Christmas Island (2007) | Bahrain (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | 5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat
note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | NA | fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 3 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 665 sq km
land: 665 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC | 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. | 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. |
Birth rate | NA | 17.53 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues: $4.894 billion
expenditures: $4.516 billion (2006 est.) |
Capital | name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
name: Manama
geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
Coastline | 138.9 km | 161 km |
Constitution | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | adopted 14 February 2002 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
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 | NA | 4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $7.159 billion (2006 est.) |
Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | 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 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $103.9 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and Kuwait (2004) |
Economy - overview | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993, but closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, expected to begin operations in the near future. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 7.614 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | - | 8.187 billion kWh (2005) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m |
Environment - current issues | loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining | 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, 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 | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census) |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) | Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
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 |
Exports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | phosphate | petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles |
Exports - partners | Australia, NZ (2006) | Saudi Arabia 3.2%, US 3%, Japan 2.3%
note: excludes oil exports (2006) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island; the flag of Australia is used for official purposes | 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: 0.3%
industry: 45% services: 54.6% (2006 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 7.1% (2006 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 26 00 N, 50 33 E |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | 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 (2007) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods | crude oil, machinery, chemicals |
Imports - partners | principally Australia (2006) | Saudi Arabia 37.6%, Japan 6.8%, US 6.2%, UK 6.2%, Germany 5.1%, UAE 4.2% (2006) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | 15 August 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 2% (2000 est.) |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
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.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2.1% (2006 est.) |
International organization participation | none | 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 |
Irrigated land | NA | 40 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | High Civil Appeals Court |
Labor force | NA | 352,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2006 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture: 1%
industry: 79% services: 20% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005) |
arable land: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2005) |
Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 20 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: 74.68 years
male: 72.18 years female: 77.25 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5% male: 88.6% female: 83.6% (2001 census) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 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: 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) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | - |
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 | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | 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 |
Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | periodic droughts; dust storms |
Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls |
Net migration rate | NA | 0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2006) |
Political parties and leaders | none | political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | 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 |
Population | 1,402 (July 2006 est.) (July 2007 est.) | 708,573
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0% (2007 est.) | 1.392% (2007 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006) | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census) |
Sex ratio | NA | 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.) |
Suffrage | - | 20 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - 1 INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (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; 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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 193,300 (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 898,900 (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006) | 4 (1997) |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment |
Total fertility rate | NA | 2.57 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 15% (2005 est.) |