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نبذة عن البحرين
Information about Bahrain
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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
water: 0 sq km
land: 665 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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contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 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: 4.35%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 91.3% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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50 sq km (1998 est.) |
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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, which much of Western world's
petroleum must transit to reach open ocean |
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Population:
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656,397
note: includes 228,424 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 29.2% (male 97,022; female 94,605)
15-64 years: 67.7% (male 261,919; female 182,727)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 10,230; female 9,894) (2002
est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.67% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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19.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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3.95 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.43 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.29 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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19.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 73.47 years
female: 75.96 years (2002 est.)
male: 71.05 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.75 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.15% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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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 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8% |
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Religions:
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Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30% |
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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: 88.5%
male: 91.6%
female: 84.2% (2002 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn |
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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, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar,
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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adopted late December 2000; Bahrani voters approved on 13-14
February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised
constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a
constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary) |
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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 NA 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 elected
by restricted vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002
(next election to be held NA 2006)
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
election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote -
NA%; seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other
10 |
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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 politically oriented
nongovernment organizations are allowed |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97,
demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end
to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic
fundamentalist groups are active |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Khalifa bin Ali bin Rashid
AL KHALIFA
chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC
20008
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN
embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports
Club), Block 321, Zinj District, Manama
mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE
09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431,
Manama
telephone: [973] 273-300
FAX: [973] 272-594 |
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Flag description:
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red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist
side |
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Economy - overview:
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In Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about
60% of 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. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for
oil revenue granted as aid. 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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $8.4 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $13,000 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 1%
industry: 35%
services: 64% (2001 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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1.5% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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295,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is
non-national (July 1998 est.) (1998 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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industry, commerce, and service 79%, government 20%, agriculture
1% (1997 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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15% (1998 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $1.8 billion
expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital
expenditures of $700 million (2002 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, 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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5.765 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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5,361.45 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish |
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Exports:
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$5.5 billion (2001) |
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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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India 8.4%, US 3.9%, Saudi Arabia 3.4%, Japan 2.8%, South Korea
2.1% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$4.5 billion (2001) |
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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 28.7%, US 12.5%, UK 6.6%, France 6%, Japan 4%
(2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$2.8 billion (2000) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$48.4 million (1995) (1995) |
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Currency:
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Bahraini dinar (BHD) |
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Currency code:
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BHD |
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Exchange rates:
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Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.3760 (fixed rate pegged to the
US dollar) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total: 3,164 km
paved: 2,433 km
unpaved: 731 km
note: a paved causeway links Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
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Waterways:
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none |
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Pipelines:
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crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km
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Ports and harbors:
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Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 270,784 GRT/384,561
DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 4, container 2, includes a
foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience:
Kuwait 1 (2002 est.) |
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Airports:
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4 (2001) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2 (2002) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
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Heliports:
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1 (2002) |
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CopyRight
? 2003 Al Akhbar US, All Rights Reserved. |
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