PEOPLE
Bahrain is one of the most densely populated countries in the world; about 89%
of the population lives in the two principal cities of Manama and Al Muharraq.
Approximately 66% of the indigenous population is originally from the Arabian
Peninsula and Iran. Bahrain currently has a sizeable foreign labor force (about
34% of the total population). The government’s policies on naturalization remain
controversial. In June 2002, the King issued a decree allowing citizens of the
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to take up dual Bahraini nationality. Opposition
political groups charge that the government is granting citizenship to foreign
nationals who have served in the Bahraini armed forces and security services to
alter the demographic balance of the country, which is primarily Shi’a.
According to passport officials, about 40,000 individuals have been naturalized
over the past 50 years (about 10% of the total population).
The indigenous population is 98% Muslim. Although some two-thirds of the
indigenous population is Shi’a Muslim, the ruling family and the majority of
government, military, and corporate leaders are Sunni Muslims. The small
indigenous Christian and Jewish communities make up the remaining 2% of the
population. Roughly half of foreign resident community are non-Muslim, and
include Christians, Hindus, Baha’is, Buddhists and Sikhs.
Bahrain has invested its oil revenues in developing an advanced educational
system. The first public schools for girls and boys were opened in the 1920s.
The government continues to pay for all schooling costs. Although school
attendance is not compulsory, primary and secondary attendance rates are high,
and literacy rates are currently among the highest in the region. Higher
education is available for secondary school graduates at the Bahrain University,
Arabian Gulf University and specialized institutes including the College of
Health Sciences--operating under the direction of the Ministry of Health--which
trains physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and paramedics. The government has
identified providing educational services to the Gulf Cooperation Council as a
potential economic growth area, and is actively working to establish Bahrain as
a regional center for higher education.
HISTORY
The site of the ancient Bronze Age civilization of Dilmun, Bahrain was an
important center linking trade routes between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley
as early as 5,000 years ago. The Dilmun civilization began to decline about
2,000 B.C. as trade from India was cut off. From 750 B.C. on, Assyrian kings
repeatedly claimed sovereignty over the islands. Shortly after 600 B.C., Dilmun
was formally incorporated into the new Babylonian empire. There are no
historical references to Bahrain until Alexander the Great’s arrival in the Gulf
in the 4th century B.C. Although Bahrain was ruled variously by the Arab tribes
of Bani Wa’el and Persian governors, Bahrain continued to be known by its Greek
name Tylos until the 7th century, when many of its inhabitants converted to
Islam. A regional pearling and trade center, Bahrain came under the control of
the Ummayad Caliphs of Syria, the Abbasid Caliphs of Baghdad, Persian, Omani and
Portuguese forces at various times from the 7th century until the Al Khalifa
family, a branch of the Bani Utbah tribe that have ruled Bahrain since the 18th
century, succeeded in capturing Bahrain from a Persian garrison controlling the
islands in 1783.
In the 1830s the Al Khalifa signed the first of many treaties establishing
Bahrain as a British Protectorate. Similar to the binding treaties of protection
entered into by other Persian Gulf principalities, the agreements entered into
by the Al Khalifa prohibited them from disposing of territory and entering into
relationships with any foreign government without British consent in exchange
for British protection against the threat of military attack from Ottoman
Turkey. The main British naval base in the region was moved to Bahrain in 1935
shortly after the start of large-scale oil production.
In 1968, when the British Government announced its decision (reaffirmed in
March 1971) to end the treaty relationships with the Persian Gulf sheikdoms,
Bahrain initially joined the other eight states (Qatar and the seven Trucial
Sheikhdoms now the United Arab Emirates) under British protection in an effort
to form a union of Arab emirates. The nine sheikhdoms still had not agreed on
terms of union by 1971, however, prompting Bahrain to declare itself fully
independent on August 15, 1971.
