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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Bahrain Index
![[JPEG]](/images/frd/cs/jpeg.gif)
Kuwaiti soldiers in formation during a dignitary's visit
to their outpost during Operation Desert Shield
Courtesy United States Air Force
Kuwaiti M-84 main battle tank lays a smoke screen in a
demonstration during Operation Desert Shield.
Courtesy United States Air Force
From 1899 until 1961, Kuwait remained, in effect, a
British
protectorate. A succession of amirs of the Al Sabah ruled
the
country, but the handling of its foreign affairs was a
British
prerogative, and Britain guaranteed the security of the
amirate.
Kuwaiti forces consisted of the amir's royal guard plus a
small
domestic police force or constabulary under the British
administration. During the 1920s and 1930s, British
protection
became particularly important in deterring Saudi
encroachment and
later in blocking Iraqi territorial claims. By
independence on
June 19, 1961, the British had converted the 600-man
constabulary
into a combined arms brigade of 2,500 men trained by a
British
military mission. Small air and naval forces were also
established in 1961 under British tutelage.
With its small size and enormous oil wealth, Kuwait
occupies
an uneasy position at the head of the gulf. One of its
powerful
neighbors, Iran, only forty kilometers away, had
proclaimed its
aim of exporting its Islamic revolution; the other
powerful
neighbor, Iraq, had repeatedly challenged Kuwait's
legitimacy
(see Territorial Disputes
, this ch.). Fearful of the
radical
leadership in Iran, Kuwait aided Iraq during the Iran-Iraq
War by
permitting the transshipment of goods across its territory
and by
loans of about US$6 billion. Kuwait responded to terrorist
bombings and other violence inspired by Iran by
intensifying its
military cooperation with the GCC and by building up its
own
forces. Although formally neutral and reluctant to become
involved with the great powers except as a last resort,
Kuwait
turned to the United States, the Soviet Union, and Britain
for
naval protection of its tanker fleet after twenty-one
ships were
attacked in the gulf in the six months preceding April
1987.
Iraq's surprise attack and occupation of Kuwait caused
the
virtual disintegration of the Kuwaiti armed forces. Large
numbers
of personnel were killed, captured, or dispersed, and most
Kuwaiti equipment was destroyed or taken over by the Iraqi
armed
forces. The minister of defense said that 90 percent of
military
installations had suffered major damage. By early 1992,
most army
barracks were again usable, and the naval base was in
operation
but needed rebuilding. The air force flew temporarily from
the
civilian airport near the city of Kuwait while the air
bases were
being reconstructed in 1992. Kuwait expected to spend
about US$9
billion--six times the prewar defense budget--in 1992 to
replace
destroyed equipment and installations.
In a sharp departure from previous policy, Kuwait
entered
into a ten-year defense cooperation agreement with the
United
States in September 1991. The agreement included United
States
port access, military equipment storage, and joint
training and
exercises. The agreement did not provide for the
stationing of
United States service personnel in Kuwait; 1,500 personnel
remaining after the gulf war were scheduled to leave
within a few
months. Similar but less extensive ten-year cooperation
agreements were subsequently concluded with Britain and
France.
Data as of January 1993
Background
Kuwaiti soldiers in formation during a dignitary's visit
to their outpost during Operation Desert Shield
Courtesy United States Air Force
Kuwaiti M-84 main battle tank lays a smoke screen in a
demonstration during Operation Desert Shield.
Courtesy United States Air Force
From 1899 until 1961, Kuwait remained, in effect, a
British
protectorate. A succession of amirs of the Al Sabah ruled
the
country, but the handling of its foreign affairs was a
British
prerogative, and Britain guaranteed the security of the
amirate.
Kuwaiti forces consisted of the amir's royal guard plus a
small
domestic police force or constabulary under the British
administration. During the 1920s and 1930s, British
protection
became particularly important in deterring Saudi
encroachment and
later in blocking Iraqi territorial claims. By
independence on
June 19, 1961, the British had converted the 600-man
constabulary
into a combined arms brigade of 2,500 men trained by a
British
military mission. Small air and naval forces were also
established in 1961 under British tutelage.
