Bermuda (2006) | Bahrain (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick | 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 |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 18.6% (male 6,146/female 6,098)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,562/female 22,954) 65 years and over: 12.2% (male 3,479/female 4,534) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 27.8% (male 96,807/female 94,863)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 275,792/female 197,424) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 12,078/female 11,381) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey | fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish |
Airports | 1 (2006) | 4 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 665 sq km
land: 665 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about one-third the size of Washington, DC | 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the issue. | 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. 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 October 2002, Bahrainis elected members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. |
Birth rate | 11.4 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 18.1 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $738 million
expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05) |
revenues: $3.825 billion
expenditures: $3.262 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (2004 est.) |
Capital | name: Hamilton
geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 46 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October |
Manama |
Climate | subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
Coastline | 103 km | 161 km |
Constitution | 8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003 | new constitution 14 February 2002 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn former: Dilmun |
Death rate | 7.74 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 4.08 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $160 million (FY99/00) | $6.215 billion (2004 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, US Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233 |
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] 1725-6242 (consular) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir 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 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from each of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait (2002) |
Economy - overview | Bermuda enjoys the highest per capita income in the world, more than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to the island following 11 September 2001 and again after Hurricane Katrina, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - continues to struggle but remains the island's number two industry. Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important; the average cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited with only 20% of the land being arable. | In well-to-do 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. A large share of exports consist 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 September 2004 Bahrain signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States - the first such agreement undertaken by a Gulf state. Both countries must ratify the FTA before it is enforced. |
Electricity - consumption | 616.7 million kWh (2005) | 6.379 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 682.5 million kWh (2005) | 6.86 billion kWh (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m |
Environment - current issues | sustainable development | 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 |
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 |
Ethnic groups | black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2000 census) | Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census) |
Exchange rates | Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) | Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002), 0.376 (2001), 0.376 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since 11 April 2002)
head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006); Deputy Premier Paula COX cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor 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 premier by the governor |
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 |
Exports | 0 bbl/day NA bbl/day | NA |
Exports - commodities | reexports of pharmaceuticals | petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles |
Exports - partners | France 65.6%, Spain 11.7%, US 4.5% (2005) | Saudi Arabia 3%, US 2.9%, UAE 2.2% (2004) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag | 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 |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 0.7%
industry: 41% services: 58.4% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2004 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.6% (2004 est.) | 5.6% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 32 20 N, 64 45 W | 26 00 N, 50 33 E |
Geography - note | consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995 | 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 |
Heliports | - | 1 (2004 est.) |
Highways | - | total: 3,459 km
paved: 2,653 km unpaved: 806 km (2002) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | NA bbl/day | NA |
Imports - commodities | clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals | crude oil, machinery, chemicals |
Imports - partners | Kazakhstan 51%, France 19%, South Korea 10.2%, US 7.6% (2005) | Saudi Arabia 32.4%, Japan 7.3%, Germany 6.1%, US 5.6%, UK 5.4%, France 4.8% (2004) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 15 August 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 2% (2000 est.) |
Industries | international business, tourism, light manufacturing | petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: 17.27 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.8% (November 2005) | 2.1% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCO | ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Irrigated land | NA | 50 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts | High Civil Appeals Court |
Labor force | 38,360 (2004) | 370,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 19%, professional and technical 21%, administrative and managerial 15%, sales 7%, services 19% (2004 est.) | agriculture 1%, industry, commerce, and services 79%, government 20% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2005) |
arable land: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2001) |
Languages | English (official), Portuguese | Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu |
Legal system | English law | based on Islamic law and English common law |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14 |
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 NA 2006) election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - 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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.96 years
male: 75.85 years female: 80.1 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 74.23 years
male: 71.76 years female: 76.78 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (2005 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1% male: 91.9% female: 85% (2003 est.) |
Location | North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina (US) | Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
Map references | North America | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined |
Merchant marine | total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,873,728 GRT/8,688,692 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 1, container 24, liquefied gas 23, passenger 19, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 116 (Australia 3, Belgium 4, France 1, Germany 21, Greece 2, Hong Kong 10, Indonesia 1, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Monaco 2, Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Sweden 14, Switzerland 2, UK 9, US 27) registered in other countries: 6 (Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 4, Panama 1) (2006) |
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 219,083 GRT/312,638 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 2, container 2, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 2 (Kuwait 2) (2005) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | no regular military forces | Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, National Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $4.03 million (2001) | $628.9 million (2004) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.11% (FY00/01) | 6.3% (2004) |
National holiday | Bermuda Day, 24 May | 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: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian |
noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (June to November) | periodic droughts; dust storms |
Natural resources | limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism | oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls |
Net migration rate | 2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Wayne FURBERT] | political parties prohibited but politically oriented societies are allowed |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES] | 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 | 65,773 (July 2006 est.) | 688,345
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 19% (2000) | NA |
Population growth rate | 0.61% (2006 est.) | 1.51% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Mina' Salman, Sitrah |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census) | Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.4 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: good
domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic trunk lines international: country code - 1-441; submarine cables - 3 (fiber optic); satellite earth stations - 3 (2005) |
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 - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 56,000 (2002) | 185,800 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 49,000 (2004) | 443,100 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (2005) | 4 (1997) |
Terrain | low hills separated by fertile depressions | mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment |
Total fertility rate | 1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 2.63 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.1% (2004 est.) | 15% (1998 est.) |