Bahrain promulgated a constitution and elected its first parliament in 1973,
but just two years later, in August 1975, the Amir disbanded the National
Assembly after it attempted to legislate the end of Al-Khalifa rule and the
expulsion of the U.S. Navy from Bahrain. In the 1990s, Bahrain suffered from
repeated incidents of political violence stemming from the disaffection of the
Shi’a majority. In response, the Amir instituted the first Bahraini cabinet
change in 20 years in 1995 and also and increased the membership of the
Consultative Council, which he had created in 1993 to provide advice and opinion
on legislation proposed by the cabinet and, in certain cases, suggest new laws
on its own, from 30 to 40 the following year. These steps led to an initial
decline in violent incidents, but in early 1996 a number of hotels and
restaurants were bombed, resulting in several fatalities. Over 1,000 people were
arrested and held in detention without trial in connection with these
disturbances. The government has since released these individuals (see
Government and Political Conditions Section below for details).
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa succeeded the throne in March 1999,
after the death of his father Shaikh Isa bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s ruler
since 1961. He championed a program of democratic reform shortly after his
succession. In November 2000, Shaikh Hamad established a committee to create a
blueprint to transform Bahrain from a hereditary emirate to a constitutional
monarchy within 2 years. The resulting "National Action Charter" was presented
to the Bahraini public in a referendum in February 2001. In the first
comprehensive public vote in Bahrain since the 1970s, 94.8% of voters
overwhelmingly endorsed the charter. That same month, Shaikh Hamad pardoned all
political prisoners and detainees, including those who had been imprisoned,
exiled or detained on security charges. He also abolished the State Security Law
and the State Security Court, which had permitted the government to detain
individuals without trial for up to 3 years.
On February 14, 2002, one year after the referendum endorsing his National
Action Charter, Shaikh Hamad pronounced Bahrain a constitutional monarchy and
changed his status from Amir to King. He simultaneously announced that the first
municipal elections since 1957 would be held in May 2002, and that a bicameral
parliament, with a representative lower house, would be reconstituted with
parliamentary elections in October 2002. As part of these constitutional
reforms, the government also created an independent financial watchdog empowered
to investigate cases of embezzlement and violations of state expenditure in July
2002.
Turnout for the May 2002 municipal elections was 51%, with female voters
making up 52% percent of voters. Turnout for the 2002 parliamentary
elections--the first in almost three decades--was 53% in the first round and 43%
in the second round, despite the fact that four political societies, including
the largest Shi’a society, organized a boycott to protest constitutional
provisions enacted by the King that gave the appointed upper chamber of
parliament voting rights equal to the elected lower chamber. The new parliament
held its first joint sitting in December 2002. Bahrain held its second set of
parliamentary and municipal elections in November and December 2006. All
registered political societies participated in the elections and a Shia society,
Al Wifaq, now represents the largest single bloc inside the Council of
Representatives. Thirty-two of the Council's 40 members represent Sunni and Shia
Islamist societies. One woman, Lateefah Al-Qauod, ran uncontested and became the
first woman elected to parliament in Bahrain.
Bahrain has a complex system of courts, based on diverse legal sources,
including Sunni and Shi'a Sharia (religious law), tribal law, and other civil
codes and regulations created with the help of British advisers in the early
20th century. In 2001, Shaikh Hamad created the Supreme Judicial Council to
regulate these courts and separate the administrative and judicial branches of
government.
Principal Government Officials
King--Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Crown Prince and Commander in Chief of the Bahrain Defense Force--Shaikh Salman
bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Prime Minister--Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa
Deputy Prime Minister--Jawed bin Salem Al Arrayed
Deputy Prime Minister--Shaikh Mohammad bin Mubarak Al Khalifa
Deputy Prime Minister--Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Foreign Minister--Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa
Ambassador to the United States--Dr. Naser M.Y. Al-Belooshi
Ambassador to the United Nations--Tawfeeq Al-Ahmed Al-Mansoor
Bahrain maintains an embassy in
the United States at 3502 International Drive N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008; tel:
[1] (202) 342-1111; fax: [1] (202) 362-2192. The Bahraini Mission to the UN is
located at 866 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017; tel: [1] (212)223-6200; fax
[1] (212) 319-0687.
