Middle East :: BAHRAIN

  • Introduction :: BAHRAIN

  • In 1783, the Sunni Al-Khalifa family took power in Bahrain. 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. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing successful petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors, and also to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size and central location among Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors.
    The Sunni-led government has long struggled to manage relations with its large Shia-majority population. In early 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government confronted similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces to Bahrain. Political talks throughout 2014 between the government and opposition and loyalist political groups failed to reach an agreement, prompting opposition political societies to boycott parliamentary and municipal council elections in late 2014. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

  • Geography :: BAHRAIN

  • Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
    26 00 N, 50 33 E
    Middle East
    total: 760 sq km
    land: 760 sq km
    water: 0 sq km
    country comparison to the world: 188
    3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
    0 km
    161 km
    territorial sea: 12 nm
    contiguous zone: 24 nm
    continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
    arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
    mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
    mean elevation: NA
    elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
    highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
    oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
    agricultural land: 11.3%
    arable land 2.1%; permanent crops 3.9%; permanent pasture 5.3%
    forest: 0.7%
    other: 88% (2011 est.)
    40 sq km (2012)
    smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq
    periodic droughts; dust storms
    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)
    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
    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

  • People and Society :: BAHRAIN

  • 1,378,904 (July 2016 est.)
    note: immigrants make up approximately 50% of the total population, according to UN data (2015)
    country comparison to the world: 156
    noun: Bahraini(s)
    adjective: Bahraini
    Bahraini 46%, Asian 45.5%, other Arab 4.7%, African 1.6%, European 1%, other 1.2% (includes Gulf Co-operative country nationals, North and South Americans, and Oceanians) (2010 est.)
    Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu
    Muslim 70.3%, Christian 14.5%, Hindu 9.8%, Buddhist 2.5%, Jewish 0.6%, folk religion <.1, unaffiliated 1.9%, other 0.2% (2010 est.)
    0-14 years: 19.27% (male 134,899/female 130,792)
    15-24 years: 15.76% (male 122,683/female 94,627)
    25-54 years: 56.07% (male 505,181/female 268,034)
    55-64 years: 6.05% (male 53,693/female 29,717)
    65 years and over: 2.85% (male 19,253/female 20,025) (2016 est.)
    total dependency ratio: 31.4%
    youth dependency ratio: 28.2%
    elderly dependency ratio: 3.2%
    potential support ratio: 31.6% (2015 est.)
    total: 32.1 years
    male: 33.5 years
    female: 29.3 years (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 99
    2.33% (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 34
    13.5 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 144
    2.7 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 223
    12.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 6
    smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq
    urban population: 88.8% of total population (2015)
    rate of urbanization: 1.71% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
    MANAMA (capital) 411,000 (2015)
    at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
    0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
    15-24 years: 1.3 male(s)/female
    25-54 years: 1.88 male(s)/female
    55-64 years: 1.81 male(s)/female
    65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
    total population: 1.54 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
    15 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 138
    total: 9.2 deaths/1,000 live births
    male: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births
    female: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 143
    total population: 78.9 years
    male: 76.7 years
    female: 81.1 years (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 51
    1.77 children born/woman (2016 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 157
    5% of GDP (2014)
    country comparison to the world: 165
    0.92 physicians/1,000 population (2012)
    2.1 beds/1,000 population (2012)
    improved:
    urban: 100% of population
    rural: 100% of population
    total: 100% of population
    unimproved:
    urban: 0% of population
    rural: 0% of population
    total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
    improved:
    urban: 99.2% of population
    rural: 99.2% of population
    total: 99.2% of population
    unimproved:
    urban: 0.8% of population
    rural: 0.8% of population
    total: 0.8% of population (2015 est.)
    NA
    NA
    NA
    34.1% (2014)
    country comparison to the world: 20
    2.6% of GDP (2012)
    country comparison to the world: 153
    definition: age 15 and over can read and write
    total population: 95.7%
    male: 96.9%
    female: 93.5% (2015 est.)
    total: 5.3%
    male: 2.6%
    female: 12.2% (2012 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 127

