ABSTRACT
Population Population 677,886 Urban Population (2003) 90% Population under 15 28% Population 65 and over 3% Population growth rate 1.6%
Geography Land area 665 sq km Agricultural area 8.5% Capital city Manama Population of capital city (2003) 203,000
Transportation Railways 0 km Highways:
paved 2,531 km unpaved 730 km
Waterways n.a. Pipelines:
crude oil 53 km petroleum products 16 km natural gas 20 km
Ports and Harbours 3 Merchant Marine 6 ships International Airport Bahrain International, Muharraq
Monetary unit Bahraini Dinar Exchange rate
£ Stg 0.684 US $ 0.377 Euro 0.472 Yen (×100) 0.347
Average annual inflation (1998 to 2003) –1.1% Inflation rate (2004 est.) 1.0% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at market prices (2003) BD3.6 billion GDP PPP basis (2003) US$11.3 billion GDP per capita (2000) US$9,684 GDP per capita PPP basis (2003) US$16,900 Average annual real change in GDP (1998 to 2003) 4.8% Private consumption as a proportion of GDP 47.9% General government consumption as a proportion of GDP 19.7% Gross domestic investment as a proportion of GDP (2003) 12.0%
Construction Gross value of construction output BD139.05 million Net value of construction output as a proportion of GDP 3.85%
Source: The Financial Times Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook The World Bank Ministry of Finance & National Economy for Bahrain
All data relates to latest as at 3Q 2004
PPP Purchasing Power Parity
Country profile Bahrain lies in the Arabian Gulf and comprises 36 islands, close to the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia and the western coast of Qatar. The largest island is Bahrain from which the country takes its name, accounting for nearly 85% of the total area of the State. The southern archipelago, called Hawar, is the second largest element, near the coast of Qatar, followed by the desert island of Umm Nassan, the populous Muharraq Island and the industrial island of Sitra, connected by causeways to Bahrain. The 25-km King Fahd Causeway linking the island of Bahrain to Saudi Arabia has boosted Bahrain’s economy.
The climate throughout the islands is exceptionally hot and humid in summer but mild and pleasant in winter with temperatures ranging from 10°C to 20°C in winter and 36°C to 42°C in summer. Bahrain is low lying and typically the limestone bedrock slopes very gently towards the roughly central peak of Jebel Dukhan. Cultivated areas are situated in the north and sandy wastes spread over the south.
