The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

(2002), 0.376

       (2001), 0.376 (2000), 0.376 (1999)

      Fiscal year:

       calendar year

      Communications Bahrain

      Telephones - main lines in use:

       185,800 (2003)

      Telephones - mobile cellular:

       443,100 (2003)

      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; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and

       UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to

       Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat

       (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)

      Radio broadcast stations:

       AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

      Radios:

       338,000 (1997)

      Television broadcast stations:

       4 (1997)

      Televisions:

       275,000 (1997)

      Internet country code:

       .bh

      Internet hosts:

       1,334 (2003)

      Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

       1 (2000)

      Internet users:

       195,700 (2003)

      Transportation Bahrain

      Highways: total: 3,261 km paved: 2,531 km unpaved: 730 km (2000)

      Pipelines:

       gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2004)

      Ports and harbors:

       Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

      Merchant marine:

       total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 219,083 GRT/312,638 DWT

       registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

       foreign-owned: Hong Kong 1, Kuwait 1

       by type: bulk 3, container 2, petroleum tanker 1

      Airports:

       4 (2003 est.)

      Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

      Airports - with unpaved runways:

       total: 1

       1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

      Heliports:

       1 (2003 est.)

      Military Bahrain

      Military branches:

       Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense),

       Navy, Air Force, National Guard

      Military manpower - military age and obligation:

       18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

      Military manpower - availability:

       males age 15–49: 221,661 (2004 est.)

      Military manpower - fit for military service:

       males age 15–49: 121,484 (2004 est.)

      Military manpower - reaching military age annually:

       males: 6,396 (2004 est.)

      Military expenditures - dollar figure:

       $618.1 million (2003)

      Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

       7.5% (2003)

      Transnational Issues Bahrain

      Disputes - international: none

      This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

      ======================================================================

      @Baker Island

      Introduction Baker Island

      Background:

       The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano

       deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second

       half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at

       colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland

       Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.

       Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US

       Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle

       of the west coast.

      Geography Baker Island

      Location:

       Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between

       Hawaii and Australia

      Geographic coordinates:

       0 13 N, 176 31 W

      Map references:

       Oceania

      Area:

       total: 1.4 sq km

       water: 0 sq km

       land: 1.4 sq km

      Area - comparative:

       about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

      Land boundaries:

       0 km

      Coastline:

       4.8 km

      Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

      Climate:

       equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

      Terrain:

       low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

      Elevation extremes:

       lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

       highest point: unnamed location 8 m

      Natural resources:

       guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

      Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

      Irrigated land:

       0 sq km (1998 est.)

      Natural hazards:

       the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime

       hazard

      Environment - current issues:

       no natural fresh water resources

      Geography - note:

       treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses,

       prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting,

       roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine

       wildlife

      People Baker Island

      Population:

       uninhabited

       note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and

       naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during

       World War II, but abandoned after