"text":"In 1783, the Sunni Al-Khalifa family took power in Bahrain. 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. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing successful petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors, and also to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size and central location among Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. ++ The Sunni-led government has long struggled to manage relations with its large Shia-majority population. In early 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government confronted similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces to Bahrain. Political talks throughout 2014 between the government and opposition and loyalist political groups failed to reach an agreement, prompting opposition political societies to boycott parliamentary and municipal council elections in late 2014. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces."
"text":"smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq"
"text":"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)"
},
"Environment - international agreements":{
"party to":{
"text":"Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands"
},
"signed, but not ratified":{
"text":"none of the selected agreements"
}
},
"Geography - note":{
"text":"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"
"text":"Bahraini 46%, Asian 45.5%, other Arab 4.7%, African 1.6%, European 1%, other 1.2% (includes Gulf Co-operative country nationals, North and South Americans, and Oceanians) (2010 est.)"
"text":"smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq"
"text":"each governorate administered by an appointed governor"
}
},
"Independence":{
"text":"15 August 1971 (from the UK)"
},
"National holiday":{
"text":"National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection"
"text":"20 years of age; universal; note - Bahraini Cabinet in May 2011 endorsed a draft law lowering eligibility to 18 years"
},
"Executive branch":{
"chief of state":{
"text":"King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969)"
},
"head of government":{
"text":"Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al-Khalifa (since 1971); First Deputy Prime Minister SALMAN bin Hamad Al Khalifa (since 11 March 2013); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, Jawad bin Salim al-ARAIDH (since 11 December 2006), KHALID bin Abdallah Al Khalifa (since November 2010), MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa (since September 2005)"
},
"cabinet":{
"text":"Cabinet appointed by the monarch"
},
"elections/appointments":{
"text":"the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch"
}
},
"Legislative branch":{
"description":{
"text":"bicameral National Assembly consists of the Consultative Council or Majlis al Shura (40 seats; members appointed by the king) and the Council of Representatives or Majlis al Nuwab (40 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in two rounds if needed; members serve 4-year renewable terms)"
"text":"Council of Representatives - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - Al-Asalah (Sunni Salafi) 2, Islamic Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 1, independent 36, other 1; note - Bahrain has societies rather than parties"
"text":"Court of Cassation or Supreme Court of Appeal (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the president and 6 members); High Sharia Court of Appeal (court sittings include the president and at least one judge); appeals beyond the High Sharia Court of Appeal are heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal"
"text":"the judiciary of Bahrain is divided into civil law courts and sharia law courts; sharia courts are further divided into Sunni Muslim and Shia Muslim"
"text":"Court of Cassation judges appointed by royal decree and serve for a specified tenure; Constitutional Court president and members appointed by the Higher Judicial Council, a body chaired by the monarch and includes judges from the Court of Cassation, sharia law courts, and Civil High Courts of Appeal; members serve 9-year terms; High Sharia Court of Appeal member appointment and tenure NA"
},
"subordinate courts":{
"text":"Civil High Courts of Appeal; middle and lower civil courts; High Sharia Court of Appeal; Senior Sharia Court"
"text":"political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law ++ Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society or Al-Wefeq [Ali SALMAN] ++ Arab Islamic Center Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER] ++ Constitutional Gathering Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER] ++ Islamic Asalah [Abd al-Halim MURAD] ++ Islamic Saff Society [Abdullah Khalil BU GHAMAR] ++ Islamic Shura Society ++ Movement of National Justice Society [Muhi al-Din KHAN] ++ National Action Charter Society [Muhammad AL-BUAYNAYN] ++ National Democratic Action Society [Radhi AL-MOUSAWI] ++ National Democratic Assembly [Hasan AL-ALI] ++ National Dialogue Society ++ National Fraternity Society [Musa AL-ANSARI] ++ National Islamic Minbar [Ali AHMAD] ++ National Progressive Tribune [Abd al-Nabi SALMAN] ++ National Unity Gathering [Abdullatif AL-MAHMOOD] ++ Unitary National Democratic Assemblage [Fadhil ABBAS] ++ "
"text":"Ambassador ABDALLAH bin Muhammad bin Rashid Al Khalifa (since 3 December 2013)"
},
"chancery":{
"text":"3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008"
},
"telephone":{
"text":"[1] (202) 342-1111"
},
"FAX":{
"text":"[1] (202) 362-2192"
},
"consulate(s) general":{
"text":"New York"
}
},
"Diplomatic representation from the US":{
"chief of mission":{
"text":"Ambassador William V. ROEBUCK (since 12 December 2014)"
},
"embassy":{
"text":"Building "
},
"mailing address":{
"text":"PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama"
},
"telephone":{
"text":"[973] 1724-2700"
},
"FAX":{
"text":"[973] 1727-0547"
}
},
"Flag description":{
"text":"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",
"note":{
"text":"until 2002 the flag had eight white points, but this was reduced to five to avoid confusion with the Qatari flag"
}
},
"National symbol(s)":{
"text":"a red field surmounted by a white serrated band with five white points; national colors: red, white"
},
"National anthem":{
"name":{
"text":"\"Bahrainona\" (Our Bahrain)"
},
"lyrics/music":{
"text":"unknown"
},
"note":{
"text":"adopted 1971; although Mohamed Sudqi AYYASH wrote the original lyrics, they were changed in 2002 following the transformation of Bahrain from an emirate to a kingdom"
"text":"Low oil prices have generated a budget deficit of at least a $4 billion deficit in 2015, 13% of GDP. Bahrain has few options for covering this deficit, with meager foreign assets and a constrained borrowing ability, stemming in part from a sovereign debt rating averaging just above “junk” status. ++ ++ Oil comprises 86% of Bahraini budget revenues, despite past efforts to diversify its economy and to build communication and transport facilities for multinational firms with business in the Gulf. As part of its diversification plans, Bahrain implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US in August 2006, the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. ++ ++ Other major economic activities are production of aluminum - Bahrain's second biggest export after oil - finance, and construction. Bahrain continues to seek new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. ++ ++ In 2011 Bahrain experienced economic setbacks as a result of domestic unrest driven by the majority Shia population, however, the economy recovered in 2012-15, partly as a result of improved tourism. In addition to addressing its current fiscal woes, Bahraini authorities face the long-term challenge of boosting Bahrain’s regional competitiveness—especially regarding industry, finance, and tourism—and reconciling revenue constraints with popular pressure to maintain generous state subsidies and a large public sector."
"text":"country code - 973; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite ea (2015)"
"text":"state-run Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) operates 5 terrestrial TV networks and several radio stations; satellite TV systems provide access to international broadcasts; 1 private FM station directs broadcasts to Indian listeners; radio an (2007)"
"text":"Bahrain Defense Force (BDF): Royal Bahraini Army (RBA), Royal Bahraini Navy (RBN), Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF), Royal Bahraini Air Defense Force (RBADF) (2013)"
},
"Military service age and obligation":{
"text":"18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2012)"
},
"Military expenditures":{
"text":"4.2% of GDP (2014) ++ 4.1% of GDP (2013) ++ 3.9% of GDP (2010)"
