The 2001 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

3,164 km

      paved: 2,433 km

      unpaved: 731 km

      note: there is a paved causeway connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia (1997)

      Waterways: none

      Pipelines: crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km

      Ports and harbors: Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

      Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 175,609 GRT/207,652 DWT

      ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, container 2 (2000 est.)

      Airports: 3 (2000 est.)

      Airports - with paved runways: total: 2

      over 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.)

      Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1

      1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.)

      Heliports: 1 (2000 est.)

      Bahrain Military

      Military branches: Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard,

       Police Force

      Military manpower - military age: 15 years of age

      Military manpower - availability: males age 15–49: 222,141 (2001 est.)

      Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15–49: 121,833 (2001 est.)

      Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 5,926 (2001 est.)

      Military expenditures - dollar figure: $318 million (FY99)

      Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.2% (FY99)

      Bahrain Transnational Issues

      Disputes - international: in March of 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar Islands to Bahrain and also adjusted Bahrain's maritime boundary with Qatar

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

      @Baker Island

      Baker Island Introduction

      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.

      Baker Island Geography

      Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

      Geographic coordinates: 0 13 N, 176 31 W

      Map references: Oceania

      Area: total: 1.4 sq km

      land: 1.4 sq km

      water: 0 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: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

      territorial sea: 12 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%

      permanent pastures: 0%

      forests and woodland: 0%

      other: 100%

      Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

      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

      Baker Island People

      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 the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2001 est.)

      Baker Island Government

      Country name: conventional long form: none

      conventional short form: Baker Island

      Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

      Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

      Flag description: the flag of the US is used

      Baker Island Economy

      Economy - overview: no economic activity

      Baker Island Transportation

      Waterways: none

      Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

      Airports: 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable (2000 est.)

      Transportation - note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

      Baker Island Military

      Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

      Baker Island Transnational Issues

      Disputes - international: none

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

      @Bangladesh

      Bangladesh Introduction

      Background: Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this extremely poor country annually floods during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.

      Bangladesh Geography

      Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

      Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 90 00 E

      Map references: Asia

      Area: total: 144,000 sq km

      land: 133,910 sq km

      water: 10,090 sq km

      Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin

      Land boundaries: total: 4,246 km

      border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

      Coastline: 580 km

      Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 NM

      continental