What countries border Bahrain?
What is the current weather in Bahrain?
What is Bahrain famous for?
What is the capital of Bahrain?
Capital | Manama |
Government Type | constitutional monarchy |
Currency | Bahraini dinars (BHD) |
Total Area |
293 Square Miles 760 Square Kilometers |
Location | The Middle East, an archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
Language | Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.1% |
GDP - per capita (PPP) | $50,300.00 (USD) |
What is the population of Bahrain?
Ethnic Groups | Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8% |
Nationality Noun | Bahraini(s) |
Population | 1,505,003 |
Population - note | Note: immigrants make up approximately 50% of the total population, according to UN data |
Population Growth Rate | 2.57% |
Population in Major Urban Areas | MANAMA (capital) 262,000 |
Urban Population | 88.700000 |
What type of government does Bahrain have?
Executive Branch |
chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (born 21 October 1969) head of government: Prime Minister Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (since 11 November 2020); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure KHALID bin Abdallah Al Khalifa (since 13 June 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch |
Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal |
Citizenship |
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Bahrain dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years; 15 years for Arab nationals |
National Holiday |
National Day, 16 December (1971) note - 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection |
Constitution |
history: adopted 14 February 2002 amendments: proposed by the king or by at least 15 members of either chamber of the National Assembly followed by submission to an Assembly committee for review and, if approved, submitted to the government for restatement as drafts; passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both chambers and validation by the king; constitutional articles on the state religion (Islam), state language (Arabic), and the monarchy and "inherited rule" cannot be amended; amended 2012, 2017 |
Independence | 15 August 1971 (from the UK) |
What environmental issues does Bahrain have?
Overview |
The State of Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 small, low-lying islands in the Persian Gulf, halfway down the east coast of Saudi Arabia and about 15 miles from the Saudi mainland. The total land area is about 300 square miles. Five of the six principal islands are linked by a causeway system. Bahrain Island, where the capital city of Manama is located, is the largest. It is about 30 miles long and 10–12 miles wide. A four-lane causeway links Manama with the island and town of Muharraq, the site of the newly expanded international airport. Bridges also connect Sitra, Nabih Saleh, and Um al-Nassan Islands to Bahrain Island, which is linked to the mainland of Saudi Arabia by a causeway to Dhahran and Al-Khobar. |
Climate |
Bahrain, with a desert climate, is one of the world's hottest areas. Its hottest and most humid weather is from June through September with temperatures over 110°F most days. The weather is pleasant from November through May (55°-85°F) with infrequent rainfall. The combination of poor soil drainage and few storm sewers can result in muddy city streets and puddles. A narrow strip of land along the northern and northwestern coasts of Bahrain Island is cultivated with date palms, alfalfa, and vegetables. These garden areas are rapidly disappearing due to depleted water resources and development. A desert, punctuated by a north-south plateau, extends south of the cultivated area. Surrounding this plateau is a rolling basin surrounded by overhanging bluffs sloping into the sea. The ground is hard and infertile with a gravel surface until the spring when a pale, soft green covering appears in the desert following the winter rains. It provides a welcome contrast to the summer's aridity. The highest point in Bahrain is the Jebel Dukhan, 134 meters above sea level. The majority of Bahrain's oil wells are in this area. The Arabian Gulf has an average depth of only 35 meters but is much shallower in the vicinity of Bahrain. |
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 |
Environment - International Agreements |
Party To: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Terrain | Mostly low desert plain rising gently to a low central escarpment |
How big is the Bahrain economy?
Economic Overview |
Oil and natural gas play a dominant role in Bahrain’s economy. Despite the Government’s past efforts to diversify the economy, oil still comprises 85% of Bahraini budget revenues. In the last few years, lower world energy prices have generated sizable budget deficits - about 10% of GDP in 2017 alone. Bahrain has few options for covering these deficits, with low foreign assets and fewer oil resources compared to its GCC neighbors. The three major US credit agencies downgraded Bahrain’s sovereign debt rating to "junk" status in 2016, citing persistently low oil prices and the government’s high debt levels. Nevertheless, Bahrain was able to raise about $4 billion by issuing foreign currency-denominated debt in 2017. Other major economic activities are the production of aluminum - Bahrain's second-biggest export after oil and gas – finance, and construction. Bahrain continues to seek new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. In April 2018 Bahrain announced it had found a significant oil field off the country’s west coast, but is still assessing how much of the oil can be extracted profitably. In addition to addressing its current fiscal woes, Bahraini authorities face the long-term challenge of boosting Bahrain’s regional competitiveness — especially regarding industry, finance, and tourism — and reconciling revenue constraints with popular pressure to maintain generous state subsidies and a large public sector. Since 2015, the government lifted subsidies on meat, diesel, kerosene, and gasoline and has begun to phase in higher prices for electricity and water. As part of its diversification plans, Bahrain implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US in August 2006, the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. It plans to introduce a Value Added Tax (VAT) by the end of 2018. |
Industries | Petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism |
Currency Name and Code | Bahraini dinars (BHD) |
Export Partners | Saudi Arabia 3.6%, UAE 2.4%, United States 2.2% |
Import Partners | Saudi Arabia 29.1%, United States 9.5%, China 7.6%, Japan 6.6%, Australia 5.1%, India 4.9% |
What current events are happening in Bahrain?
Source: Google News
What makes Bahrain a unique country to travel to?