  • Government :: BAHRAIN

  • conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
    conventional short form: Bahrain
    local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
    local short form: Al Bahrayn
    former: Dilmun, State of Bahrain
    etymology: the name means "the two seas" in Arabic and refers to the water bodies surrounding the archipelago
    constitutional monarchy
    name: Manama
    geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E
    time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
    4 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Asimah (Capital), Janubiyah (Southern), Muharraq, Shamaliyah (Northern)
    note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
    15 August 1971 (from the UK)
    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
    adopted 14 February 2002; amended 2012 (2016)
    mixed legal system of Islamic law, English common law, Egyptian civil, criminal, and commercial codes; customary law
    has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
    citizenship by birth: no
    citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Bahrain
    dual citizenship recognized: no
    residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years; 15 years for Arab nationals
    20 years of age; universal; note - Bahraini Cabinet in May 2011 endorsed a draft law lowering eligibility to 18 years
    chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969)
    head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al-Khalifa (since 1971); First Deputy Prime Minister SALMAN bin Hamad Al Khalifa (since 11 March 2013); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, Jawad bin Salim al-ARAIDH (since 11 December 2006), KHALID bin Abdallah Al Khalifa (since November 2010), MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa (since September 2005)
    cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
    elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
    description: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Consultative Council or Majlis al Shura (40 seats; members appointed by the king) and the Council of Representatives or Majlis al Nuwab (40 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in two rounds if needed; members serve 4-year renewable terms)
    elections: Council of Representatives - last held in two rounds on 23 and 29 November 2014 (next to be held in November 2018)
    election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - Al-Asalah (Sunni Salafi) 2, Islamic Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 1, independent 36, other 1; note - Bahrain has societies rather than parties
    highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Supreme Court of Appeal (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the president and 6 members); High Sharia Court of Appeal (court sittings include the president and at least one judge); appeals beyond the High Sharia Court of Appeal are heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal
    note: the judiciary of Bahrain is divided into civil law courts and sharia law courts; sharia courts are further divided into Sunni Muslim and Shia Muslim
    judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by royal decree and serve for a specified tenure; Constitutional Court president and members appointed by the Higher Judicial Council, a body chaired by the monarch and includes judges from the Court of Cassation, sharia law courts, and Civil High Courts of Appeal; members serve 9-year terms; High Sharia Court of Appeal member appointment and tenure NA
    subordinate courts: Civil High Courts of Appeal; middle and lower civil courts; High Sharia Court of Appeal; Senior Sharia Court
    note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law
    Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society or Al-Wefeq [Ali SALMAN]
    Arab Islamic Center Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER]
    Constitutional Gathering Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER]
    Islamic Asalah [Abd al-Halim MURAD]
    Islamic Saff Society [Abdullah Khalil BU GHAMAR]
    Islamic Shura Society
    Movement of National Justice Society [Muhi al-Din KHAN]
    National Action Charter Society [Muhammad AL-BUAYNAYN]
    National Democratic Action Society [Radhi AL-MOUSAWI]
    National Democratic Assembly [Hasan AL-ALI]
    National Dialogue Society
    National Fraternity Society [Musa AL-ANSARI]
    National Islamic Minbar [Ali AHMAD]
    National Progressive Tribune [Abd al-Nabi SALMAN]
    National Unity Gathering [Abdullatif AL-MAHMOOD]
    Unitary National Democratic Assemblage [Fadhil ABBAS]
    none
    ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
    chief of mission: Ambassador ABDALLAH bin Muhammad bin Rashid Al Khalifa (since 3 December 2013)
    chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
    telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111
    FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
    consulate(s) general: New York
    chief of mission: Ambassador William V. ROEBUCK (since 12 December 2014)
    embassy: Building
    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
    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
    note: until 2002 the flag had eight white points, but this was reduced to five to avoid confusion with the Qatari flag
    a red field surmounted by a white serrated band with five white points; national colors: red, white
    name: "Bahrainona" (Our Bahrain)
    lyrics/music: unknown
    note: adopted 1971; although Mohamed Sudqi AYYASH wrote the original lyrics, they were changed in 2002 following the transformation of Bahrain from an emirate to a kingdom

