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Background: In 1782, the Al Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. 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 Shia 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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Common Name: Bahrain
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Local Official Name: Al Bahrayn
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Abbreviated Name: Kingdom of Bahrain
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Official Name: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
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Official Script Name: Bahrain
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Local Common Name: Bahrain
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Former Name: Dilmun
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Territory of: NA
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Head of State: King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa
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Government Type: constitutional hereditary monarchy
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Independence: 1971 August 15 (from UK)
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Constitution: 2002 February 14 new constitution
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National Holiday: National Day, 16 December
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International Organization Participation: 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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Administrative Divisions: 5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat
note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
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Dependent Areas: NA
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Legal System: based on Islamic law and English common law
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Suffrage: 18 years
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Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches: Executive Branch:
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); Deputy Prime Ministers ABDALLAH bin Khalid al-Khalifa, ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative Branch:
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
Judicial Branch:
High Civil Appeals Court
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Party Leaders: political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
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International Disputes: NA
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Illicit Drugs: NA
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Location of Bahrain: Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
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Continent: Middle East
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Land Area Total: 665 sq km
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Region: Middle Eastern |
Land Area Land: 665 sq km
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Capitol City: Manama
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Land Area Water: 0 sq km
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Current: +3
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Latitude: 026 00 N
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Border Boundary Land: 0 km
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Longitude: 050 33 E
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Border Boundary Coastline: 161 km
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Arable Land: 2.82 %
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Pastures: 0.00 %
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Crops: 5.63 %
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Woodlands and Forests: 0.00
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Highest Elevation: 122 m
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Location: Jabal ad Dukhan
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Lowest Elevation: 0 m
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Location: Persian Gulf
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Largest City in Bahrain: Manama
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Manama Largest City Population: 162,000
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Threatened Species: 13
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Environmental Issues: 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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Environmental Agreements: 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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Irrigated Land: 40
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Bordering Countries: NA
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Natural Resources: oil, associated and non associated natural gas, fish, pearls
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Geographical Terrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
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Comparative Area of Bahrain: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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Bahrain's Geography: 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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Click Here for detailed information about the weather conditions in Bahrain.
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General Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
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Natural Hazards: periodic droughts; dust storms
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Economic Overview: 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: $15,900,000,000 USD
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Currency: Bahraini dinar
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GDP per Capita: $23,100 USD
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Currency Code: BHD
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GDP Growth Rate: 5.90 %
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One $USD Equals: %fincurrencyequals% BHD
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Currency Exchange Rate History: Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002), 0.376 (2001)
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GDP of Agriculture: 0.50 %
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GDP of Industry: 38.70 %
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GDP of Services: 60.80 % |
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Inflation Rate: 2.70 % |
Population in Poverty: 0.00 %
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Unemployment Rate: 15.00 %
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Tourism: 1,991,000.00 visitors each year
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Consumption by lowest 10%: 0.00 %
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Budget Revenue in USD: $4,662,000,000 USD
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Consumption by upper 10%: 0.00 %
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Budget Expenditures in USD: $3,447,000,000 USD
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Electricity Production: 7,345,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Exports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Consumption: 6,830,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Imports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Production by Source:
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Fossil Fuel Electricity Production: 100.00%
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Nuclear Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Hydro Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Other Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Oil Production: 188,300 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Production: 9,650,000,000 cu m
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Oil Consumption: 26,000 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Consumption: 9,650,000,000 cu m
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Oil Exports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Exports: 0 cu m
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Oil Imports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Imports: 0 cu m
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Proven Oil Reserves: 124,000,000 barrels
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Proven Natural Gas Reserves: 92,030,000,000 cu m
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External Debt: $6,814,000,000 USD |
Received in economic aid: $150,000,000 USD
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Donated in economic aid: $0 USD
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Agricultural Products: fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
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Primary Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing, tourism
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Industrial Growth Rate: 2.00 %
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Import Amount in USD: $7,830,000,000 USD - crude oil, machinery, chemicals
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Import Partners: Saudi Arabia 36.4%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 6.4%, US 5.4%, UK 5%, UAE 4.1%
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Export Amount in USD: $11,170,000,000 USD - petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
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Export Partners: Saudi Arabia 3.3%, US 2.6%, UAE 2.3%
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GINI Index: 0.00%
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Labor Force Number of People: 380,000
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Labor Force by Occupations: agriculture: 1%, industry: 79%, services: 20%
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Radio Broadcast Stations: 5 |
Number of People with Radios: 338,000 |
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Television Broadcast Stations: 4 |
Number of People with Televisions: 275,000 |
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Number of People with Mainline Telephones: 196,500 |
Number of People with Mobile Phones: 748,700 |
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Internet Service Providers: 1,952 |
Internet Users: 152,700 |
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Internet Country Code: .bh |
Newspapers: 117 |
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Two Letter Country Code: BA |
Weights and Measures: |
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Phone Country Code: 973 |
Electricity Voltage: 230 Volts |
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Telephone Systems: general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
international: 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
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Highways: 2,768 km |
Railways: 0 km
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Gas And Oil Pipelines: 73 km |
Waterways: 0 km
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Airports: 3 |
Heliports: 1
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Motor Vehicles: 339 per 1,000 people |
CO2 Emissions: 14,847,000 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Per capita CO2 emissions: 25.50 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Merchant Marines: 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: 3 (Kuwait 3)
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Ports and Harbors: Mina' Salman, Sitrah
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Population: 698,585 people type - nationality |
Birth Rate: 17.80 births per 1,000 people |
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Population Density: 1,068.00 people per sq km |
Death Rate: 4.14 deaths per 1,000 people |
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Population Growth: 1.45% per year |
Fertility Rate per Women: 2.60 babies born per woman |
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Population Male 0-14: 96,567 |
Population Female 0-14: 94,605 |
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Population Male 15-64: 280,272 |
Population Female 15-64: 202,451 |
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Population Male 65+: 12,753 |
Population Female 65+: 11,892 |
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Population 0-14: 27.40% |
Literacy Rate: 89.10% |
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Population 15-64: 69.10% |
Literacy rate of Males: 91.90% |
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Population 65+: 3.50% |
Literacy rate of Females: 85.00% |
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Population that is Male: 63.00
% |
Population that is Female: 37.00% |
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Life expectancy at birth in years: 74.45 years |
Infant mortality rate - baby deaths per 1000 births: 16.80 Babies die per 1,000 births |
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Life expectancy at birth for Males: 71.97 years |
Life expectancy at birth for Females: 77.00 years |
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Rate of AIDS/HIV infection: 0.20%
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Number of people living with AIDS or HIV: 0
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Number of people who died of AIDS: 0 |
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Disease Risk:
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Diseases:
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Net Migration Rate per 1,000 people: 0.82
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Nationality: BAHRAINI
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Ethnic Groups: Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6%
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Primary Language: Arabic
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Other Languages: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
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Primary Religion: Shi'a Muslim
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Other Religions: Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8%
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Branches: Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, National Guard
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 18 years
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Manpower Available: 353,860 People
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 286,860 People
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Amount of Manpower Available each Year: 11,865 People per year
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Expenditures: $0 USD per year
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Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP: 4.90
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Note: Phrasebase uses a variety of sources when compiling the facts and information presented above. This information is continually updated throughout the year.
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