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Background:
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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, installed in 1999,
has pushed economic and political reforms, and has worked to improve
relations with the Shi'a community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters
approved a referendum on the National Action Charter - the centerpiece
of the amir's political liberalization program. In February 2002,
Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In local
elections held in May 2002, Bahraini women were allowed to vote
and run for office for the first time. |
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Location:
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Middle East, archipelago
in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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26 00 N, 50 33 E |
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Map references:
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Middle East |
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Area:
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total: 665
sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 665 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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3.5 times the size
of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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161 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone:
24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
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Climate:
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arid; mild, pleasant
winters; very hot, humid summers |
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Terrain:
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mostly low desert
plain rising gently to low central escarpment |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m |
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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:
4.35%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 91.3% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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50 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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periodic droughts;
dust storms |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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656,397
note: includes 228,424 non-nationals (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
29.2% (male 97,022; female 94,605)
15-64 years: 67.7% (male 261,919; female 182,727)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 10,230; female 9,894) (2002
est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.67% (2002 est.)
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Birth rate:
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19.53 births/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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3.95 deaths/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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1.09 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.43 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.29 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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19.18 deaths/1,000
live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
73.47 years
female: 75.96 years (2002 est.)
male: 71.05 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.75 children born/woman
(2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.15% (1999 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini |
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Ethnic groups:
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Bahraini 63%, Asian
19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8% |
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Religions:
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Shi'a Muslim 70%,
Sunni Muslim 30% |
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Languages:
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Arabic, English, Farsi,
Urdu |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.5%
male: 91.6%
female: 84.2% (2002 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long
form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn |
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Government type:
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constitutional hereditary
monarchy |
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Capital:
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Manama |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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15 August 1971 (from
UK) |
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National holiday:
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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
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Constitution:
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adopted late December
2000; Bahrani voters approved on 13-14 February 2001 a referendum
on legislative changes (revised constitution calls for a partially
elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent
judiciary) |
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Legal system:
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based on Islamic law
and English common law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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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 NA 1971)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister
appointed by the monarch |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Parliament
consists of Shura Council (40 members appointed by the King) and
House of Deputies (40 members elected by restricted vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002
(next election to be held NA 2006)
note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National
Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created
bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum
14 February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on
25 December 2002
election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote - NA%;
seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10 |
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Judicial branch:
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High Civil Appeals
Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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political parties
prohibited but politically oriented nongovernment organizations
are allowed |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Shi'a activists fomented
unrest sporadically in 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 |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA, AFESD, AL,
AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Khalifa bin Ali bin Rashid AL KHALIFA
chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN
embassy: Building #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 |
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Flag description:
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red with a white serrated
band (eight white points) on the hoist side
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Economy - overview:
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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 refining imported
crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects.
Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil
and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity
- $8.4 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity
- $13,000 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
1%
industry: 35%
services: 64% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
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lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.5% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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295,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
(July 1998 est.) (1998 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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industry, commerce,
and service 79%, government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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15% (1998 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $1.8
billion
expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures
of $700 million (2002 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum processing
and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing;
tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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2% (2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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5.765 billion kWh
(2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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5,361.45 million kWh
(2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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fruit, vegetables;
poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish |
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Exports:
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$5.5 billion (2001)
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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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India 8.4%, US 3.9%,
Saudi Arabia 3.4%, Japan 2.8%, South Korea 2.1% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$4.5 billion (2001)
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Imports - commodities:
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crude oil, machinery,
chemicals |
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Imports - partners:
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Saudi Arabia 28.7%,
US 12.5%, UK 6.6%, France 6%, Japan 4% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$2.8 billion (2000)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$48.4 million (1995)
(1995) |
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Currency:
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Bahraini dinar (BHD)
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Currency code:
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BHD |
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Exchange rates:
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Bahraini dinars per
US dollar - 0.3760 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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152,000 (1997) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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58,543 (1997) |
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Telephone system:
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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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2, FM 3, shortwave
0 (1998) |
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Radios:
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338,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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4 (1997) |
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Televisions:
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275,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.bh |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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140,200 (2002)
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total: 3,164
km
paved: 2,433 km
unpaved: 731 km
note: a paved causeway links Bahrain and Saudi Arabia |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Pipelines:
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crude oil 56 km; petroleum
products 16 km; natural gas 32 km |
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Ports and harbors:
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Manama, Mina' Salman,
Sitrah |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 8 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) totaling 270,784 GRT/384,561 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 4, container 2, includes a foreign-owned
ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1 (2002 est.)
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Airports:
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4 (2001) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2 (2002) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
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Heliports:
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1 (2002)
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Military branches:
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Bahrain Defense Forces
(BDF) comprising Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air
Force, Coast Guard, Police Force, Amiri Guards, National Guard |
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Military manpower - military age:
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15 years of age (2002
est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age 15-49:
222,572 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age 15-49:
121,955 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males: 5,926
(2002 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$526.2 million (FY01)
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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6.7% (FY01)
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