ECONOMY
The first Gulf state to discover oil, Bahrain’s reserves are expected
to run out in 10-15 years. Accordingly, Bahrain has worked to diversify its
economy over the past decade and has stabilized its oil production at about
40,000 barrels per day (b/d). Revenues from oil and natural gas currently
account for 11.1% of GDP yet currently provide about 76% of government income.
The state-owned Bahrain Petroleum Company refinery built in 1935, the first in
the Gulf, has a capacity of about 260,000 b/d. Saudi Arabia provides most of the
crude for refinery operation via pipeline. Through an agreement with Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain also receives half of the net output and revenues from Saudi
Arabia's Abu Saafa offshore oilfield.
The Bahrain National Gas Company operates a gas liquefaction plant that
utilizes gas piped directly from Bahrain's oilfields. Gas reserves should last
about 50 years at present rates of consumption. However, rising domestic demand
spurred by a recent development boom has highlighted the need to increase gas
supplies. The Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company is a joint venture of the
petrochemical industries of Kuwait, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, and
the Government of Bahrain. The plant, completed in 1985, produces ammonia and
methanol for export. Growth in the hydrocarbons sector will be contingent upon
new discoveries--Bahrain awarded exploration rights to Malaysia’s Petronas and
the U.S.’ Chevron Texaco after the resolution of Bahrain’s long-standing
territorial dispute with Qatar, but no meaningful finds have been announced to
date. Bahrain's other industries include the majority state-owned Aluminum
Bahrain (Alba)--which operates the largest aluminum smelter in the world outside
Eastern Europe with an annual production of about 843,000 metric tons (mt) in
2005 after the completion of an expansion program--and related factories, such
as the Aluminum Extrusion Company and the Gulf Aluminum Rolling Mill. Other
plants include the Arab Iron and Steel Company's iron ore pelletizing plant (4
million tons annually) and a shipbuilding and repair yard.
Bahrain's development as a major financial center has been the most widely
heralded aspect of its diversification effort. Bahrain is a regional financial
and business center; international financial institutions operate in Bahrain,
both offshore and onshore, without impediments, and the financial sector is
currently the largest contributor to GDP at 27.6%. Some 370 offshore banking
units and representative offices are located in Bahrain, as well as 65 American
firms. Bahrain has also made a concerted effort to become the leading Islamic
finance center in the Arab world, standardizing regulations of the Islamic
banking industry. It currently has 32 Islamic commercial, investment and leasing
banks as well as Islamic insurance (takaful) companies--the largest
concentration of Islamic financial institutions in the Middle East.
Bahrain is working to develop other service industries such as information
technology, healthcare and education. The government has used its oil revenues
to build an advanced infrastructure in transportation and telecommunications.
The state monopoly--Batelco--was broken in April 2003 following the
establishment of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). Since that
time, the TRA has granted some 63 licenses in the interest of promoting healthy
industry competition.
Bahrain plans to expand its airport, one of the busiest in the Gulf. More
than 4.8 million passengers transited Bahrain International Airport in 2005. A
modern, busy port offers direct and frequent cargo shipping connections to the
U.S., Europe, and the Far East. To boost its competitiveness as a regional
center, Bahrain is building a new port and has privatized port operations.
The government of Bahrain moved toward privatizing the production of
electricity and water by licensing Al Ezzal to construct an independent power
plant at a cost of $500 million. The company commenced operations in May 2006.
In January 2006, the government announced the sale of the Al Hidd Power Plant
for $738 million to Hidd Power Company, a consortium of British, Japanese, and
Belgian companies.
Regional tourism is also a significant source of income. The government
continues to favor large-scale tourism projects. It opened the only Formula One
race track in the Middle East in 2004, and has awarded tenders for several
tourist complexes. New hotel and spa projects are progressing within the context
of broader real estate development, much of which is geared toward attracting
increased tourism.
Government revenues continue to be largely dependent on the oil industry.
