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Bahrain Index
Shia Muslims hold the fundamental beliefs of other
Muslims
(see Sunni Islam
, this ch.). In addition to these tenets,
however, Shia believe in the imamate, which is the
distinctive
institution of Shia Islam. Whereas Sunni Muslims view the
caliph
as a temporal leader only and consider an imam to be a
prayer
leader, Shia Muslims hold a hereditary view of Muslim
leadership.
They believe the Prophet Muhammad designated Ali to be his
successor as Imam (when uppercase, Imam refers to the Shia
descendant of the House of Ali), exercising both spiritual
and
temporal leadership. Only those who have walayat
(spiritual guidance) are free from error and sin and have
been
chosen by God through the Prophet. Each Imam in turn
designated
his successor--through twelve Imams--each holding the same
powers.
The imamate began with Ali, who is also accepted by
Sunni
Muslims as the fourth of the "rightly guided caliphs" to
succeed
the Prophet. Shia revere Ali as the First Imam, and his
descendants, beginning with his sons Hasan and Husayn,
continue
the line of the Imams until the twelfth. Shia point to the
close
lifetime association of the Prophet with Ali. When Ali was
six
years old, he was invited by the Prophet to live with him,
and
Shia believe Ali was the first person to make the
declaration of
faith in Islam. Ali also slept in the Prophet's bed on the
night
of the hijra, when it was feared that the house would be
attacked
by unbelievers and the Prophet stabbed to death. He fought
in all
the battles the Prophet did, except one, and the Prophet
chose
him to be the husband of one of his favorite daughters,
Fatima.
Among Shia, the term imam traditionally has been
used
only for Ali and his eleven descendants. None of the
twelve
Imams, with the exception of Ali, ever ruled an Islamic
government. During their lifetimes, their followers hoped
that
they would assume the rulership of the Islamic community,
a rule
that was believed to have been wrongfully usurped. Because
Sunni
caliphs were cognizant of this hope, Imams generally were
persecuted under the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties.
Therefore,
the Imams tried to be as unobtrusive as possible and to
live as
far as was reasonable from the successive capitals of the
Islamic
empire.
During the eighth century, Caliph Al Mamun, son and
successor
to Harun ar Rashid, was favorably disposed toward the
descendants
of Ali and their followers. He invited Imam Reza, the
Eighth Imam
(765-816), to come from Medina to his court at Marv (Mary
in
present-day Turkmenistan). While Reza was residing at
Marv, Al
Mamun designated him as his successor in an apparent
effort to
avoid conflict among Muslims. Reza's sister, Fatima,
journeyed
from Medina to be with her brother but took ill and died
at Qom,
in present-day Iran. A major shrine developed around her
tomb,
and over the centuries Qom has become a major Shia
pilgrimage
site and theological center.
Al Mamun took Reza on his military campaign to retake
Baghdad
from political rivals. On this trip, Reza died
unexpectedly in
Khorasan. Reza was the only Imam to reside in, or die in,
what is
now Iran. A major shrine, and eventually the city of
Mashhad,
grew up around his tomb, which is the major pilgrimage
center in
Iran. Several theological schools are located in Mashhad,
associated with the shrine of the Eighth Imam.
Reza's sudden death was a shock to his followers, many
of
whom believed that Al Mamun, out of jealousy for Reza's
increasing popularity, had the Imam poisoned. Al Mamun's
suspected treachery against Imam Reza and his family
tended to
reinforce a feeling already prevalent among his followers
that
Sunni rulers were untrustworthy.
The Twelfth Imam is believed to have been only five
years old
when he became Imam in 874 on the death of his father.
Because
his followers feared he might be assassinated, the Twelfth
Imam
was hidden from public view and was seen only by a few of
his
closest deputies. Sunnis claim that he never existed, or
that he
died while still a child. Shia believe that the Twelfth
Imam
never died, but disappeared in about 939. Since then, the
greater
occultation of the Twelfth Imam has been in force, which
will
last until God commands the Twelfth Imam to manifest
himself on
earth again as the mahdi or messiah. Shia believe that
during the
occultation of the Twelfth Imam, he is spiritually
present--some
believe that he is materially present as well--and he is
besought
to reappear in various invocations and prayers. His name
is
mentioned in wedding invitations, and his birthday is one
of the
most jubilant of all Shia religious observances.
