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Compare Paracel Islands (2003) - Bahrain (2007)

Compare Paracel Islands (2003) z Bahrain (2007)

 Paracel Islands (2003)Bahrain (2007)
 Paracel IslandsBahrain
Administrative divisions - 5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat


note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
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.)
Agriculture - products - fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
Airports 1 (2002) 3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)		 total: 3


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: NA sq km


land: NA sq km


water: 0 sq km		 total: 665 sq km


land: 665 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative NA 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Background The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. 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 - 17.53 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget - revenues: $4.894 billion


expenditures: $4.516 billion (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)
Climate tropical arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Coastline 518 km 161 km
Constitution - adopted 14 February 2002
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Paracel 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 - 4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external - $7.159 billion (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
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
Disputes - international occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam none
Economic aid - recipient - $103.9 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and Kuwait (2004)
Economy - overview China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. 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: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m		 lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
Environment - current issues NA 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 - Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)
Exchange rates - 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: 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 bbl/day
Exports - commodities - petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
Exports - partners - Saudi Arabia 3.2%, US 3%, Japan 2.3%


note: excludes oil exports (2006)
Fiscal 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
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 0.3%


industry: 45%


services: 54.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 7.1% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 16 30 N, 112 00 E 26 00 N, 50 33 E
Geography - note composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group 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 bbl/day
Imports - commodities - crude oil, machinery, chemicals
Imports - partners - Saudi Arabia 37.6%, Japan 6.8%, US 6.2%, UK 6.2%, Germany 5.1%, UAE 4.2% (2006)
Independence - 15 August 1971 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate - 2% (2000 est.)
Industries - petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 2.1% (2006 est.)
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
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) 40 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch - High Civil Appeals Court
Labor force - 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% (1998 est.)		 arable land: 2.82%


permanent crops: 5.63%


other: 91.55% (2005)
Languages - Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Legal system - based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 74.68 years


male: 72.18 years


female: 77.25 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)
Location Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Map references Southeast Asia Middle East
Maritime claims NA 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 occupied by China -
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
Nationality - noun: Bahraini(s)


adjective: Bahraini
Natural hazards typhoons periodic droughts; dust storms
Natural resources none oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
Net migration rate - 0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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
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
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)		 708,573


note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA%
Population growth rate - 1.392% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded -
Radio broadcast stations - AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Religions - Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 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.)
Suffrage - 20 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)
Telephones - main lines in use - 193,300 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 898,900 (2006)
Television broadcast stations - 4 (1997)
Terrain mostly low and flat mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Total fertility rate - 2.57 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate - 15% (2005 est.)
Waterways none -
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