2  definitions  found 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  Bahrain 
  n  1:  an  island  in  the  Persian  Gulf  [syn:  {Bahrain},  {Bahrain 
  Island},  {Bahrein},  {Bahrein  Island}] 
  2:  an  island  country  in  the  Persian  Gulf;  oil  revenues  have 
  funded  some  of  the  most  progressive  programs  in  the 
  Arabian  nations  [syn:  {Bahrain},  {Bahrein}] 
 
  From  The  CIA  World  Factbook  (1995)  [world95]: 
 
  Bahrain 
 
  Bahrain:Geography 
 
  Location:  Middle  East,  archipelago  in  the  Persian  Gulf,  east  of  Saudi 
  Arabia 
 
  Map  references:  Middle  East 
 
  Area: 
  total  area:  620  sq  km 
  land  area:  620  sq  km 
  comparative  area:  slightly  less  than  3.5  times  the  size  of  Washington, 
  DC 
 
  Land  boundaries:  0  km 
 
  Coastline:  161  km 
 
  Maritime  claims: 
  contiguous  zone:  24  nm 
  continental  shelf:  extending  to  boundaries  to  be  determined 
  territorial  sea:  12  nm 
 
  International  disputes:  territorial  dispute  with  Qatar  over  the  Hawar 
  Islands;  maritime  boundary  with  Qatar 
 
  Climate:  arid;  mild,  pleasant  winters;  very  hot,  humid  summers 
 
  Terrain:  mostly  low  desert  plain  rising  gently  to  low  central 
  escarpment 
 
  Natural  resources:  oil,  associated  and  nonassociated  natural  gas,  fish 
 
  Land  use: 
  arable  land:  2% 
  permanent  crops:  2% 
  meadows  and  pastures:  6% 
  forest  and  woodland:  0% 
  other:  90% 
 
  Irrigated  land:  10  sq  km  (1989  est.) 
 
  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;  no  natural  fresh  water 
  resources  so  that  groundwater  and  sea  water  are  the  only  sources  for 
  all  water  needs 
  natural  hazards:  periodic  droughts;  dust  storms 
  international  agreements:  party  to  -  Climate  Change,  Hazardous  Wastes, 
  Law  of  the  Sea,  Ozone  Layer  Protection;  signed,  but  not  ratified  - 
  Biodiversity 
 
  Note:  close  to  primary  Middle  Eastern  petroleum  sources;  strategic 
  location  in  Persian  Gulf  through  which  much  of  Western  world's 
  petroleum  must  transit  to  reach  open  ocean 
 
  Bahrain:People 
 
  Population:  575,925  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Age  structure: 
  0-14  years:  31%  (female  87,398;  male  89,976) 
  15-64  years:  67%  (female  152,363;  male  231,586) 
  65  years  and  over:  2%  (female  7,051;  male  7,551)  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Population  growth  rate:  2.58%  (1995  est.) 
 
  Birth  rate:  24.12  births/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Death  rate:  3.31  deaths/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Net  migration  rate:  4.95  migrant(s)/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Infant  mortality  rate:  18  deaths/1,000  live  births  (1995  est.) 
 
  Life  expectancy  at  birth: 
  total  population:  73.94  years 
  male:  71.46  years 
  female:  76.49  years  (1995  est.) 
 
  Total  fertility  rate:  3.12  children  born/woman  (1995  est.) 
 
  Nationality: 
  noun:  Bahraini(s) 
  adjective:  Bahraini 
 
  Ethnic  divisions:  Bahraini  63%,  Asian  13%,  other  Arab  10%,  Iranian  8%, 
  other  6% 
 
  Religions:  Shi'a  Muslim  70%,  Sunni  Muslim  30% 
 
  Languages:  Arabic,  English,  Farsi,  Urdu 
 
  Literacy:  age  15  and  over  can  read  and  write  (1991) 
  total  population:  84% 
  male:  89% 
  female:  77% 
 
  Labor  force:  140,000 
  by  occupation:  industry  and  commerce  85%,  agriculture  5%,  services  5%, 
  government  3%  (1982) 
  note:  42%  of  labor  force  is  Bahraini 
 
  Bahrain:Government 
 
  Names: 
  conventional  long  form:  State  of  Bahrain 
  conventional  short  form:  Bahrain 
  local  long  form:  Dawlat  al  Bahrayn 
  local  short  form:  Al  Bahrayn 
 
