997 est.)
Location Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Map references Middle East Middle East
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
contiguous zone:
41 NM

territorial sea:
35 NM
Merchant marine total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 235,449 GRT/339,728 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1


foreign-owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2006)
total:
133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 425,392 GRT/612,097 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 11, cargo 117, livestock carrier 4, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, National Guard Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $627.7 million (2005 est.) $921 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.9% (2005 est.) 5.9% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
4,384,528 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
2,448,630 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 19 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
200,859 (2001 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 Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
Nationality noun: Bahraini(s)


adjective: Bahraini
noun:
Syrian(s)

adjective:
Syrian
Natural hazards periodic droughts; dust storms dust storms, sandstorms
Natural resources oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower
Net migration rate 0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2006) crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km
Political parties and leaders political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law National Progressive Front or NPF (includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National Progressive Front after the death of Hafiz al-ASAD on 10 June 2000]; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement or ASU [Sami SOUFAN]; Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani KANNUT]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Ahmad al-ASAD]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan KOUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests and marches, demanding that more power be vested in the elected Council of Representatives and that the government do more to decrease unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence
Population 698,585


note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)
16,728,808

note:
in addition, there are about 38,200 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 18,200 Arabs (16,500 Druze and 1,700 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 15%-25%
Population growth rate 1.45% (2006 est.) 2.54% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios - 4.15 million (1997)
Railways - total:
2,750 km

standard gauge:
2,423 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge:
327 km 1.050-m gauge

note:
rail link between Syria and Iraq replaced in 2000 (2000)
Religions Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census) Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.38 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female


total population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.95 male(s)/female

total population:
1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 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: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 (1997)
general assessment:
fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology

domestic:
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network

international:
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
Telephones - main lines in use 196,500 (2005) 1.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 748,700 (2005) NA
Television broadcast stations 4 (1997) 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
Total fertility rate 2.6 children born/woman (2006 est.) 3.95 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 15% (2005 est.) 20% (2000 est.)
Waterways - 870 km (minimal economic importance)
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