Bahrain
Bahrain Facts & Figures Map of Bahrain
Discover the Eastern Home of the King of the Pop
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Background:
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In 1783, 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 Shia community. Shia political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shia political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shia discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence. |
| Geography | Bahrain |
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Location:
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Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
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Area:
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total: 665 sq km
country comparison to the world: 198 land: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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Land boundaries:
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total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km |
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Coastline:
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161 km |
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Climate:
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arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
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Natural resources:
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oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls |
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63%
other: 91.55% (2005)
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| People | Bahrain |
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Population:
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727,785
country comparison to the world: 163 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 25.9% (male 95,224/female 93,241)
15-64 years: 70.2% (male 292,941/female 217,729)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 15,106/female 13,544) (2009 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 30.1 years
male: 33.2 years
female: 26.7 years (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 13.11 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 75.89 years male: 73.35 years female: 78.56 years (2008 est.) |
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Ethnic groups:
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Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census) |
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Religions:
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Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census) |
| Government | Bahrain |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun
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Government type:
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constitutional monarchy |
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Capital:
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name: Manama
geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions:
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5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat
note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
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Independence:
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15 August 1971 (from the UK) |
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National holiday:
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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:
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adopted 14 February 2002 |
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Legal system:
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based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| 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: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
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| Economy | Bahrain |
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Economy – overview:
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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. Aluminum is Bahrain’s second major export after oil. Other major segments of Bahrain’s economy are the financial and construction sectors. Bahrain is focused on Islamic banking and is competing on an international scale with Malaysia as a worldwide banking center. 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. Continued strong growth hinges on Bahrain’s ability to acquire new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are long-term economic problems. The global financial crisis is likely to result in slower economic growth for Bahrain during 2009 as tight international credit and a slowing global economy cause funding for many non-oil projects to dry up. Lower oil prices may also cause Bahrain’s budget to slip back into deficit. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$26.7 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110 $25.17 billion (2007)
$23.29 billion (2006)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$19.68 billion (2008 est.) |
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GDP – real growth rate:
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6.1% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54 8.1% (2007 est.)
6.7% (2006 est.)
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GDP – per capita (PPP):
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$37,200 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29 $35,500 (2007 est.)
$33,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP – composition by sector:
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agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 43.6%
services: 56% (2007 est.)
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Labor force:
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463,000
country comparison to the world: 150 note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2008 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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15% (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151 |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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7% (2008 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $7.226 billion
expenditures: $5.806 billion (2008 est.)
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Exports:
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$19.17 billion (2008 est.) |
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Exports – commodities:
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petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles |
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Exports – partners:
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Saudi Arabia 3.5%, US 2.5%, UAE 2.5%
note: data exclude oil exports (2007)
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Imports:
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$15.64 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80 |
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Imports – partners:
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Saudi Arabia 37.7%, Japan 7.2%, US 6.2%, Germany 4.7%, UK 4.5%, UAE 4.2%, China 4.1% (2007) |
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Currency (code):
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Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar – 0.376 (2008 est.), 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004) |
Facts & Figures are retrieved from CIA World Factbook at:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bahrain.html