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Compare Bahrain (2007) - British Virgin Islands (2005)

Compare Bahrain (2007) z British Virgin Islands (2005)

 Bahrain (2007)British Virgin Islands (2005)
 BahrainBritish Virgin Islands
Administrative divisions 5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat


note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Age structure 0-14 years: 26.9% (male 96,217/female 94,275)


15-64 years: 69.5% (male 284,662/female 207,555)


65 years and over: 3.7% (male 13,451/female 12,413) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 21% (male 2,400/female 2,358)


15-64 years: 73.9% (male 8,607/female 8,115)


65 years and over: 5.1% (male 614/female 549) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Airports 3 (2007) 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area total: 665 sq km


land: 665 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 153 sq km


land: 153 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada
Area - comparative 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
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. King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shi'a community and Shi'a political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shi'a political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shi'a discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence. First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.
Birth rate 17.53 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 14.96 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $4.894 billion


expenditures: $4.516 billion (2006 est.)
revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997)
Capital name: Manama


geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E


time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Road Town
Climate arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Coastline 161 km 80 km
Constitution adopted 14 February 2002 1 June 1977
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: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
Death rate 4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $7.159 billion (2006 est.) $36.1 million (1997)
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador J. Adam ERELI


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


mailing address: PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama


telephone: [973] 1724-2700


FAX: [973] 1727-0547
none (overseas territory of the UK)
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
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $103.9 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and Kuwait (2004) NA
Economy - overview With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for over 60% of Bahrain's export receipts, over 70% of government revenues, and 11% of GDP (exclusive of allied industries), underpinning Bahrain's strong economic growth in recent years. Other major segments of Bahrain's economy are the financial and construction sectors. Bahrain is actively pursuing the diversification and privatization of its economy to reduce the country's dependence on oil. As part of this effort, in August 2006 Bahrain and the US implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. Tourism suffered in 2002 because of the lackluster US economy. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959.
Electricity - consumption 7.614 billion kWh (2005) 33.74 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 8.187 billion kWh (2005) 36.28 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Sage 521 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 limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)
Environment - international agreements 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
-
Ethnic groups Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census) black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed
Exchange rates Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002) the US dollar is used
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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)


head of government: Chief Minister Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June 2003)


cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor
Exports NA bbl/day NA
Exports - commodities petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand
Exports - partners Saudi Arabia 3.2%, US 3%, Japan 2.3%


note: excludes oil exports (2006)
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
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 blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 0.3%


industry: 45%


services: 54.6% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $38,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 7.1% (2006 est.) 1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 26 00 N, 50 33 E 18 30 N, 64 30 W
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 strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
Heliports 1 (2007) -
Highways - total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering
Imports NA bbl/day NA
Imports - commodities crude oil, machinery, chemicals building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
Imports - partners Saudi Arabia 37.6%, Japan 6.8%, US 6.2%, UK 6.2%, Germany 5.1%, UAE 4.2% (2006) Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Independence 15 August 1971 (from UK) none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate 2% (2000 est.) NA%
Industries petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Infant mortality rate total: 16.18 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 18.89 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 18.05 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.02 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% (2006 est.) 2.5% (2003)
International organization participation ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU
Irrigated land 40 sq km (2003) NA
Judicial branch High Civil Appeals Court Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Labor force 352,000


note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2006 est.)
12,770 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 1%


industry: 79%


services: 20% (1997 est.)
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 2.82%


permanent crops: 5.63%


other: 91.55% (2005)
arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (2001)
Languages Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu English (official)
Legal system based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction English law
Legislative branch bicameral legislature consists of the Consultative Council (40 members appointed by the King) and the Council of Representatives or Chamber of Deputies (40 seats; members directly elected to serve four-year terms)


elections: Council of Representatives - last held November-December 2006 (next election to be held in 2010)


election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - al Wifaq (Shia) 17, al Asala (Sunni Salafi) 5, al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7, independents 11; note - seats by party as of February 2007 - al Wifaq 17, al Asala 8, al Minbar 7, al Mustaqbal (Moderate Sunni pro-government) 4, unassociated independents (all Sunni) 3, independent affiliated with al Wifaq (Sunni oppositionist) 1
unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NDP 8, VIP 5
Life expectancy at birth total population: 74.68 years


male: 72.18 years


female: 77.25 years (2007 est.)
total population: 76.49 years


male: 75.41 years


female: 77.62 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 86.5%


male: 88.6%


female: 83.6% (2001 census)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Map references Middle East Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 220,264 GRT/314,289 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1


foreign-owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2007)
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,825 GRT/155,909 DWT


by type: cargo 1


registered in other countries: 7 (2005)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.5% (2006) -
National holiday 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 Territory Day, 1 July
Nationality noun: Bahraini(s)


adjective: Bahraini
noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
Natural hazards periodic droughts; dust storms hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Natural resources oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls NEGL
Net migration rate 0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2006) -
Political parties and leaders political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests with occasional low-level violence; protests related to a host of issues, including the 2002 constitution, elections, unemployment, and release of detainees; Sunni Islamist legislators support a greater role for Shari'a in daily life; several small leftist and other groups are active NA
Population 708,573


note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)
22,643 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA
Population growth rate 1.392% (2007 est.) 2.06% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors - Road Town
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)
Religions Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census) Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.021 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.372 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.084 male(s)/female


total population: 1.255 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 20 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; 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 stations - 1 (2007)
general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda
Telephones - main lines in use 193,300 (2006) 11,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 898,900 (2006) 8,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 4 (1997) 1 (plus one cable company) (1997)
Terrain mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Total fertility rate 2.57 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 15% (2005 est.) 3% (1995)
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