  Digraph:  BA 
 
  Type:  traditional  monarchy 
 
  Capital:  Manama 
 
  Administrative  divisions:  12  districts  (manatiq,  singular  -  mintaqah); 
  Al  Hadd,  Al  Manamah  Al  Mintaqah  al  Gharbiyah  Al  Mintaqah  al  Wusta, 
  Al  Mintaqah  ash  Shamaliyah  Al  Muharraq  Ar  Rifa'wa  al  Mintaqah  al 
  Janubiyah  Jidd  Hafs,  Madinat  Hamad,  Madinat  'Isa,  Mintaqat  Juzur 
  Hawar,  Sitrah 
 
  Independence:  15  August  1971  (from  UK) 
 
  National  holiday:  Independence  Day  16  December  (1961) 
 
  Constitution:  26  May  1973,  effective  6  December  1973 
 
  Legal  system:  based  on  Islamic  law  and  English  common  law 
 
  Suffrage:  none 
 
  Executive  branch: 
  chief  of  state:  Amir  ISA  bin  Salman  Al  Khalifa  (since  2  November 
  1961);  Heir  Apparent  HAMAD  bin  Isa  bin  Salman  Al  Khalifa  (son  of  the 
  Amir,  born  28  January  1950) 
  head  of  government:  Prime  Minister  KHALIFA  bin  Salman  Al  Khalifa 
  (since  19  January  1970) 
  cabinet:  Cabinet 
 
  Legislative  branch:  unicameral  National  Assembly  was  dissolved  26 
  August  1975  and  legislative  powers  were  assumed  by  the  Cabinet; 
  appointed  Advisory  Council  established  16  December  1992 
 
  Judicial  branch:  High  Civil  Appeals  Court 
 
  Political  parties  and  leaders:  political  parties  prohibited;  several 
  small  clandestine  leftist  and  Islamic  fundamentalist  groups  are 
  active 
 
  Member  of:  ABEDA,  AFESD  AL  AMF,  ESCWA  FAO,  G-77,  GATT,  GCC,  IBRD, 
  ICAO,  ICRM,  IDB,  IFRCS  ILO,  IMF,  IMO,  INMARSAT  INTELSAT,  INTERPOL, 
  IOC,  ISO  (correspondent),  ITU,  NAM,  OAPEC  OIC,  UN  UNCTAD  UNESCO, 
  UNIDO  UPU,  WFTU  WHO  WMO 
 
  Diplomatic  representation  in  US: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  Muhammad  ABD  AL-GHAFFAR  al-Abdallah 
  chancery:  3502  International  Drive  NW  Washington,  DC  20008 
  telephone:  [1]  (202)  342-0741,  342-0742 
  consulate(s)  general:  New  York 
 
  US  diplomatic  representation: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  David  M.  RANSOM 
  embassy:  Building  No  979,  Road  3119  (next  to  Ahli  Sports  Club),  Zinj 
  District,  Manama 
  mailing  address:  FPO  AE  09834-5100;  P.O.  Box  26431,  Manama 
  (International  Mail) 
  telephone:  [973]  273300;  afterhours  [973]  275-126 
  FAX:  [973]  272594 
 
  Flag:  red  with  a  white  serrated  band  (eight  white  points)  on  the  hoist 
  side 
 
  Economy 
 
  Overview:  Tiny  in  area,  Bahrain  is  well-to-do  in  economic  resources 
  and  per  capita  income.  Petroleum  production  and  processing  account  for 
  about  80%  of  export  receipts,  60%  of  government  revenues,  and  30%  of 
  GDP.  Economic  conditions  have  fluctuated  with  the  changing  fortunes  of 
  oil  since  1985,  for  example,  during  and  following  the  Gulf  crisis  of 
  1990-91.  With  its  highly  developed  communication  and  transport 
  facilities  Bahrain  is  home  to  numerous  multinational  firms  with 
  business  in  the  Gulf.  A  large  share  of  exports  consists  of  petroleum 
  products  made  from  imported  crude.  Prospects  for  1995  are  good,  with 
  private  enterprise  the  main  driving  force,  e.g.,  in  banking  and 
  construction.  Unemployment,  especially  among  the  young,  and  the 
  depletion  of  both  oil  and  underground  water  resources  are  major 
  long-term  economic  problems. 
 
  National  product:  GDP  -  purchasing  power  parity  -  $7.1  billion  (1994 
  est.) 
 
  National  product  real  growth  rate:  2.2%  (1994  est.) 
 