Bahrain has received significant budgetary support and project grants from Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. Bouyed by rising oil revenues, the
2007-08 budget approved by the parliament in July 2006 provides for sizable
increases in urban development, education, and social spending. Ministry of
Defense spending will account for 13% of current spending in 2007 and 2008 based
on the new budget. The Ministry of Education and Ministry of the Interior also
receive substantial budget allocations. Significant capital outlays have been
allocated to improving housing and infrastructure in line with government
efforts to raise the standard of living of the Shi’a population and to attract
foreign investment.
The government has also started to extend protections to workers. Private
sector employees won permission to form unions in late 2002; King Hamad has
given his tentative approval for the formation of unions in government
departments. In June 2006, Bahrain passed laws legalizing the existence of
multiple trade federations and codifying several protections for workers engaged
in union activity. As part of the government’s labor reform program, it has
formed a Labor Market Regulatory Authority and established a fund to support the
training of Bahraini workers
In 2006, bilateral trade exceeded $1 billion for the first time, representing
almost 50% growth over 2005. The U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement took effect
on August 1, 2006 and is generating increased U.S. commercial interest in
Bahrain.
DEFENSE
The Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) numbers about 12,000 personnel and
consists of army, navy, air force, air defense, and royal guard units. The
public security forces and the coast guard are separate from the BDF and report
to the Ministry of the Interior. Bahrain also has a national guard that consists
of about 1,200 personnel. Bahrain's defense spending since 1999 has been steady.
The government spends around $630 million annually on the military, about 20% of
current expenditures. The parliamentary process has produced spirited debate
over government spending, particularly defense spending, but no actual
reductions.
With the help of the U.S. and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Bahrain has
made significant efforts to upgrade its defense systems and modernize its armed
forces over the last 20 years. In 1982, the GCC gave Bahrain $1.7 billion for
this purpose. Since the 1991 Gulf War, the U.S. has provided military and
defense technical assistance and training to Bahrain from Foreign Military Sales
(FMS), commercial sources, excess defense article sales (EDA) and under the
International Military and Education Training (IMET) program. The U.S. Office of
Military Cooperation in Bahrain is attached to the U.S. Embassy and manages the
security assistance mission. U.S. military sales to Bahrain since 2000 total
$608.9 million. Principal U.S. military systems acquired by the BDF include
eight Apache helicopters, 54 M60A3 tanks, 22 F-16C/D aircraft, 20 Cobra
helicopters, 20 M109A5 Howitzers, 1 Avenger AD system, and the TPS-59 radar
system. Bahrain has received $410 million in U.S. EDA acquisition value
delivered since the U.S.-Bahraini program began in 1993.
Military exercises are conducted on a regular basis to increase the BDF’s
readiness and improve coordination with the U.S. and other GCC forces. The BDF
also sends personnel to the United States for military training. This training
includes courses from graduate level professional military education down to
entry level technical training.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Since achieving independence in 1971, Bahrain has pursued a policy of
close consultation with neighboring states. Bahrain became a member of the
United Nations and the Arab League in 1971. In 1981 it joined its five
neighbors--Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, the U.A.E. and Qatar--to form the
strategic Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Bahrain has complied with GCC efforts
steps to coordinate economic development and defense and security planning. In
December 1994, for example, Bahrain concurred with the GCC decision to drop
secondary and tertiary boycotts against Israel. Bahrain also responded
positively to Kuwait’s request to deploy the GCC collective defense force,
"Peninsula Shield," during the build up and execution of Operation Iraqi Freedom
(OIF) in 2003.
In addition to maintaining strong relations with its largest financial
backers, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the U.A.E., Bahrain has worked to improve its
relations with Qatar and has proper, but not warm, relations with Iran.
Bahrain-Iran relations have been strained since the discovery in 1981 of an
Iran-sponsored coup plot in Bahrain. Bahraini suspicions of the Iranian role in
local unrest in the mid-1990s remain. On March 16, 2001, the International Court
of Justice (ICJ) announced its judgment on the long-standing maritime
delimitation and territorial dispute between Bahrain and Qatar. The binding
judgment awarded sovereignty over the Hawar Islands and Qit’at Jaradah to
Bahrain and sovereignty over Zubarah (part of the Qatar Peninsula), Janan Island
and Fasht ad Dibal to Qatar. The peaceful settlement of this dispute has allowed
for renewed co-operation, including plans to construct a causeway between the
two countries.
