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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Bahrain Index
Lieutenant General Charles Horner, commanding general,
United States Central Air Force, congratulates Major Hamad ibn Abd
Allah Al Khalifa, commander of Bahrain's Shaykh Isa Squadron, after
awarding him the Legion of Merit for his support during Operation
Desert Storm.
Courtesy United States Air Force
A Qatari air force pilot performs a preflight check on
his Mirage F1 aircraft before a mission during Operation Desert
Storm.
Courtesy United States Air Force
In company with other gulf amirates, Qatar had
long-standing
ties with Britain but had remained under nominal Ottoman
hegemony
until 1916, when the British took over the foreign affairs
and
defense of Qatar. During the next five decades, Britain
also
exercised considerable influence in the internal affairs
of the
amirate. When the announcement came that it would withdraw
its
military forces from the gulf by 1971, Qatari leaders were
forced
to consider how to survive without British protection.
Unable to
support a large military establishment, Qatar has placed
its
reliance on small but mobile forces that can deter border
incursions. Nevertheless, the Iran-Iraq War brought
attacks on
shipping just beyond its territorial waters, underscoring
its
vulnerability to interference with oil shipments and vital
imports. In addition to seeking collective security
through the
GCC, Qatar has turned to close ties with Saudi Arabia,
entering
into a bilateral defense agreement in 1982.
The ruler in 1992, Shaykh Khalifa ibn Hamad Al Thani,
had
taken control of the country twenty years earlier, when
the
leading members of the ruling family decided that
Khalifa's
cousin, Ahmad ibn Ali Al Thani, should be replaced because
of his
many shortcomings as amir. As supreme commander of the
armed
forces, Khalifa ibn Hamad issued a decree in 1977
appointing his
son and heir apparent, Hamad ibn Khalifa Al Thani, to the
post of
commander in chief. The same decree created the Ministry
of
Defense and named Hamad ibn Khalifa as minister. Hamad ibn
Khalifa was a graduate of Sandhurst and had attained the
rank of
major general.
At the time of independence on September 3, 1971, the
armed
forces consisted of little more than the Royal Guard
Regiment and
some scattered units equipped with a few armored cars and
four
aircraft. By 1992 it had grown to a force of 7,500,
including an
army of 6,000, a navy of 700, and an air force of 800. In
addition to the Royal Guard Regiment, the army had
expanded to
include a tank battalion, three mechanized infantry
battalions, a
special forces company, a field artillery regiment, and a
SAM
battery. The combined combat strength of these units,
however, is
estimated to be no more than that of a reinforced regiment
in a
Western army.
Initially outfitted with British weaponry, Qatar
shifted much
of its procurement to France during the 1980s in response
to
French efforts to develop closer relations. The tank
battalion is
equipped with French-built AMX-30 main battle tanks. Other
armored vehicles include French AMX-10P APCs and the
French VAB,
which has been adopted as the standard wheeled combat
vehicle.
The artillery unit has a few French 155mm self-propelled
howitzers (see
table 40, Appendix). The principal antitank
weapons are French Milan and HOT wire-guided missiles.
Qatar had
also illicitly acquired a few Stinger shoulder-fired SAMs,
possibly from Afghan rebel groups, at a time when the
United
States was trying to maintain tight controls on Stingers
in the
Middle East. When Qatar refused to turn over the missiles,
the
United States Senate in 1988 imposed a ban on the sale of
all
weapons to Qatar. The ban was repealed in late 1990 when
Qatar
satisfactorily accounted for its disposition of the
Stingers.
Three French-built La Combattante III missile boats,
which
entered service in 1983, form the core of the navy. The
boats
supplement six older Vosper Thornycroft large patrol
boats. A
variety of smaller craft are operated by the marine
police.
The air force is equipped with combat aircraft and
armed
helicopters. Its fighter aircraft include Alpha Jets with
a
fighter-ground attack capability and one air defense
squadron of
Mirage F1s, all purchased from France. All of the aircraft
are
based at Doha International Airport. The planned purchase
from
the United States of Hawk and Patriot missile systems will
give
Qatar a modern ground-based air defense. British pilots on
detail
in Oman remain on duty with the air force, and French
specialists
are employed in a maintenance capacity. Nevertheless, an
increasing number of young Qataris have been trained as
pilots
and technicians.