  National  product  per  capita:  $12,100  (1994  est.) 
 
  Inflation  rate  (consumer  prices):  2%  (1994  est.) 
 
  Unemployment  rate:  15%  (1991  est.) 
 
  Budget: 
  revenues:  $1.2  billion  (1989) 
  expenditures:  $1.6  billion,  including  capital  expenditures  of  $NA 
  (1992) 
 
  Exports:  $3.69  billion  (f.o.b.,  1993  est.) 
  commodities:  petroleum  and  petroleum  products  80%,  aluminum  7% 
  partners:  Japan  11%,  UAE  5%,  South  Korea  4%,  India  4%,  Saudi  Arabia  3% 
  (1992) 
 
  Imports:  $3.83  billion  (f.o.b.,  1993  est.) 
  commodities:  nonoil  59%,  crude  oil  41% 
  partners:  Saudi  Arabia  47%,  UK  7%,  Japan  7%,  US  6%,  Germany  5%  (1992) 
 
  External  debt:  $2.6  billion  (1993) 
 
  Industrial  production:  growth  rate  13%  (1992);  accounts  for  38%  of 
  GDP,  including  petroleum 
 
  Electricity: 
  capacity:  1,050,000  kW 
  production:  3.3  billion  kWh 
  consumption  per  capita:  5,453  kWh  (1993) 
 
  Industries:  petroleum  processing  and  refining,  aluminum  smelting, 
  offshore  banking,  ship  repairing 
 
  Agriculture:  including  fishing,  accounts  for  less  than  2%  of  GDP;  not 
  self-sufficient  in  food  production;  heavily  subsidized  sector  produces 
  fruit,  vegetables,  poultry,  dairy  products,  shrimp,  fish 
 
  Economic  aid: 
  recipient:  US  commitments,  including  Ex-Im  (FY70-79),  $24  million; 
  Western  (non-US)  countries,  ODA  and  OOF  bilateral  commitments 
  (1970-89),  $45  million;  OPEC  bilateral  aid  (1979-89),  $9.8  billion 
 
  Currency:  1  Bahraini  dinar  BD  =  1,000  fils 
 
  Exchange  rates:  Bahraini  dinars  BD  per  US$1  -  0.3760  (fixed  rate) 
 
  Fiscal  year:  calendar  year 
 
  Bahrain:Transportation 
 
  Railroads:  0  km 
 
  Highways: 
  total:  2,670  km 
  paved:  2,010  km 
  unpaved:  660  km  (1991  est.) 
 
  Pipelines:  crude  oil  56  km  petroleum  products  16  km  natural  gas  32 
  km 
 
  Ports:  Manama,  Mina'  Salman,  Sitrah 
 
  Merchant  marine: 
  total:  6  ships  (1,000  GRT  or  over)  totaling  79,949  GRT/120,900  DWT 
  ships  by  type:  bulk  1,  cargo  4,  chemical  tanker  1 
 
  Airports: 
  total:  4 
  with  paved  runways  over  3,047  m:  2 
  with  paved  runways  under  914  m:  1 
  with  unpaved  runways  1,524  to  2,438  m:  1 
 
  Bahrain:Communications 
 
  Telephone  system:  98,000  telephones;  170  telephones/1,000  persons; 
  modern  system;  good  domestic  services;  excellent  international 
  connections 
  local:  NA 
  intercity:  NA 
  international:  2  INTELSAT  (1  Atlantic  Ocean  and  1  Indian  Ocean)  and  1 
  ARABSAT  earth  station;  tropospheric  scatter  to  Qatar,  UAE;  microwave 
  radio  relay  to  Saudi  Arabia;  submarine  cable  to  Qatar,  UAE,  and  Saudi 
  Arabia 
 
  Radio: 
  broadcast  stations:  AM  2,  FM  3,  shortwave  0 
  radios:  60  million 
 
  Television: 
  broadcast  stations:  2 
  televisions:  21  million 
 
  Bahrain:Defense  Forces 
 
  Branches:  Army,  Navy,  Air  Force,  Air  Defense,  Coast  Guard,  Police 
  Force 
 
  Manpower  availability:  males  age  15-49  210,725;  males  fit  for  military 
  service  117,414;  males  reach  military  age  (15)  annually  4,346  (1995 
  est.) 
 
  Defense  expenditures:  exchange  rate  conversion  -  $247  million,  5.5%  of 
  GDP  (1994) 
 
 
 

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