Bahrain

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Bahrain

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Mamlakat al-Bahrayn/Kingdom of Bahrain Area 688 sq km/266 sq mi Capital Al Manamah (on Bahrain island) Language Arabic (official), Farsi, English, Urdu Religion 85% Muslim (Shiite 60%, Sunni 40%), Christian; Islam is the state religion Time difference GMT +3 Major holidays 1 January, 16 December; variable: Eid-ul-Adha, Ashora, end of Ramadan, New Year (Muslim), Prophet's Birthday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Al Muharraq, Jidd Hafs, Isa Town, Rifa'a, Sitra Major ports Mina Sulman Physical features archipelago of 35 islands in Arabian Gulf, composed largely of sand-covered limestone; generally poor and infertile soil; flat and hot; causeway linking Bahrain to mainland Saudi Arabia Airports one international airport; total passengers carried: 4.3 million (2003 est) Railways none Roads total road network: 3,498 km/2,174 mi, of which 79.1% paved (2003 est); passenger cars: 377.8 per 1,000 people (2003 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa from 1999 Head of government Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa from 1970 Political system monarchy Political executive absolute Administrative divisions 12 municipalities Political parties not permitted Death penalty retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes but can be considered abolitionist in practice Armed forces 11,200; plus paramilitary forces of 10,200 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 4.4 (2004 est) Education spend (% GDP) 3.1 (2001 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.8 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Bahraini dinar GDP (US$) 13 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 7.1 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 10.3 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 20,200 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 2.6% (2006 est) Unemployment 20% (2004 est) Labour force 0.8% agriculture, 54.7% industry, 44.5% services (1994) Foreign debt (US$) 6.8 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners Saudi Arabia, USA, Japan, South Korea, UK, France, United Arab Emirates Resources petroleum and natural gas Industries petroleum refining, aluminium smelting, petrochemicals, shipbuilding and repairs, electronics assembly, banking Exports petroleum and petroleum products, aluminium and other base metals, chemicals, textiles. Principal market: Saudi Arabaia 3% (2005) Imports crude petroleum, transport equipment, machinery and appliances, basic manufactures. Principal source: Saudi Arabia 34.8% (2005) Arable land 2.8% (2006 est) Agricultural products dates, tomatoes, melons, vegetables; poultry products and fishing


POPULATION

Population 738,500 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.9% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 1,073 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 90 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 27%, 15–59 68%, 60+ 5% (2005 est) Ethnic groups 63% Bahraini, 13% Asian, 10% other Arab, 8% Iranian Life expectancy 74 (men); 77 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 11 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 12 Literacy rate 92% (men); 84% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 16.6 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 2.8 (2003 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.2 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 200 (2003 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 100 (urban) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 27.1 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 103 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 580 (1997) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 414 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 16.9 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 35.3 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

4th century AD Became part of Persian (Iranian) Sassanian Empire. 7th century Adopted Islam. 8th century Came under Arab Abbasid control. 1521 Seized by Portugal and held for eight decades, despite local unrest. 1602 Fell under the control of a Persian Shiite dynasty. 1783 Persian rule was overthrown and Bahrain became a sheikdom under the Sunni Muslim al-Khalifa dynasty, which originated from the same tribal federation, the Anaza, as the al-Saud family who now rule Saudi Arabia. 1816–20 Friendship and peace treaties were signed with Britain, which sought to end piracy in the Gulf. 1861 Became British protectorate; government shared between the ruling sheikh (Arab leader) and a British adviser. 1923 British influence increased when Sheikh Isa al-Khalifa was deposed and Charles Belgrave was appointed as the dominating ‘adviser’ to the new ruler. 1928 Sovereignty was claimed by Persia (Iran). 1930s Oil was discovered, providing the backbone for the country's wealth. 1953–56 Council for National Unity was formed by Arab nationalists, but was suppressed after large demonstrations against British participation in the Suez War. 1968 Britain announced it would withdraw its forces east of Suez by 1971. 1970 Iran accepted United Nations (UN) report showing that Bahrain's inhabitants preferred independence to Iranian control. 1971 Bahrain became independent state under Sheikh Isa bin Sulman al-Khalifa, who assumed title of emir. New treaty of friendship signed with Britain. 1973 New constitution adopted. 1975 National assembly dissolved and political activists driven underground. Emir and his family assumed virtually absolute power. early 1980s Tensions between Sunni and Shiite Muslim communities heightened by Iranian Shiite Revolution of 1979. 1986 Causeway opened linking island with Saudi Arabia. 1991 Bahrain joined UN coalition that ousted Iraq from its occupation of Kuwait, and signed defence cooperation agreement with USA. 1995 Pro-democracy demonstrations violently suppressed, with 11 deaths. 1999 Sheikh Hamad became emir and head of state. 2000 New Shura (consultative council) included women and non-Muslims for first time. 2001 Women were given vote for first time in referendum approving creation of new constitution; Bahrain to become constitutional monarchy. 2002 Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa proclaimed himself king. Municipal elections held for first time in nearly 30 years; for first time in a Gulf State, women allowed to run for national office; none were elected. 2003 King petitioned by thousands of alleged torture victims to annul law preventing them from suing suspected torturers. 2004 Nada Haffadh appointed health minister, becoming first woman head of a state ministry. Free-trade pact signed with USA (enacted in 2006); condemned by Saudi Arabia, as it would deter economic integration within the region. 2005 Thousands of demonstrators demanded a fully-elected parliament. 2006 General elections; Shia opposition gained 40% of vote. Shia Muslim Jawad bin Salem al-Oraied became deputy prime minister.


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