General
Information
|
Total Land
Area: |
690 km2 |
|
Land
boundaries: |
0 km
|
|
Coastline: |
161 km |
|
Capital: |
Manama |
|
Other Large
Cities: |
Ar Rifa, Al-Muharraq,
Madinat Isa |
|
Official
Language: |
Arabic |
|
National
Currency Unit: |
Bahraini Dinar
(BHD) |
|
National Day: |
December 16
|
Location and
Geography
Bahrain, a group
of 36 small
islands, is
situated in the
Arabian Gulf about
24 km from the
East coast of
Saudi Arabia, and
28 km from the
West coast of
Qatar. The name
‘Bahrain’ is
derived from two
Arabic words
‘thnain Bahr’
meaning ‘two
seas’. There are
numerous other
tiny islands but
they are mostly
uninhabited and
known for the
variety of
migrating birds
which pass through
in spring and
autumn. The
terrain consists
mostly of low
desert plains
rising gently to
low central
escarpment. The
islands are linked
by causeways and,
in some cases,
roads. The climate
is arid
characterised by
pleasant winters
and very hot humid
summers.
Demography
|
Population:
|
0.67 million
(2002) |
|
Crude Birth
Rate:
|
20 per
thousand
people (2002) |
|
Crude Death
Rate:
|
3 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Infant
Mortality
Rate:
|
7 per thousand
(2002) |
|
Life
Expectancy:
|
Male: 73
years, Female:
76 years
(2001) |
|
Urban
Population:
|
90.0 percent
(2001) |
|
Adult
Literacy:
|
87.90 percent
(2001) |
Economy
Bahrain is a
well-known
offshore banking
centre and
international and
regional
inter-bank money
market. Production
of oil and natural
gas and refinement
of petroleum are
also major
economic
activities in
Bahrain.
Industrialisation
and private sector
investment in
sectors such as
tourism are
encouraged. The
majority of
Bahrain’s food is
imported, but
agriculture also
contributes to the
local food supply.
Dates, bananas,
mangoes, and
vegetables are the
main crops. The
traditional
industries of
Bahrain are dhow
(Arab sailboats)
construction,
fishing, pearling,
and the
manufacture of
reed mats.
|
GDP at Current
Market Prices:
|
7602 million
US$ (2002) |
|
Per Capita
GDP:
|
11312 US$
(2002) |
|
Share of
Sectors in
GDP:
|
1.0%
Agriculture,
40.0%
Industry,
59.0%
Services,
(2000) |
|
Total Exports:
|
7600 million
US$ (2002) |
|
Total Imports:
|
3943 million
US$ (2002) |
|
Major Exports
Items: |
Petroleum
products and
aluminum |
|
Major Imports
Items: |
Crude oil |
|
Major Trading
Partners: |
Japan, Saudi
Arabia,
Germany,
Australia, US,
and India |
|