  • Economy :: BAHRAIN

  • Low oil prices have generated a budget deficit of at least a $4 billion deficit in 2015, 13% of GDP. Bahrain has few options for covering this deficit, with meager foreign assets and a constrained borrowing ability, stemming in part from a sovereign debt rating averaging just above “junk” status.
    Oil comprises 86% of Bahraini budget revenues, despite past efforts to diversify its economy and to build communication and transport facilities for multinational firms with business in the Gulf. As part of its diversification plans, Bahrain implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US in August 2006, the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state.
    Other major economic activities are production of aluminum - Bahrain's second biggest export after oil - finance, and construction. Bahrain continues to seek new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries.
    In 2011 Bahrain experienced economic setbacks as a result of domestic unrest driven by the majority Shia population, however, the economy recovered in 2012-15, partly as a result of improved tourism. In addition to addressing its current fiscal woes, Bahraini authorities face the long-term challenge of boosting Bahrain’s regional competitiveness—especially regarding industry, finance, and tourism—and reconciling revenue constraints with popular pressure to maintain generous state subsidies and a large public sector.
    $64.8 billion (2015 est.)
    $62.82 billion (2014 est.)
    $60.12 billion (2013 est.)
    note: data are in 2015 US dollars
    country comparison to the world: 100
    $30.41 billion (2015 est.)
    3.2% (2015 est.)
    4.5% (2014 est.)
    5.4% (2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 106
    $50,100 (2015 est.)
    $49,500 (2014 est.)
    $48,400 (2013 est.)
    note: data are in 2015 US dollars
    country comparison to the world: 23
    16.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
    19.9% of GDP (2014 est.)
    25% of GDP (2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 82
    household consumption: 46.7%
    government consumption: 17.2%
    investment in fixed capital: 17.6%
    investment in inventories: -0.9%
    exports of goods and services: 54.7%
    imports of goods and services: -35.3% (2015 est.)
    agriculture: 0.3%
    industry: 38.3%
    services: 61.4% (2015 est.)
    fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
    petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
    2.2% (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 97
    786,100
    note: excludes unemployed; 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 150
    agriculture: 1%
    industry: 32%
    services: 67% (2004 est.)
    4.1% (2014 est.)
    4.3% (2013 est.)
    note: official estimate; actual rate is higher
    country comparison to the world: 39
    NA%
    lowest 10%: NA%
    highest 10%: NA%
    revenues: $5.436 billion
    expenditures: $9.464 billion (2015 est.)
    17.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 174
    -13.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 208
    66.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
    42.6% of GDP (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 51
    calendar year
    1.8% (2015 est.)
    2.7% (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 113
    5.16% (31 December 2015 est.)
    5.87% (31 December 2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 140
    $8.762 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    $8.232 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 85
    $27 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    $25.95 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 78
    $28.29 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    $25.44 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 80
    $22.1 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    $18.57 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
    $15.65 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 67
    -$987 million (2015 est.)
    $1.523 billion (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 120
    $14.2 billion (2015 est.)
    $20.75 billion (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 75
    petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
    Saudi Arabia 3.6%, UAE 2.4%, US 2.2% (2015)
    $8.848 billion (2015 est.)
    $13.32 billion (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 102
    crude oil, machinery, chemicals
    Saudi Arabia 29.1%, US 9.5%, China 7.6%, Japan 6.6%, Australia 5.1%, India 4.9% (2015)
    $4.657 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    $6.049 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 95
    $19.74 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    $18.88 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 87
    $17.31 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    $18.77 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 80
    $11.22 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
    $10.72 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 58
    Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar -
    0.376 (2015 est.)
    0.376 (2014 est.)
    0.376 (2013 est.)
    0.376 (2012 est.)
    0.376 (2011 est.)

  • Energy :: BAHRAIN

  • population without electricity: 41,317
    electrification - total population: 98%
    electrification - urban areas: 98%
    electrification - rural areas: 93% (2012)
    26 billion kWh (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 89
    25 billion kWh (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 86
    200 million kWh (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 76
    200 million kWh (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 105
    3.9 million kW (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 83
    99.9% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 36
    0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 46
    0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 158
    0.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 118
    50,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 57
    0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 33
    219,100 bbl/day (2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 30
    100 million bbl (1 January 2016 es)
    country comparison to the world: 70
    272,900 bbl/day (2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 46
    55,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 99
    243,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 28
    15,960 bbl/day (2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 179
    16.9 billion cu m (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 36
    16.9 billion cu m (2014 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 43
    0 cu m (2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 59
    0 cu m (2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 158
    92.03 billion cu m (1 January 2016 es)
    country comparison to the world: 55
    37 million Mt (2013 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 74

  • Communications :: BAHRAIN

  • total subscriptions: 278,976
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (July 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 118
    total: 2.519 million
    subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 187 (July 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 148
    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 station - 1 (2015)
    state-run Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) operates 5 terrestrial TV networks and several radio stations; satellite TV systems provide access to international broadcasts; 1 private FM station directs broadcasts to Indian listeners; radio and TV broadcasts from countries in the region are available (2007)
    .bh
    total: 1.259 million
    percent of population: 93.5% (July 2015 est.)
    country comparison to the world: 116

  • Transportation :: BAHRAIN

  • number of registered air carriers: 6
    inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 42
    annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 5,313,756
    annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 240,107,004 mt-km (2015)
    A9C (2016)
    4 (2013)
    country comparison to the world: 184
    total: 4
    over 3,047 m: 3
    914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
    1 (2013)
    gas 20 km; oil 54 km (2013)
    total: 4,122 km
    paved: 3,392 km
    unpaved: 730 km (2010)
    country comparison to the world: 157
    total: 8
    by type: bulk carrier 2, container 4, petroleum tanker 2
    foreign-owned: 5 (Kuwait 5)
    registered in other countries: 5 (Honduras 5) (2010)
    country comparison to the world: 119
    major seaport(s): Mina' Salman, Sitrah

  • Military and Security :: BAHRAIN

  • Bahrain Defense Force (BDF): Royal Bahraini Army (RBA), Royal Bahraini Navy (RBN), Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF), Royal Bahraini Air Defense Force (RBADF) (2013)
    18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2012)
    4.2% of GDP (2014)
    4.1% of GDP (2013)
    3.9% of GDP (2010)
    country comparison to the world: 19

  • Transnational Issues :: BAHRAIN

  • none