The 1992 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Illicit drugs:

       transshipment point for cocaine

       Economic aid:

       US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $1.0 million; Western

       (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $345

       million

       Currency:

       Bahamian dollar (plural—dollars); 1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

       Exchange rates:

       Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1—1.00 (fixed rate)

       Fiscal year:

       calendar year

      :The Bahamas Communications

      Highways:

       2,400 km total; 1,350 km paved, 1,050 km gravel

       Ports:

       Freeport, Nassau

       Merchant marine:

       778 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,129,173 GRT/30,002,421 DWT;

       includes 48 passenger, 19 short-sea passenger, 152 cargo, 37

       roll-on/roll-off cargo, 42 container, 6 vehicle carrier, 1 railcar carrier,

       172 petroleum tanker, 9 liquefied gas, 16 combination ore/oil, 47 chemical

       tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 143 bulk, 7 combination bulk, 78 refrigerated

       cargo;

       note—a flag of convenience registry

       *** No entry for this item ***

       Civil air:

       11 major transport aircraft

       Airports:

       59 total, 54 usable; 30 with permanent-surface runways; none with

       runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3, 659 m; 26 with runways

       1,220-2,439 m

       Telecommunications:

       highly developed; 99,000 telephones in totally automatic system;

       tropospheric scatter and submarine cable links to Florida; broadcast

       stations—3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 3 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean

       INTELSAT earth station

       *** No entry for this item ***

      :The Bahamas Defense Forces

      Branches:

       Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police

       Branches:

       Force

       Manpower availability:

       males 15-49, 68,020; NA fit for military service

       Defense expenditures:

       exchange rate conversion—$65 million, 2.7% of GDP (1990)

      :Bahrain Geography

      Total area:

       620 km2

       Land area:

       620 km2

       Comparative area:

       slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

       Land boundaries:

       none

       Coastline:

       161 km

       Maritime claims:

       Continental shelf:

       not specific

       Territorial sea:

       3 nm

       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%, includes irrigated NEGL%

       Environment:

       subsurface water sources being rapidly depleted (requires development of

       desalination facilities); dust storms; desertification

       Note:

       close to primary Middle Eastern crude oil sources; strategic location in

       Persian Gulf through which much of Western world's crude oil must transit to

       reach open ocean

      :Bahrain People

      Population:

       551,513 (July 1992), growth rate 3.1% (1992)

       Birth rate:

       27 births/1,000 population (1992)

       Death rate:

       4 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

       Net migration rate:

       7 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

       Infant mortality rate:

       21 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

       Life expectancy at birth:

       70 years male, 75 years female (1992)

       Total fertility rate:

       4.0 children born/woman (1992)

       Nationality:

       noun - Bahraini(s); adjective - Bahraini

       Ethnic divisions:

       Bahraini 63%, Asian 13%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%, other 6%

       Religions:

       Muslim (Shi`a 70%, Sunni 30%)

       Languages:

       Arabic (official); English also widely spoken; Farsi, Urdu

       Literacy:

       77% (male 82%, female 69%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

       Labor force:

       140,000; 42% of labor force is Bahraini; industry and commerce 85%,

       agriculture 5%, services 5%, government 3% (1982)

       Organized labor:

       General Committee for Bahrain Workers exists in only eight major designated

       companies

      :Bahrain Government

      Long-form name:

       State of Bahrain

       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)

       Constitution:

       26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973

       Legal system:

       based on Islamic law and English common law

       National holiday:

       Independence Day, 16 December