With its small size and enormous oil wealth, Kuwait
occupies
an uneasy position at the head of the gulf. One of its
powerful
neighbors, Iran, only forty kilometers away, had
proclaimed its
aim of exporting its Islamic revolution; the other
powerful
neighbor, Iraq, had repeatedly challenged Kuwait's
legitimacy
(see Territorial Disputes
, this ch.). Fearful of the
radical
leadership in Iran, Kuwait aided Iraq during the Iran-Iraq
War by
permitting the transshipment of goods across its territory
and by
loans of about US$6 billion. Kuwait responded to terrorist
bombings and other violence inspired by Iran by
intensifying its
military cooperation with the GCC and by building up its
own
forces. Although formally neutral and reluctant to become
involved with the great powers except as a last resort,
Kuwait
turned to the United States, the Soviet Union, and Britain
for
naval protection of its tanker fleet after twenty-one
ships were
attacked in the gulf in the six months preceding April
1987.
Iraq's surprise attack and occupation of Kuwait caused
the
virtual disintegration of the Kuwaiti armed forces. Large
numbers
of personnel were killed, captured, or dispersed, and most
Kuwaiti equipment was destroyed or taken over by the Iraqi
armed
forces. The minister of defense said that 90 percent of
military
installations had suffered major damage. By early 1992,
most army
barracks were again usable, and the naval base was in
operation
but needed rebuilding. The air force flew temporarily from
the
civilian airport near the city of Kuwait while the air
bases were
being reconstructed in 1992. Kuwait expected to spend
about US$9
billion--six times the prewar defense budget--in 1992 to
replace
destroyed equipment and installations.
In a sharp departure from previous policy, Kuwait
entered
into a ten-year defense cooperation agreement with the
United
States in September 1991. The agreement included United
States
port access, military equipment storage, and joint
training and
exercises. The agreement did not provide for the
stationing of
United States service personnel in Kuwait; 1,500 personnel
remaining after the gulf war were scheduled to leave
within a few
months. Similar but less extensive ten-year cooperation
agreements were subsequently concluded with Britain and
France.
Data as of January 1993
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Background | | 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.
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Location | | Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
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Area(sq km) | | total: 741 sq km
land: 741 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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Geographic coordinates | | 26 00 N, 50 33 E
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Land boundaries(km) | | 0 km
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Coastline(km) | | 161 km
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Climate | | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
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Elevation extremes(m) | | lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
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Natural resources | | oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
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Land use(%) | | arable land: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63%
other: 91.55% (2005)
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Irrigated land(sq km) | | 40 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources(cu km) | | 0.1 cu km (1997)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) | | total: 0.3 cu km/yr (40%/3%/57%)
per capita: 411 cu m/yr (2000)
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Natural hazards | | periodic droughts; dust storms
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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)
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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
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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 | | 727,785
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)
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Age structure(%) | | 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(years) | | total: 30.1 years
male: 33.2 years
female: 26.7 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate(%) | | 1.285% (2009 est.)
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Birth rate(births/1,000 population) | | 17.02 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) | | 4.37 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
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Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population) | | 0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Urbanization(%) | | urban population: 89% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio(male(s)/female) | | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.34 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
total population: 1.24 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births) | | total: 15.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.81 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth(years) | | total population: 75.16 years
male: 72.64 years
female: 77.76 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate(children born/woman) | | 2.5 children born/woman (2009 est.)
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Nationality | | noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini
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Ethnic groups(%) | | Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)
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Religions(%) | | Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)
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Languages(%) | | Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
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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
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Government type | | constitutional monarchy
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Capital | | 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 | | 5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat
note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
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Constitution | | adopted 14 February 2002
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Legal system | | based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage | | 20 years of age; universal
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Executive branch | | chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir Apparent 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); 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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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 society - NA; seats by society - al Wifaq (Shia) 17, al Asala (Sunni Salafi) 5, al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7, independents 11; note - seats by society 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
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Political pressure groups and leaders | | Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators
other: several small leftist and other groups are active
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International organization participation | | ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, 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
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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
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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. 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) | | $26.89 billion (2008 est.)
$25.29 billion (2007 est.)
$23.34 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP (official exchange rate) | | $21.24 billion (2008 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate(%) | | 6.3% (2008 est.)
8.4% (2007 est.)
6.7% (2006 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP) | | $37,400 (2008 est.)
$35,700 (2007 est.)
$33,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP - composition by sector(%) | | agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 66.2%
services: 33.3% (2008 est.)
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Labor force | | 557,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2008 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation(%) | | agriculture: 1%
industry: 79%
services: 20% (1997 est.)
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Unemployment rate(%) | | 15% (2005 est.)
