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Introduction |
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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. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has
turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed
itself into an international banking center. The new amir,
installed 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 the amir's
political liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD
bin Isa Al Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002,
Bahrainis elected members of the lower house of Bahrain's
reconstituted bicameral legislature, the National Assembly.
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Geography |
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Location: |
Middle East,
archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
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Geographic
coordinates: |
26 00 N, 50 33 E
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Map references: |
Middle East
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Area: |
total: 665
sq km
land: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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Area -
comparative: |
3.5 times the size
of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries: |
0 km
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Coastline: |
161 km
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be
determined
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Climate: |
arid; mild,
pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
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Terrain: |
mostly low desert
plain rising gently to low central escarpment
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Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
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Natural
resources: |
oil, associated and
nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
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Land use: |
arable land:
2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63%
other: 91.55% (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
50 sq km (1998
est.)
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Natural hazards: |
periodic droughts;
dust storms
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Environment -
current 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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Environment -
international 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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Geography -
note: |
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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People |
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Population: |
688,345
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years:
27.8% (male 96,807/female 94,863)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 275,792/female 197,424)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 12,078/female 11,381) (2005
est.)
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Median age: |
total: 29.19
years
male: 32.16 years
female: 25.54 years (2005 est.)
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Population
growth rate: |
1.51% (2005 est.)
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Birth rate: |
18.1 births/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Death rate: |
4.08 deaths/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Net migration
rate: |
1.04 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Sex ratio: |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.4 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality
rate: |
total: 17.27
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy
at birth: |
total
population: 74.23 years
male: 71.76 years
female: 76.78 years (2005 est.)
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Total fertility
rate: |
2.63 children
born/woman (2005 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult
prevalence rate: |
0.2% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
people living with HIV/AIDS: |
less than 600 (2003
est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
deaths: |
less than 200 (2003
est.)
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Nationality: |
noun:
Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini
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Ethnic groups: |
Bahraini 62.4%,
non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)
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Religions: |
Muslim (Shi'a and
Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)
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Languages: |
Arabic, English,
Farsi, Urdu
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Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 91.9%
female: 85% (2003 est.)
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Government |
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Country name: |
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: |
constitutional
hereditary monarchy
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Capital: |
Manama
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Administrative
divisions: |
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: |
15 August 1971
(from UK)
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National
holiday: |
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: |
new constitution 14
February 2002
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Legal system: |
based on Islamic
law and English common law
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal
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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 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: |
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 NA 2006)
election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists
9, other 10
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: |
High Civil Appeals
Court
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Political
parties and leaders: |
political parties
prohibited but politically oriented societies are allowed
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Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
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: |
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF,
ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
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Flag
description: |
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 |
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Economy -
overview: |
In well-to-do
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. A large share of exports consist 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 September 2004 Bahrain signed a Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) with the United States - the first such
agreement undertaken by a Gulf state. Both countries must ratify
the FTA before it is enforced.
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GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $13.01 billion (2004 est.)
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GDP - real
growth rate: |
5.6% (2004 est.)
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GDP - per
capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $19,200 (2004 est.)
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GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture:
0.7%
industry: 41%
services: 58.4% (2004 est.)
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Labor force: |
370,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is
non-national (2004 est.)
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Labor force - by
occupation: |
agriculture 1%,
industry, commerce, and services 79%, government 20% (1997 est.)
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Unemployment
rate: |
15% (1998 est.)
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Population below
poverty line: |
NA
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Household income
or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA
highest 10%: NA
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Inflation rate
(consumer prices): |
2.1% (2004 est.)
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Investment
(gross fixed): |
12.8% of GDP (2004
est.)
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Budget: |
revenues:
$3.825 billion
expenditures: $3.262 billion, including capital
expenditures of $700 million (2004 est.)
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Public debt: |
63.8% of GDP (2004
est.)
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Agriculture -
products: |
fruit, vegetables;
poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
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Industries: |
petroleum
processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization,
fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism
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Industrial
production growth rate: |
2% (2000 est.)
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Electricity -
production: |
6.86 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity -
consumption: |
6.379 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
exports: |
0 kWh (2002)
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Electricity -
imports: |
0 kWh (2002)
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Oil -
production: |
44,000 bbl/day
(2003)
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Oil -
consumption: |
40,000 bbl/day
(2003 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
NA
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Oil - imports: |
NA
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Oil - proved
reserves: |
126 million bbl
(2004 est.)
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Natural gas -
production: |
32.7 billion cu m
(2002 est.)
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Natural gas -
consumption: |
32.7 billion cu m
(2002 est.)
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Natural gas -
exports: |
0 cu m (2002 est.)
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Natural gas -
imports: |
0 cu m (2002 est.)
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Natural gas -
proved reserves: |
46 billion cu m
(2004)
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Current account
balance: |
$586.1 million
(2004 est.)
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Exports: |
$8.205 billion
(2004 est.)
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Exports -
commodities: |
petroleum and
petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
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Exports -
partners: |
US 3.1%, South
Korea 2.3%, Japan 2% (2004)
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Imports: |
$5.87 billion (2004
est.)
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Imports -
commodities: |
crude oil,
machinery, chemicals
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Imports -
partners: |
Saudi Arabia 33.1%,
Japan 7.6%, Germany 6.1%, US 5.7%, UK 5.6%, France 4.9% (2004)
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Reserves of
foreign exchange and gold: |
$2.141 billion
(2004 est.)
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Debt - external: |
$6.215 billion
(2004 est.)
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Currency (code): |
Bahraini dinar (BHD)
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Currency code: |
BHD
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Exchange rates: |
Bahraini dinars per
US dollar - 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002), 0.376
(2001), 0.376 (2000)
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year
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Communications |
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Telephones -
main lines in use: |
185,800 (2003)
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Telephones -
mobile cellular: |
443,100 (2003)
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Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital
network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 973; 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)
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Radio broadcast
stations: |
AM 2, FM 3,
shortwave 0 (1998)
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Radios: |
338,000 (1997)
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Television
broadcast stations: |
4 (1997)
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Televisions: |
275,000 (1997)
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Internet country
code: |
.bh
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Internet hosts: |
1,334 (2003)
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Internet Service
Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000)
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Internet users: |
195,700 (2003)
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Transportation |
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Highways: |
total: 3,459
km
paved: 2,653 km
unpaved: 806 km (2002)
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Pipelines: |
gas 20 km; oil 53
km (2004)
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Ports and
harbors: |
Mina' Salman,
Sitrah
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Merchant marine: |
total: 8
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 219,083 GRT/312,638 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 2, container 2, petroleum
tanker 1
foreign-owned: 2 (Kuwait 2) (2005)
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Airports: |
4 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
paved runways: |
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2
1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
unpaved runways: |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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Heliports: |
1 (2004 est.)
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Military |
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Military
branches: |
Bahrain Defense
Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air
Force, National Guard
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Military
manpower - military age and obligation: |
18 years of age for
voluntary military service (2001)
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Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 18-49:
202,126 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 18-49:
161,372 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 6,013
(2005 est.)
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Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$628.9 million
(2004)
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Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
6.3% (2004)
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Transnational Issues |
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Disputes -
international: |
none
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