General background: 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. Possessing minimal oil reserves,
Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining,
and has transformed itself into an international banking
center. The new amir is pushing 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 the amir's political liberalization program.
Area comparative: 3.5 times the size of
Washington, DC
Climate: Arid; mild,
pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain:
Mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central
escarpment
Population: 656,397
note: includes 228,424 non-nationals (July
2002 est.)
Ethnic groups: Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other
Arab 10%, Iranian 8%
Religions: Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim
30%
Language: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Government type: Constitutional hereditary
monarchy
Capital: Manama
Legal system: Based on Islamic law and English
common law
Economic overview: 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.
Communication/Telephone system: Modern system,
modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones.
Tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio
relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE,
and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
(1997).
Places of interest:
Travel Tips: Bahrain is considered safe and
secure for travellers, who are nonetheless advised,
as always, to exercise commonsense and avoid political
gatherings and demonstrations.
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