Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. Sheikh HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa, who came to power in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National Action Charter - the centerpiece of Sheikh HAMAD's political liberalization program. In February 2002, Sheikh HAMAD pronounced Bahrain a constitutional monarchy and changed his status from amir to king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral legislature, the National Assembly.
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Location:
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Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
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Geographic coordinates:
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26 00 N, 50 33 E
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Map references:
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Middle East
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Area:
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total: 665 sq km
land: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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161 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
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Climate:
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arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
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Terrain:
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mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
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Natural resources:
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oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
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Land use:
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arable land: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63%
other: 91.55% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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40 sq km (2003)
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Natural hazards:
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periodic droughts; dust storms
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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698,585
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 27.4% (male 96,567/female 94,650)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 280,272/female 202,451)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 12,753/female 11,892) (2006 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 29.4 years
male: 32.4 years
female: 25.8 years (2006 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.45% (2006 est.)
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Birth rate:
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17.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Death rate:
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4.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.38 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
total population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 74.45 years
male: 71.97 years
female: 77 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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2.6 children born/woman (2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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less than 600 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 200 (2003 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini
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Ethnic groups:
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Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)
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Religions:
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Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)
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Languages:
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Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 91.9%
female: 85% (2003 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun
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Government type:
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constitutional hereditary monarchy
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Capital:
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Manama
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Administrative divisions:
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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, Juzur Hawar, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Sitrah
note: all municipalities administered from Manama
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Independence:
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15 August 1971 (from UK)
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National holiday:
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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
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Constitution:
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new constitution 14 February 2002
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Legal system:
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based on Islamic law and English common law
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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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 1971)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
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Legislative branch:
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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 in September 2006)
election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Sunni Islamists 12, Shia grouping 7, other groupings and independents 21
note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14 February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on 25 December 2002
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Judicial branch:
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High Civil Appeals Court
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Political parties and leaders:
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political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests and marches, demanding that more power be vested in the elected Council of Representatives and that the government do more to decrease unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Muhammad al-BALUSHI
chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111
FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
consulate(s) general: New York
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE
embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama
mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama
telephone: [973] 1724-2700
FAX: [973] 1727-0547 (consular)
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Flag description:
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red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam
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Economy - overview:
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Petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of Bahrain's export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from refining imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. In 2005 Bahrain and the US ratified a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$14.11 billion (2005 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$11.3 billion (2005 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.9% (2005 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$20,500 (2005 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 0.6%
industry: 42.5%
services: 56.9% (2005 est.)
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Labor force:
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380,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2005 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 1%
industry: 79%
services: 20% (1997 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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15% (2005 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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NA%
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.7% (2005 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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14.7% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $4.662 billion
expenditures: $3.447 billion; including capital expenditures of $700 million (2005 est.)
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Public debt:
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51.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
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Industries:
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petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing, tourism
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Industrial production growth rate:
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2% (2000 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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7.345 billion kWh (2003)
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Electricity - consumption:
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6.83 billion kWh (2003)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2003)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2003)
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Oil - production:
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188,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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26,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA bbl/day
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day
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Oil - proved reserves:
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124 million bbl (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - production:
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9.65 billion cu m (2003 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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9.65 billion cu m (2003 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2002 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2002 est.)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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92.03 billion cu m (2005)
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Current account balance:
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$1.569 billion (2005 est.)
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Exports:
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$11.17 billion (2005 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
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Exports - partners:
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Saudi Arabia 3%, US 2.9%, UAE 2.2% (2004)
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Imports:
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$7.83 billion (2005 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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crude oil, machinery, chemicals
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Imports - partners:
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Saudi Arabia 32.4%, Japan 7.3%, Germany 6.1%, US 5.6%, UK 5.4%, France 4.8% (2004)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$2.433 billion (2005 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$6.831 billion (2005 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and Kuwait (2002)
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Currency (code):
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Bahraini dinar (BHD)
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Exchange rates:
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Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002), 0.376 (2001)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Airports:
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3 (2005)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)
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Heliports:
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1 (2005)
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Pipelines:
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gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2004)
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Roadways:
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total: 3,498 km
paved: 2,768 km
unpaved: 730 km (2003)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 235,449 GRT/339,728 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 4 (India 1, Kuwait 3) (2005)
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Ports and terminals:
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Mina' Salman, Sitrah
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Disputes - international:
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none
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This page was last updated on 16 May, 2006
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