Government type:constitutional parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Nassaugeographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 Wtime difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during StandardTime)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends lastSunday in October
Administrative divisions:21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island,Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay,Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, MarshHarbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands,Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay
Independence:10 July 1973 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day, 10 July (1973)
Constitution:10 July 1973
Legal system:based on English common law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February2006)head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the primeminister's recommendationelections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor generalappointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, theleader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalitionis usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; theprime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member bodyappointed by the governor general upon the advice of the primeminister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and theHouse of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular voteto serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve theParliament and call elections at any timeelections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%,independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4
Judicial branch:Privy Council (London); Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court;magistrates courts
Political parties and leaders:Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; ProgressiveLiberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM,IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: vacant chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROODembassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassaumailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,Nassau; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC20521-3370telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, andaquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
Economy Bahamas, The
Economy - overview:The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavilydependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together withtourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts forapproximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half ofthe archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts anda boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences hadled to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the USeconomy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth inthese sectors in 2001-03. The current government has presided over aperiod of economic recovery and an upturn in large-scale privatesector investments in tourism. Financial services constitute thesecond-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting forabout 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the governmentenacted new regulations on the financial sector, many internationalbusinesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculturetogether contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show littlegrowth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors.Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on thefortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US,the source of more than 80% of the visitors.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$6.105 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$5.783 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3.7% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$20,200 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 176,300 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:10.2% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:9.3% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: 27%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.2% ( 2004)
Budget:revenues: $1.03 billionexpenditures: $1.03 billion; including capital expenditures of $130million (FY04/05)
Agriculture - products:citrus, vegetables; poultry
Industries:tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite,pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:1.81 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:1.683 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - consumption:23,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:transhipments of 29,000 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Exports:$469.3 million (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruitand vegetables
Exports - partners:US 31%, Spain 29.7%, Poland 9.3%, Germany 5.6%, Guatemala 4.1%(2005)
Imports:$1.82 billion (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineralfuels; food and live animals
Imports - partners:US 22.5%, South Korea 20.2%, Spain 7.8%, Brazil 7.1%, Italy 6.5%,Germany 5.4% (2005)
Debt - external:$342.6 million (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$5 million (2004)
Currency (code):Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Currency code:BSD
Exchange rates:Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1(2002), 1 (2001)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Bahamas, The
Telephones - main lines in use:139,900 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:186,000 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern facilitiesdomestic: totally automatic system; highly developedinternational: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter andsubmarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satelliteearth station - 2 (2005)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006)
Radios:215,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:2 (2006)
Televisions:67,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.bs
Internet hosts:591 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):19 (2000)
Internet users:93,000 (2005)
Transportation Bahamas, The
Airports: 64 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 22 (2006)
Heliports: 1 (2006)
Roadways: total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999)
Merchant marine:total: 1,177 ships (1000 GRT or over) 37,743,270 GRT/50,918,747 DWTby type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 253, cargo 250, chemicaltanker 64, container 79, liquefied gas 35, livestock carrier 2,passenger 115, passenger/cargo 34, petroleum tanker 175,refrigerated cargo 114, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 5,vehicle carrier 30foreign-owned: 1,093 (Angola 5, Australia 2, Belgium 13, Canada 18,China 3, Cuba 1, Cyprus 13, Denmark 59, Estonia 1, Finland 8, France37, Germany 22, Greece 232, Hong Kong 8, Iceland 1, India 1,Indonesia 4, Ireland 2, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 51, Jordan 2, Kenya1, Latvia 1, Malaysia 12, Monaco 17, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 24,Nigeria 2, Norway 259, Philippines 1, Poland 15, Reunion 1, Russia6, Saudi Arabia 12, Singapore 12, Slovenia 1, Spain 12, Sweden 6,Switzerland 2, Thailand 1, Turkey 8, UAE 16, UK 69, Uruguay 2, US121, Venezuela 1)registered in other countries: 4 (Barbados 1, Liberia 1, Panama 2)(2006)
Ports and terminals:Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point
Military Bahamas, The
Military branches:Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Marines, Air Wing (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 73,121 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 44,309 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 2,804 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues Bahamas, The
Disputes - international:disagrees with the US on the alignment of the maritime boundary;continues to monitor and interdict Haitian refugees fleeing economicprivation and political instability
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US andEurope; offshore financial center
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Bahrain
Introduction Bahrain
Background:In 1782, the Al Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians.In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series oftreaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain aBritish protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in1971. Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulfcountries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreignaffairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves,Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and hastransformed itself into an international banking center. SheikhHAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa, who came to power in 1999, has pushedeconomic and political reforms and has worked to improve relationswith the Shia community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters approveda referendum on the National Action Charter - the centerpiece ofSheikh HAMAD's political liberalization program. In February 2002,Sheikh HAMAD pronounced Bahrain a constitutional monarchy andchanged his status from amir to king. In October 2002, Bahrainiselected members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstitutedbicameral legislature, the National Assembly.
Geography Bahrain
Location:Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:26 00 N, 50 33 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 665 sq kmland: 665 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:161 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
Climate:arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain:mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
Land use: arable land: 2.82% permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2005)
Irrigated land:40 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts; dust storms
Environment - current issues:desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arableland, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation(damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resultingfrom oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oilrefineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources,groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, HazardousWastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategiclocation in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world'spetroleum must transit to reach open ocean
People Bahrain
Population: 698,585 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 27.4% (male 96,567/female 94,650)15-64 years: 69.1% (male 280,272/female 202,451)65 years and over: 3.5% (male 12,753/female 11,892) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 29.4 yearsmale: 32.4 yearsfemale: 25.8 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.45% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:17.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:4.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.38 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 74.45 yearsmale: 71.97 yearsfemale: 77 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.6 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:less than 600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Bahraini(s)adjective: Bahraini
Ethnic groups:Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)
Religions:Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001census)
Languages:Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 89.1%male: 91.9%female: 85% (2003 est.)
Government Bahrain
Country name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrainconventional short form: Bahrainlocal long form: Mamlakat al Bahraynlocal short form: Al Bahraynformer: Dilmun
Government type:constitutional hereditary monarchy
Capital:name: Manamageographic coordinates: 26 13 N, 50 35 Etime difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions: 5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
Independence:15 August 1971 (from UK)
National holiday:National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the dateof independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date ofindependence from British protection
Constitution:new constitution 14 February 2002
Legal system:based on Islamic law and English common law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
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 ALI bin Khalifa bin Salmanal-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDHcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarchelections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime ministerappointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 membersappointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directlyelected to serve four-year terms)elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (nextelection 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, othergroupings and independents 21note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral NationalAssembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter createdbicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on 25December 2002
Judicial branch:High Civil Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
Political pressure groups and leaders: Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests and marches, demanding that more power be vested in the elected Council of Representatives and that the government do more to decrease unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
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
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Muhammad al-BALUSHI chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 1724-2700 FAX: [973] 1727-0547
Flag description:red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with awhite serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the fivepoints represent the five pillars of Islam
Economy Bahrain
Economy - overview:Petroleum production and refining account for about 60% ofBahrain's export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% ofGDP. With its highly developed communication and transportfacilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms withbusiness in the Gulf. A large share of exports consists of petroleumproducts made from refining imported crude. Construction proceeds onseveral major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially amongthe young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resourcesare major long-term economic problems. In 2005 Bahrain and the USratified a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the USand a Gulf state.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$15.9 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$11.01 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:5.9% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$23,100 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 0.5%industry: 38.7%services: 60.8% (2005 est.)
Labor force:380,000note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national(2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 1%industry: 79%services: 20% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:15% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.7% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):19.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $4.662 billionexpenditures: $3.447 billion; including capital expenditures of $700million (2005 est.)
Public debt:33.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish
Industries:petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, ironpelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:7.345 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:6.83 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:188,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:26,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:124 million bbl (2005 est.)
Natural gas - production:9.65 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:9.65 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2002 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2002 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:92.03 billion cu m (2005)
Current account balance:$1.531 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$11.17 billion (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
Exports - partners:Saudi Arabia 3.3%, US 2.6%, UAE 2.3% (2005)
Imports:$7.83 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:crude oil, machinery, chemicals
Imports - partners:Saudi Arabia 36.4%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 6.4%, US 5.4%, UK 5%, UAE4.1% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$2.432 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$6.814 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAEand Kuwait (2002)
Currency (code):Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Currency code:BHD
Exchange rates:Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376(2003), 0.376 (2002), 0.376 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Bahrain
Telephones - main lines in use:196,500 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:748,700 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: modern systemdomestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital networkwith rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephonesinternational: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar andUAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable toQatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 1 (1997)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:338,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:4 (1997)
Televisions:275,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.bh
Internet hosts:2,165 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:152,700 (2005)
Transportation Bahrain
Airports: 3 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Heliports:1 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2006)
Roadways:total: 3,498 kmpaved: 2,768 kmunpaved: 730 km (2003)
Merchant marine:total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 235,449 GRT/339,728 DWTby type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1foreign-owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Mina' Salman, Sitrah
Military Bahrain
Military branches:Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense),Navy, Air Force, National Guard
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 202,126females age 18-49: 151,734 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 161,372females age 18-49: 125,488 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 6,013females age 18-49: 5,852 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$627.7 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:4.9% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Bahrain
Disputes - international:none
Trafficking in persons:current situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men andwomen from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly to work aslaborers or domestic servants, but may be subjected to conditions ofinvoluntary servitude when faced with exorbitant recruitment andtransportation fees, withholding of their passports, restrictions ontheir movement, non-payment of wages, and physical or sexual abuse;Eastern European women are also believed to be trafficked to Bahrainfor the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labortier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain's efforts to addresstrafficking in persons are based largely on pledges of futureefforts; the government did not enact a comprehensiveanti-trafficking law extending labor protection to domestic workers
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Bangladesh
Introduction Bangladesh
Background:Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of Bangladeshin the 16th century; eventually the British came to dominate theregion and it became part of British India. In 1947, West Pakistanand East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from India(largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of Pakistan. EastBengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward arrangement ofa two-part country with its territorial units separated by 1,600 kmleft the Bengalis marginalized and dissatisfied. East Pakistanseceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was renamedBangladesh. About a third of this extremely poor country floodsannually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economicdevelopment.
Geography Bangladesh
Location:Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Geographic coordinates:24 00 N, 90 00 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 144,000 sq kmland: 133,910 sq kmwater: 10,090 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Iowa
Land boundaries: total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Coastline: 580 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin
Climate:tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (Marchto June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)
Terrain:mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m
Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber, coal
Land use: arable land: 55.39% permanent crops: 3.08% other: 41.53% (2005)
Irrigated land:47,250 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated duringthe summer monsoon season
Environment - current issues:many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivateflood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water;water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the useof commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturallyoccurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of fallingwater tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soildegradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone LayerProtection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowingfrom the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channelof the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually emptyinto the Bay of Bengal
People Bangladesh
Population:147,365,352 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 32.9% (male 24,957,997/female 23,533,894)15-64 years: 63.6% (male 47,862,774/female 45,917,674)65 years and over: 3.5% (male 2,731,578/female 2,361,435) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 22.2 yearsmale: 22.2 yearsfemale: 22.2 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.09% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:29.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:8.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.06 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 60.83 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 61.87 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 59.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 62.46 yearsmale: 62.47 yearsfemale: 62.45 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:3.11 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:13,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:650 (2001 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,and typhoid fevervectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks insome locationswater contact disease: leptospirosisanimal contact disease: rabies (2005)
Nationality:noun: Bangladeshi(s)adjective: Bangladeshi
Ethnic groups:Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)
Religions:Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)
Languages:Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 43.1%male: 53.9%female: 31.8% (2003 est.)
Government Bangladesh
Country name:conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladeshconventional short form: Bangladeshlocal long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladeshlocal short form: Banladeshformer: East Bengal, East Pakistan
Government type:parliamentary democracy
Capital:name: Dhakageographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 25 Etime difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet
Independence:16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is thedate of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is knownas Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the stateof Bangladesh
National holiday:Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the dateof independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Dayand commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Constitution:4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972; suspended followingcoup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended many times
Legal system:based on English common law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002);note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker GovernmentAmendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times whenParliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - atpresidential direction - to supervise the electionshead of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October2001)cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by thepresidentelections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-yearterm (eligible for a second term); election scheduled for 16September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the onlypresidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (nextelection to be held by 2007); following legislative elections, theleader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointedprime minister by the presidentelection results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commissionelected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote- NA
Legislative branch:unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats electedby popular vote from single territorial constituencies (theconstitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and abovethe 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members servefive-year termselections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held no later thanJanuary 2007)election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliancepartners 41%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 193, AL 58, JI 17, JP(Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Manzur) 4, other 12; note - theelection of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government alignedwith three other smaller parties - JI, IOJ, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed bythe president)
Political parties and leaders:Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party orBCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP[Khaleda ZIA]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI];Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or JIB [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; JatiyaParty or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party(Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]; Liberal Democratic Party orLDP [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY and Oli AHMED]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ARF, AsDB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Shamsher Mobin CHOWDHURYchancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia A. BUTENISembassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744
Flag description:green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the hoistside of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and thesacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes thelush vegetation of Bangladesh
Economy Bangladesh
Economy - overview:Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improveeconomic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor,overpopulated, and inefficiently-governed nation. Although half ofGDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds ofBangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice asthe single-most-important product. Major impediments to growthinclude frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-ownedenterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing laborforce that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploitingenergy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, andslow implementation of economic reforms. Reform is stalled in manyinstances by political infighting and corruption at all levels ofgovernment. Progress also has been blocked by opposition from thebureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups.The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA, has theparliamentary strength to push through needed reforms, but theparty's political will to do so has been lacking in key areas. Oneencouraging note: growth has been a steady 5% for the past severalyears.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$305.9 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$63.56 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.4% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$2,100 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 19.9%industry: 19.8%services: 60.3% (2004 est.)
Labor force:66.6 millionnote: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billionin 1998-99 (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 63% industry: 11% services: 26% (FY95/96)
Unemployment rate:2.5% (includes underemployment) (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:45% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:31.8 (2000)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):7% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):24.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget:revenues: $5.993 billionexpenditures: $8.598 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA(2005 est.)
Public debt:44.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses,oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry
Industries:cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint,cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar
Industrial production growth rate:6.7% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:17.42 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.7% hydro: 6.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:16.2 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:6,825 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - consumption:84,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves:28.45 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:11.9 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:11.9 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:300.2 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$37 million (2005 est.)
Exports:$9.372 billion (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood(2001)
Exports - partners:US 23.6%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.4%, France 6.4% (2005)
Imports:$12.97 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles,foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)
Imports - partners:India 14.1%, China 13.5%, Kuwait 8.5%, Singapore 6.2%, Japan 4.1%,Hong Kong 4.1% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$2.825 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$20.63 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$1.575 billion (2000 est.)
Currency (code):taka (BDT)
Currency code:BDT
Exchange rates:taka per US dollar - 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004), 58.15 (2003),57.888 (2002), 55.807 (2001)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Communications Bangladesh
Telephones - main lines in use:1.07 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:9 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern countrydomestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systemsinclude VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and somefiber-optic cable in citiesinternational: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 6;international radiotelephone communications and landline service toneighboring countries (2005)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 15, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006)
Radios:6.15 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:15 (1999)
Televisions:770,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.bd
Internet hosts:469 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):10 (2000)
Internet users:300,000 (2005)
Transportation Bangladesh
Airports: 16 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 2,604 km (2006)
Railways:total: 2,768 kmbroad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gaugenarrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways:total: 239,226 kmpaved: 22,726 kmunpaved: 216,500 km (2003)
Waterways:8,372 kmnote: includes 5,635 km main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200km in dry season (2005)
Merchant marine:total: 42 ships (1000 GRT or over) 341,733 GRT/485,840 DWTby type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 29, container 6, passenger/cargo 1,petroleum tanker 3foreign-owned: 1 (China 1)registered in other countries: 10 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Comoros 1,Malta 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Chittagong, Mongla Port
Military Bangladesh
Military branches:Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy,Bangladesh Air Force (Bangladesh Biman Bahini, BAF) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription(2005)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 35,170,019 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 26,841,255 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$1.01 billion (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.8% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Bangladesh
Disputes - international:discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section ofriver boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries,allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade,migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porousborder; Bangladesh resists India's attempts to fence or wall offhigh-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a jointBangladesh-India boundary inspection in 2005 revealed 92 pillars aremissing; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/PurbashaIsland in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation;Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 20,402 (Burma)IDPs: 61,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2005)
Illicit drugs:transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Barbados
Introduction Barbados
Background:The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the islanduntil 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavilydependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the20th century. The gradual introduction of social and politicalreforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from theUK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed thesugar industry in economic importance.
Geography Barbados
Location:Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast ofVenezuela
Geographic coordinates:13 10 N, 59 32 W
Map references:Central America and the Caribbean
Area:total: 431 sq kmland: 431 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:97 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Terrain:relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (2005)
Irrigated land:50 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: easternmost Caribbean island
People Barbados
Population:279,912 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 20.1% (male 28,160/female 28,039)15-64 years: 71.1% (male 97,755/female 101,223)65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,508/female 15,227) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 34.6 yearsmale: 33.4 yearsfemale: 35.6 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:0.37% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:12.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.01 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 13.38 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 10.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 72.79 yearsmale: 70.79 yearsfemale: 74.82 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.5% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:2,500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
Ethnic groups:black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%
Religions:Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%
Languages:English
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over has ever attended schooltotal population: 99.7%male: 99.7%female: 99.7% (2002 est.)
Government Barbados