The Shia doctrine of the imamate was not fully
elaborated
until the tenth century. Other dogmas developed still
later. A
characteristic of Shia Islam is the continual exposition
and
reinterpretation of doctrine.
A significant practice of Shia Islam is that of
visiting the
shrines of Imams in Iraq and in Iran. In Iraq, these
include the
tomb of Imam Ali in An Najaf and that of his son, Imam
Husayn, in
Karbala, because both are considered major Shia martyrs.
Before
the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88), tens of thousands made the
visits
each year. Other principal pilgrimage sites in Iraq are
the tombs
of the Seventh Imam and the Ninth Imam at Kazimayn near
Baghdad.
In Iran, pilgrimage sites include the tomb of the Eighth
Imam in
Mashhad and that of his sister in Qom. Such pilgrimages
originated in part from the difficulty and the expense of
making
the hajj to Mecca in the early days.
In commemoration of the martyrdom of Husayn, killed
near
Karbala in 680 during a battle with troops supporting the
Umayyad
caliph, processions are held in the Shia towns and
villages of
southern Iraq on the tenth day of Muharram (Ashura), the
anniversary of his death. Ritual mourning (taaziya)
is
performed by groups of five to twenty men each.
Contributions are
solicited in the community to pay transportation for a
local
group to go to Karbala for taaziya celebrations
forty days
after Ashura. There is great rivalry among groups for the
best
performance of the taaziya passion plays.
Shia practice differs from Sunni practice concerning
divorce
and inheritance in that it is more favorable to women. The
reason
for this reputedly is the high esteem in which Fatima, the
wife
of Ali and the daughter of the Prophet, was held.
Like Sunni Islam, Shia Islam has developed several
sects. The
most important of these is the Twelver, or Ithna-Ashari,
sect,
which predominates in the Shia world generally. Not all
Shia
became Twelvers, however. In the eighth century, a dispute
arose
over who should lead the Shia community after the death of
the
Sixth Imam, Jaafar ibn Muhammad (also known as Jaafar as
Sadiq).
The group that eventually became the Twelvers followed the
teaching of Musa al Kazim; another group followed the
teachings
of Musa's brother, Ismail, and were called Ismailis.
Ismailis are
also referred to as Seveners because they broke off from
the Shia
community over a disagreement concerning the Seventh Imam.
Ismailis do not believe that any of their Imams have
disappeared
from the world in order to return later. Rather, they have
followed a continuous line of leaders represented in early
1993
by Karim al Husayni Agha Khan IV, an active figure in
international humanitarian efforts. The Twelver Shia and
the
Ismailis also have their own legal schools.
Another group, the Kharijites, arose from events
surrounding
the assassination of Uthman, the third caliph, and the
transfer
of authority to the fourth caliph, Ali. In the war between
Ali
and Muawiyah, part of Ali's army objected to arbitration
of the
dispute. They left Ali's camp, causing other Muslims to
refer to
them as "kharijites" (the ones who leave). The term
Kharijites also became a designation for Muslims
who
refused to compromise with those who differed from them.
Their
actions caused the Sunni community to consider them
assassins.
In the eighth century, some Kharijites began to
moderate
their position. Leaders arose who suppressed the fanatical
political element in Kharijite belief and discouraged
their
followers from taking up arms against Islam's official
leader.
Kharijite leaders emphasized instead the special benefits
that
Kharijites might receive from living in a small community
that
held high standards for personal conduct and spiritual
values.
One of these religious leaders, or imams, was Abd Allah
ibn Ibad,
whose followers founded communities in parts of Africa and
southern Arabia. Some of Abd Allah's followers, known as
Ibadis,
became the leaders of Oman.
Data as of January 1993
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.)
|
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.)
|
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)
|
Education expenditures(% of GDP) | | 3.9% of GDP (1991)
|
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