Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2004) | Bahrain (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | 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: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.) |
0-14 years:
29.6% (male 96,697; female 94,330) 15-64 years: 67.43% (male 257,360; female 177,839) 65 years and over: 2.97% (male 9,721; female 9,414) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts | fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish |
Airports | 1 (2003 est.) | 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total:
2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island |
total:
620 sq km land: 620 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island. | 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. Possessing minimal oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining, and has transformed itself into an international banking center. The new amir is pushing economic and political reforms, and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In 2001, the International Court of Justice awarded the Hawar Islands, long disputed with Qatar, to Bahrain. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 20.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
revenues:
$1.8 billion expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
Capital | West Island | Manama |
Climate | tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
Coastline | 26 km | 161 km |
Constitution | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 | adopted late December 2000 (new constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary) |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
conventional long form:
State of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Dawlat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn former: Dilmun |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | Bahraini dinar (BHD) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | NA | $2.7 billion (2000) |
Dependency status | 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 Johnny YOUNG embassy: #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 321, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 273-300 FAX: [973] 272-594 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | none | in March of 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar Islands to Bahrain and also adjusted Bahrain's maritime boundary with Qatar |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | $48.4 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry. | In 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. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil revenue granted as aid. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 5.752 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 6.185 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m |
Environment - current issues | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs | 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; no natural fresh water resources so that groundwater and sea water 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 | Europeans, Cocos Malays | Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8% |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999) | Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.3760 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
chief of state:
Amir 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 monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch |
Exports | NA | $5.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | copra | petroleum and petroleum products 61%, aluminum 7% |
Exports - partners | Australia | India 14%, Saudi Arabia 5%, US 5%, UAE 5%, Japan 4%, South Korea 4% (1999) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - NA | purchasing power parity - $10.1 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA (2001 est.) |
agriculture:
1% industry: 46% services: 53% (1996 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - NA | purchasing power parity - $15,900 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | 5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 S, 96 50 E | 26 00 N, 50 33 E |
Geography - note | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation | close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean |
Heliports | - | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total: 15 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2003) |
total:
3,164 km paved: 2,433 km unpaved: 731 km note: there is a paved causeway connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia (1997) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA | $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs | nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% |
Imports - partners | Australia | France 20%, US 14%, UK 8%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Japan 5% (1999) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | 15 August 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | 2% (2000 est.) |
Industries | copra products and tourism | petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA (2004 est.) |
19.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | 2% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | none | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 10 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court | High Civil Appeals Court |
Labor force | NA | 295,000 (1998 est.)
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others | industry, commerce, and service 79%, government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
arable land:
1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 0% other: 92% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Malay (Cocos dialect), English | Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu |
Legal system | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws | based on Islamic law and English common law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held NA |
unicameral National Assembly was dissolved 26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet; appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992; the National Action Charter created a bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum of 14 February 2001 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2004 est.) |
total population:
73.2 years male: 70.81 years female: 75.67 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.2% male: 89.1% female: 79.4% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka | Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total:
7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 175,609 GRT/207,652 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, container 2 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a five-person police force | - |
Military branches | - | Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $318 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 5.2% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
222,141 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
121,833 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 15 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
5,926 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | 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: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
noun:
Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini |
Natural hazards | cyclone season is October to April | periodic droughts; dust storms |
Natural resources | fish | oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km |
Political parties and leaders | none | political parties prohibited |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically 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 | 629 (July 2004 est.) | 645,361
note: includes 228,424 non-nationals (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.002% (2004 est.) | 1.73% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; lagoon anchorage only | Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 338,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) | Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30% |
Sex ratio | - | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.45 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.29 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | NA | none |
Telephone system | general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA international: country code - 61-891; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002) |
general assessment:
modern system domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones international: 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 | 287 (1992) | 152,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | note - analog cellular service available | 58,543 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 4 (1997) |
Terrain | flat, low-lying coral atolls | mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman (2004 est.) | 2.79 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 60% (2000 est.) | 15% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |