King: Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah (1999)
Prime Minister: Khalifah ibn Sulman al-Khalifah (1970)
Land area: 239 sq mi (619 sq km); total area: 257 sq mi (665 sq km)
Population (2009 est.): 727,785 (growth rate: 1.2%); birth rate: 17.0/1000; infant mortality rate: 15.2/1000; life expectancy: 75.1; density per sq km: 1,080
Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Al-Manámah, 527,000 (metro area), 149,900 (city proper)
Monetary unit: Bahrain dinar
National Name: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
Languages: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Ethnicity/race: Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001)
Religion: Islam (Shiite and Sunni) 81%, Christian 9%
National Holiday: National Day, December 16
Literacy rate: 89% (2003 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est): $14.11 billion; per capita $20,500. Real growth rate: 5.9%. Inflation: 2.7%. Unemployment: 15%. Arable land: 2.82%. Agriculture: fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish. Labor force: 380,000; note: 44% of the population in the 15–64 age group is non-national; agriculture 1%, industry, commerce, and services 79%, government 20% (1997 est.). Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing, tourism. Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls. Exports: $11.17 billion (2005 est.): petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles. Imports: $7.83 billion (2005 est.): crude oil, machinery, chemicals. Major trading partners: Saudi Arabia, U.S., UAE, Japan, Germany, UK, France (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 191,600 (2004); mobile cellular: 649,800 (2004).
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998).
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1997).
Internet hosts: 1,952 (2005). Internet users: 152,700 (2005).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km.
Highways: total: 3,498 km; paved: 2,768 km; unpaved: 730 km (2003).
Ports and harbors: Mina' Salman, Sitrah. Airports: 3 (2005).
International disputes: none.
