The 2005 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

      Elevation extremes:

       lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

       highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

      Natural resources:

       oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

      Land use: arable land: 2.82% permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2001)

      Irrigated land:

       50 sq km (1998 est.)

      Natural hazards:

       periodic droughts; dust storms

      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

      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

      People Bahrain

      Population: 688,345 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 27.8% (male 96,807/female 94,863)

       15–64 years: 68.7% (male 275,792/female 197,424)

       65 years and over: 3.4% (male 12,078/female 11,381) (2005 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 29.19 years

       male: 32.16 years

       female: 25.54 years (2005 est.)

      Population growth rate:

       1.51% (2005 est.)

      Birth rate:

       18.1 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

      Death rate:

       4.08 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 1.4 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female

       total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 17.27 deaths/1,000 live births

       male: 20.17 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 14.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 74.23 years

       male: 71.76 years

       female: 76.78 years (2005 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       2.63 children born/woman (2005 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       0.2% (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       less than 600 (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       less than 200 (2003 est.)

      Nationality:

       noun: Bahraini(s)

       adjective: Bahraini

      Ethnic groups:

       Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)

      Religions:

       Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001

       census)

      Languages:

       Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

      Literacy:

       definition: age 15 and over can read and write

       total population: 89.1%

       male: 91.9%

       female: 85% (2003 est.)

      Government Bahrain

      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

      Government type:

       constitutional hereditary monarchy

      Capital:

       Manama

      Administrative divisions:

       12 municipalities (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, Juzur Hawar, Sitrah

       note: all municipalities administered from Manama

      Independence:

       15 August 1971 (from UK)

      National holiday:

       National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the date

       of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of

       independence from British protection

      Constitution:

       new constitution 14 February 2002

      Legal system:

       based on Islamic law and English common law

      Suffrage:

       18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999);

       Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch,

       born 21 October 1969)

       head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa

       (since NA 1971)

       cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch

       elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister

       appointed by the monarch

      Legislative branch:

       bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members

       appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly

       elected to serve four-year terms)

       elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next

       election to be held NA 2006)