Bahrain’s strategic partnership with the U.S. has intensified since 1991.
Bahraini pilots flew strikes in Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War, and the country
was used as a base for military operations in the Gulf. Bahrain also provided
logistical and basing support to international Maritime Interdiction efforts to
enforce UN sanctions and prevent illegal smuggling of oil from Iraq in the
1990s. Bahrain also provided extensive basing and overflight clearances for a
multitude of U.S. aircraft operating in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)
and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Bahrain also deployed forces in support of
Coalition operations during both OEF and OIF. Bahrain has delivered humanitarian
support and technical training to support the reconstruction of the Iraqi
banking sector, and has offered support for each stage of Iraq’s political
transformation. Bahrain has also cooperated effectively on criminal
investigation issues in support of the campaign on terrorism; the Bahrain
Monetary Agency (which became the Central Bank of Bahrain in September 2006)
moved quickly to restrict terrorists' ability to transfer funds through
Bahrain's financial system.
U.S.-BAHRAINI RELATIONS
The American Mission Hospital, affiliated with the National Evangelical
Church, has operated continuously in Bahrain for more than a century. Bahrain
has also been a base for U.S. naval activity in the Gulf since 1947. When
Bahrain became independent, the U.S.-Bahrain relationship was formalized with
the establishment of diplomatic relations. The U.S. embassy at Manama was opened
September 21, 1971, and a resident ambassador was sent in 1974. The Bahraini
embassy in Washington, DC, opened in 1977. In October 1991, Amir Isa bin Salman
Al Khalifa made a state visit to Washington. In 2001, Amir Hamad bin Isa
Al-Khalifa made his first visit to the U.S. after succeeding his father in 1999.
He returned to Washington on an official visit in January 2003. King Hamad made
an official visit to Washington in November 2004 to meet with President Bush and
cabinet-level officials.
Bahrain and the United States signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement in
October 1991 granting U.S. forces access to Bahraini facilities and ensuring the
right to pre-position material for future crises. Bahrain is the headquarters of
the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. The U.S. designated Bahrain a Major Non-NATO Ally
in October 2001.
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Link to this Site For Free. Information in
this Page is Free!
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Background:
|
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. |
|
Location:
|
Middle East,
archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
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Geographic coordinates:
|
26 00 N, 50
33 E |
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Map references:
|
Middle East
|
|
Area:
|
total:
665 sq km
land: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
3.5 times the
size of Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
161 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be
determined |
|
Climate:
|
arid; mild,
pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
|
Terrain:
|
mostly low
desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest
point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
oil,
associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls |
|
Land use:
|
arable
land: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63%
other: 91.55% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
|
40 sq km
(2003) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
periodic
droughts; dust storms |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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 |
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Population:
|
708,573
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)
|
|
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.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
29.7 years
male: 32.7 years
female: 26.1 years (2007 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
1.392% (2007
est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
17.53
births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
4.21
deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0.6 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2007 est.) |
|
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.)
|
|
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.)
