Compare Bahrain (2008) - Seychelles (2007)

Compare Bahrain (2008) z Seychelles (2007)

	Bahrain (2008)	Seychelles (2007)

Administrative divisions	5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor	23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka
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: 25.4% (male 10,504/female 10,272) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 27,405/female 28,706) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,590/female 3,418) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish	coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna
Airports	3 (2007)	15 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)	total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Area	total: 665 sq km land: 665 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 455 sq km land: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	3.5 times the size of Washington, DC	2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	In 1783, 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.	A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. President France-Albert RENE, who had served since 1977, was re-elected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James MICHEL took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term.
Birth rate	17.53 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	15.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $6.048 billion expenditures: $5.082 billion (2007 est.)	revenues: $439.7 million expenditures: $408.5 million (2006 est.)
Capital	name: Manama geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	name: Victoria geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers	tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)
Coastline	161 km	491 km
Constitution	adopted 14 February 2002	18 June 1993
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: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles local long form: Republic of Seychelles local short form: Seychelles
Death rate	4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$7.692 billion (31 December 2007 est.)	$847 million (2006 est.)
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	the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles
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 Jean Ronald JUMEAU chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
Disputes - international	none	together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)
Economic aid - recipient	$103.9 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and Kuwait (2004)	$18.81 million (2005)
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. Aluminum is Bahrain's second major export after oil. Other major segments of Bahrain's economy are the financial and construction sectors. Bahrain is focused on Islamic banking and is competing on an international scale with Malaysia as a worldwide banking center. 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. Continued strong growth hinges on Bahrain's ability to acquire new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are long-term economic problems.	Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years, the government has encouraged foreign investment to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. Sharp drops illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf War and once again following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Growth slowed in 1998-2002 and fell in 2003, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors, but resumed in 2004. Growth turned negative again in 2005-06. Tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The black-market value of the Seychelles rupee is half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency, the tourist sector may remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.
Electricity - consumption	7.614 billion kWh (2005)	193.4 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	8.187 billion kWh (2005)	208 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 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	water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater
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	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)	mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab
Exchange rates	Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003)	Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003), 5.48 (2002)
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 James Alix MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote - James MICHEL 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 45.71%, Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in April 2004
Exports	235,500 bbl/day (2004)	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles	canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)
Exports - partners	Saudi Arabia 3.2%, US 3%, Japan 2.3% (2006)	UK 25.5%, France 17.5%, Italy 11.9%, Mauritius 8.5%, Japan 8.3%, Spain 8.1%, Netherlands 4.3% (2006)
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	five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 0.3% industry: 43.6% services: 56% (2007 est.)	agriculture: 2.5% industry: 26.3% services: 71.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	6.6% (2007 est.)	-1% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates	26 00 N, 50 33 E	4 35 S, 55 40 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	41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands
Heliports	1 (2007)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	216,300 bbl/day (2004)	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	crude oil, machinery, chemicals	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners	Saudi Arabia 37.2%, Japan 6.8%, US 6.2%, UK 6.1%, Germany 6%, UAE 4.2% (2006)	Saudi Arabia 17.7%, South Africa 9.7%, Spain 8.1%, France 7.6%, Singapore 7.2%, Italy 4.8%, UK 4% (2006)
Independence	15 August 1971 (from UK)	29 June 1976 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	5.5% (2007 est.)	NA%
Industries	petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism	fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages
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: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.5% (2007 est.)	-0.4% (2006 est.)
International organization participation	ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land	40 sq km (2003)	NA
Judicial branch	High Civil Appeals Court	Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president
Labor force	363,000 note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2007 est.)	30,900 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 1% industry: 79% services: 20% (1997 est.)	agriculture: 10% industry: 19% services: 71% (1989)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 2.82% permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2005)	arable land: 2.17% permanent crops: 13.04% other: 84.79% (2005)
Languages	Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu	Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)
Legal system	based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on English common law, French civil law, and customary 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 National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats; 25 members elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 10-12 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 56.2%, SNP 43.8%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 74.68 years male: 72.18 years female: 77.25 years (2007 est.)	total population: 72.34 years male: 66.98 years female: 77.86 years (2007 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: 91.8% male: 91.4% female: 92.3% (2002 census)
Location	Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
Map references	Middle East	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 108,348 GRT/165,593 DWT by type: cargo 1, carrier 1, chemical tanker 4 foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 1) (2007)
Military branches	Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard	Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	4.5% (2006)	2% (2006 est.)
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	Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)
Nationality	noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini	noun: Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective: Seychellois
Natural hazards	periodic droughts; dust storms	lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible
Natural resources	oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls	fish, copra, cinnamon trees
Net migration rate	0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-5.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines	gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2007)	-
Political parties and leaders	political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law	Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party)
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	Roman Catholic Church; trade unions
Population	708,573 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)	81,895 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	1.392% (2007 est.)	0.432% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (2001)
Religions	Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)	Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)
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: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.023 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.955 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.465 male(s)/female total population: 0.932 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	20 years of age; universal	17 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: effective system domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	193,300 (2006)	20,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular	898,900 (2006)	70,300 (2006)
Television broadcast stations	4 (1997)	2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain	mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment	Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Total fertility rate	2.57 children born/woman (2007 est.)	1.74 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	15% (2005 est.)	NA%

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