The lack of sufficient indigenous manpower to staff the
armed
forces is a continuing problem. By one estimate, Qatari
citizens
constitute only 30 percent of the army, in which more than
twenty
nationalities are represented. Many of the officers are of
the
royal family or members of leading tribes. Enlisted
personnel are
recruited from beduin tribes that move between Qatar and
Saudi
Arabia and from other Arab groups. Many Pakistanis serve
in
combat units. In 1992 there were still a number of British
officers, as well as Britons, French, Jordanians, and
Pakistanis
in advisory or technical positions. More young Qataris are
being
recruited, and the number of trained and competent Qatari
officers is steadily increasing.
Although official data on military expenditures are not
published, the defense budget estimate of US$500 million
for 1989
was 8 percent of the gross domestic product
(GDP--see Glossary).
The estimate of US$934 million for 1991, an increase of 80
percent over 1989, was presumably attributable to the
costs of
the Persian Gulf War. During the hostilities, the Qatari
tank
battalion was deployed to the Saudi-Iraqi border as part
of Joint
Forces Command East. Saudi and Qatari forces that had dug
in to
defend the road leading south from the border town of Ras
al
Khafji were forced to withdraw when the Iraqis made their
only
incursion onto Saudi territory on January 29, 1991. The
three
Saudi battalions and the one tank battalion from Qatar
maintained
contact with the Iraqi forces and participated in the
coalition
counterattack two days later that drove the Iraqis out of
the
town with considerable losses. The Qatari contingent,
composed
mostly of Pakistani recruits, acquitted itself well. The
Qatari
battalion also formed part of the Arab forces that
advanced
across Iraqi positions toward the city of Kuwait during
the
general coalition offensive on February 24, 1991.
Beginning on
January 22, 1991, Qatari aircraft joined other countries
in
carrying out strikes against Iraqi forces. United States,
Canadian, and French fighter squadrons flew daily missions
from
Doha during the gulf war. One Qatari tank was lost in the
engagement, and a number of Arab soldiers were killed or
wounded.
No Qatari combat deaths were reported during the war.
Although the amirate has experienced little internal
unrest,
the large number of foreigners--forming 80 percent of the
work
force--are regarded as possible sources of instability.
Qatar is
determined to maintain control over their activities and
limit
their influence. A significant number of resident
Palestinians,
some of whom included prominent businessmen and civil
servants,
were expelled after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Iranian
Shia
have not been the source of problems but are nevertheless
looked
on as potential subversives. Foreigners are liable to face
arbitrary police action and harassment and often complain
of
mistreatment after their arrest.
The Ministry of Interior has controlled the police
force of
about 2,500 members since 1990. The local police enforces
laws
and arrests violators. The General Administration of
Public
Security, which in 1991 replaced the Criminal
Investigation
Department, is a separate unit of the ministry charged
with
investigation of crimes. The Mubahathat (secret police
office), a
nearly independent branch of the Ministry of Interior,
deals with
sedition and espionage. The army's mission does not
include
internal security, although the army can be called on in
the
event of serious civil disturbances. Nevertheless, a
separate
agency, the Mukhabarat (intelligence service), is under
armed
forces jurisdiction. Its function is to intercept and
arrest
terrorists and to keep surveillance over political
dissidents.
Qatar has both civil and sharia courts, but only sharia
courts have jurisdiction in criminal matters. Lacking
permanent
security courts, security cases are tried by specially
established military courts, but such cases have been
rare. In
sharia criminal cases, the proceedings are closed, and
lawyers
play no formal role except to prepare the accused for
trial.
After the parties state their cases and after witnesses
are
examined by the judge, the verdict is usually delivered
with
little delay. No bail is set, but in minor cases, charged
persons
may be released to a Qatari sponsor. Most of the floggings
prescribed by sharia law are administered, but physical
mutilation is not allowed, and no executions have occurred
since
the 1980s.
The police routinely monitor the communications of
suspects
and security risks. Although warrants are usually required
for
searches, this does not apply in cases involving national
security. The security forces reportedly have applied
severe
force and torture in investigating political and
security-related
cases. Suspects can be incarcerated without charge,
although this
is infrequent. The United States Department of State noted
that
standards of police conduct have improved in spite of a
1991
incident in which a group of Qataris were detained without
charge
for two months in connection with the unauthorized
publication of
tracts and letters critical of the government; at least
one
member of the group, which included several members of the
ruling
family, is said to have been beaten.
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.)
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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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