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Population below poverty line(%) | | NA%
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Household income or consumption by percentage share(%) | | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) | | 26.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
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Budget | | revenues: $6.934 billion
expenditures: $5.612 billion (2008 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) | | 7% (2008 est.)
3.3% (2007 est.)
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Stock of money | | $NA (31 December 2008)
$4.169 billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of quasi money | | $NA (31 December 2008)
$10.63 billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of domestic credit | | $NA (31 December 2008)
$10.32 billion (31 December 2007)
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Market value of publicly traded shares | | $21.18 billion (31 December 2008)
$28.13 billion (31 December 2007)
$21.12 billion (31 December 2006)
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Economic aid - recipient | | $103.9 million (2004)
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Public debt(% of GDP) | | 28.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
63.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
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Agriculture - products | | fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
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Industries | | petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
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Industrial production growth rate(%) | | 6.3% (2008 est.)
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Current account balance | | $2.257 billion (2008 est.)
$2.907 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports | | $17.49 billion (2008 est.)
$13.79 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports - commodities(%) | | petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
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Exports - partners(%) | | Saudi Arabia 3.4%, India 2.7%, UAE 2.2% (2008)
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Imports | | $14.25 billion (2008 est.)
$10.93 billion (2007 est.)
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Imports - commodities(%) | | crude oil, machinery, chemicals
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Imports - partners(%) | | Saudi Arabia 26.7%, Japan 8.9%, US 7.8%, China 6.2%, Germany 4.8%, South Korea 4.7%, UK 4.5% (2008)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | | $3.803 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$4.101 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Debt - external | | $10.33 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$7.858 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | | $15.01 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$13.31 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | | $9.34 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$7.72 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Exchange rates | | Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - 0.376 (2008 est.), 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004)
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Currency (code) | | Bahraini dinar (BHD)
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Telephones - main lines in use | | 220,000 (2008)
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Telephones - mobile cellular | | 1.4 million (2008)
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Telephone system | | general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile-cellular telephones
international: country code - 973; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth station - 1 (2007)
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Internet country code | | .bh
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Internet users | | 402,900 (2008)
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Airports | | 3 (2009)
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Pipelines(km) | | gas 20 km; oil 32 km (2008)
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Roadways(km) | | total: 3,498 km
paved: 2,768 km
unpaved: 730 km (2003)
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Ports and terminals | | Mina' Salman, Sitrah
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Military branches | | Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard
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Military service age and obligation(years of age) | | 17 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2008)
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Manpower available for military service | | males age 16-49: 210,938
females age 16-49: 170,471 (2008 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service | | males age 16-49: 171,004
females age 16-49: 144,555 (2009 est.)
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually | | male: 6,612
female: 6,499 (2009 est.)
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Military expenditures(% of GDP) | | 4.5% of GDP (2006)
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Disputes - international | | none
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Trafficking in persons | | current situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men and women trafficked for the purposes of involuntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; men and women from Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia migrate voluntarily to Bahrain to work as laborers or domestic servants where some face conditions of involuntary servitude such as unlawful withholding of passports, restrictions on movements, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse; women from Thailand, Morocco, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia are trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increased efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly efforts that enforce laws against trafficking in persons, and that prevent the punishment of victims of trafficking; during 2007, Bahrain passed a comprehensive law prohibiting all forms of trafficking in persons; the government also established a specialized anti-trafficking unit within the Ministry of Interior to investigate trafficking crimes; however, the government did not report any prosecutions or convictions for trafficking offenses during 2007, despite reports of a substantial problem of involuntary servitude and sex trafficking (2008)
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Electricity - production(kWh) | | 10.25 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - production by source(%) | | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption(kWh) | | 10.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - exports(kWh) | | 0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity - imports(kWh) | | 0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Oil - production(bbl/day) | | 48,520 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil - consumption(bbl/day) | | 38,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil - exports(bbl/day) | | 238,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil - imports(bbl/day) | | 228,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves(bbl) | | 124.6 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural gas - production(cu m) | | 12.64 billion cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption(cu m) | | 12.64 billion cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - exports(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008)
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Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) | | 92.03 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) | | 0.2% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | | fewer than 600 (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths | | fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
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Literacy(%) | | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 88.6%
female: 83.6% (2001 census)
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)(years) | | total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 16 years (2006)
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Education expenditures(% of GDP) | | 3.9% of GDP (1991)
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