|
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 74.68 years
male: 72.18 years
female: 77.25 years (2007 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
2.57 children
born/woman (2007 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.2% (2001
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
less than 600
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
less than 200
(2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
|
noun:
Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Bahraini
62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census) |
|
Religions:
|
Muslim (Shi'a
and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)
|
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Languages:
|
Arabic,
English, Farsi, Urdu |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 88.6%
female: 83.6% (2001 census) |
|
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 |
|
Government type:
|
constitutional monarchy |
|
Capital:
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name:
Manama
geographic coordinates: 26 13 N, 50 35 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time) |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
5
governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat
note: each governorate administered by an appointed
governor |
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Independence:
|
15 August
1971 (from UK) |
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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 |
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Constitution:
|
adopted 14
February 2002 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on
Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
|
Suffrage:
|
20 years of
age; universal |
|
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 |
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
|
High Civil
Appeals Court |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
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: PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100;
international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama
telephone: [973] 1724-2700
FAX: [973] 1727-0547 |
|
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 |
|
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. 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. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$18.02
billion (2006 est.) |
|
GDP (official exchange rate):
|
$12.14
billion (2006 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
7.8% (2006
est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP):
|
$25,800 (2006
est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 0.5%
industry: 38.7%
services: 60.8% (2005 est.) |
|
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.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
15% (2005
est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest
10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
3.5% (2006
est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
21.1% of GDP
(2006 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$5.582 billion
expenditures: $4.197 billion; including capital
expenditures of $700 million (2006 est.) |
|
Public debt:
|
34.2% of GDP
(2006 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
fruit,
vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish |
|
Industries:
|
petroleum
processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron
pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, insurance,
ship repairing, tourism |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
2% (2000
est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
7.794 billion
kWh (2004) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil
fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
7.248 billion
kWh (2004) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh (2004)
|
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh (2004)
|
|
Oil - production:
|
188,300
bbl/day (2005 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
27,000
bbl/day (2004 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
NA bbl/day
|
|
Oil - imports:
|
NA bbl/day
|
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
121 million
bbl (2006 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
9.75 billion
cu m (2004 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
9.75 billion
cu m (2004 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
0 cu m (2004
est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
0 cu m (2004
est.) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
92.03 billion
cu m (1 January 2005 est.) |
|
Current account balance:
|
$1.999
billion (2006 est.) |
|
Exports:
|
$12.62
billion (2006 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
petroleum and
petroleum products, aluminum, textiles |
|
Exports - partners:
|
NA |
|
Imports:
|
$9.036
billion (2006 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
crude oil,
machinery, chemicals |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Saudi Arabia
37.3%, Japan 6.8%, US 6.2%, UK 6.2%, Germany 5%, UAE 4.2%
(2006) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|
$2.918
billion (2006 est.) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$7.267
billion (2006 est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$150 million;
note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and
Kuwait (2002) |
|
Currency (code):
|
Bahraini
dinar (BHD) |
|
Currency code:
|
BHD |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Bahraini
dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376
(2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
196,500
(2005) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
748,700
(2005) |
|
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; tropospheric
scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi
Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia;
satellite earth stations - 1 (1997) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 2, FM 3,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
|
Radios:
|
338,000
(1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
4 (1997) |
|
Televisions:
|
275,000
(1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.bh |
|
Internet hosts:
|
2,165 (2006)
|
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
1 (2000) |
|
Internet users:
|
152,700
(2005) |
|
Airports:
|
3 (2006) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
3
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
|
Heliports:
|
1 (2006) |
|
Pipelines:
|
gas 20 km;
oil 52 km (2006) |
|
Roadways:
|
total:
3,498 km
paved: 2,768 km
unpaved: 730 km (2003) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total:
8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 235,449 GRT/339,728 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 1, container 2,
petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2006) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Mina' Salman,
Sitrah |
|
Military branches:
|
Bahrain
Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense),
Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
18 years of
age for voluntary military service (2001) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males age
18-49: 202,126
females age 18-49: 151,734 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males age
18-49: 161,372
females age 18-49: 125,488 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
|
males age
18-49: 6,013
females age 18-49: 5,852 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
4.5% (2006)
|
|
Transnational Issues |
Bahrain |
|
Disputes - international:
|
none |
|
Trafficking in persons:
|
current
situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men and
women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly to
work as laborers or domestic servants, but may be subjected
to conditions of involuntary servitude when faced with
exorbitant recruitment and transportation fees, withholding
of their passports, restrictions on their movement,
non-payment of wages, and physical or sexual abuse; women
from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Morocco, and Thailand are
also trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial
sexual exploitation or forced labor
tier rating: Tier 3 - Bahrain made no discernable
progress in preventing trafficking in 2006; the government
failed to enact a comprehensive anti-trafficking law and did
not report any prosecutions or convictions for trafficking
offenses, despite reports of a substantial problem of
involutary servitude and trafficking for commercial sexual
exploitation |
Information gathered from the Central Intelligence Agency
|
|
|
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