account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues,
and 30% of GDP. Economic conditions have fluctuated with the changing
fortunes of oil since 1985, for example, during and following the Gulf
crisis of 1990-91. 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 consists of
petroleum products made from imported crude. Construction proceeds on
several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the
young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources
are major long-term economic problems.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$8.2 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 2.7% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$13,700 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 38%
services: 61% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: -0.2% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 140,000
by occupation: industry, commerce, and service 78%, government 21%,
agriculture 1% (1994)
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
(July 1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.7 billion
expenditures: $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $400
million (1998 est.)
Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting,
offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (1995)
Electricity-capacity: 1.05 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 4.4 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 7,640 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products;
shrimp, fish
Exports:
total value: $4.6 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 61%, aluminum 7%
partners: India 22%, Japan 12%, Saudi Arabia 6%, US 6%, UAE 5% (1995)
Imports:
total value: $3.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: nonoil 63%, crude oil 37%
partners: Saudi Arabia 40%, US 13%, UK 7%, Japan 5%, Switzerland 5%
(1995)
Debt-external: $3.2 billion (1995)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils
Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1-0.3760 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 73,552 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: modern system; good domestic services and excellent
international connections
domestic: NA
international: 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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 320,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1988 est.)
Televisions: 270,000 (1993 est.)
@Bahrain:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 3,013 km
paved: 2,284 km
unpaved: 729 km (1996 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32
km
Ports and harbors: Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah
Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 131,919 GRT/212,510 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, oil tanker 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 3 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)
@Bahrain:Military
Military branches: Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard,
Internal Security Forces
Military manpower-military age: 15 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 218,831 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 120,753 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: NA
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $256 million (1994)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 5.4% (1995)
@Bahrain:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar
Islands and maritime boundary dispute with Qatar currently before the
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
______________________________________________________________________
BAKER ISLAND
(territory of the US)
@Baker Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of
the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates: 0 13 N, 176 31 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 1.4 sq km
land: 1.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4.8 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow
fringing reef
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 8 m
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891)
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
be a maritime hazard
Environment-current issues: no natural fresh water resources
Environment-international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography-note: treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting
of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a
nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and
marine wildlife
@Baker Island:People
Population: uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
special-use permit only and generally restricted to scientists and
educators; a cemetery and cemetery ruins are located near the middle
of the west coast
@Baker Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Baker Island
Data code: FQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered
from Washington, DC by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
system
Legal system: NA
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
@Baker Island:Economy
Economy-overview: no economic activity
@Baker Island:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note-there is one
boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Airports: 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m
Transportation-note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the west
coast
@Baker Island:Military
Military-note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard
@Baker Island:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
______________________________________________________________________
BANGLADESH
@Bangladesh:Geography
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 km
land: 133,910 sq km
water: 10,090 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Land boundaries:
total: 4,246 km
border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km
Coastline: 580 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; cool, dry winter (October to March); hot, humid
summer (March to June); cool, rainy monsoon (June to October)
Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Reng Tlang 957 m
Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber
Land use:
arable land: 73%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 15%
other: 5% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 31,000 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely
flooded during the summer monsoon season
Environment-current issues: many people are landless and forced to
live on and cultivate flood-prone land; limited access to potable
water; water-borne diseases prevalent; water pollution especially of
fishing areas results from the use of commercial pesticides;
intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the
northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation;
deforestation; severe overpopulation
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
@Bangladesh:People
Population: 127,567,002 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38% (male 24,339,519; female 23,377,955)
15-64 years: 59% (male 38,897,130; female 36,818,818)
65 years and over: 3% (male 2,239,638; female 1,893,942) (July 1998
est.)
Population growth rate: 1.76% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 28.89 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 10.6 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 97.67 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.66 years
male: 56.69 years
female: 56.63 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.32 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bangladeshi(s)
adjective: Bangladesh
Ethnic groups: Bengali 98%, Biharis 250,000, tribals less than 1
million
Religions: Muslim 88.3%, Hindu 10.5%, other 1.2%
Languages: Bangla (official), English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 38.1%
male: 49.4%
female: 26.1% (1995 est.)
@Bangladesh:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form: Bangladesh
former: East Pakistan
Data code: BG
Government type: republic
National capital: Dhaka
Administrative divisions: 4 divisions; Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna,
Rajshahi
note: there may be two new divisions named Barisal and Sylhet
Independence: 16 December 1971 (from Pakistan)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971)
Constitution: 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended
following coup 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 Shahabuddin AHMED (since 9 October 1996);
note-the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the 13th
amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the
president's role becomes significant at times when Parliament is
dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at presidential
direction-to supervise the elections
head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed (since 23 June
1996)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year
term; election last held 24 July 1996 (next to be held by NA October
2001); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that
wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the
president
election results: Shahabuddin AHMED elected president without
opposition; percent of National Parliament vote-NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad
(330 seats; 300 elected by popular vote from single territorial
constituencies, 30 seats reserved for women; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 12 June 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party-AL 33.87%, BNP 30.87%;
seats by party-AL 178, BNP 113, JP 33, JI 3, other 2, election still
to be held 1; note-the elections of 12 June 1996 brought to power an
Awami League government for the first time in twenty-one years; held
under a neutral, caretaker administration, the elections were
characterized by a peaceful, orderly process and massive voter
turnout, ending a bitter two-year impasse between the former BNP and
opposition parties that had paralyzed National Parliament and led to
widespread street violence
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the Chief Justices and other judges
are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP),
Khaleda ZIAur Rahman; Awami League (AL), Sheikh HASINA Wajed; Jatiyo
Party (JP), Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD; Jamaat-E-Islami (JI), Motiur
Rahman NIZAMI; Bangladesh Communist Party (BCP), Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK
International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UNU,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Khwaja Mohammad SHEHABUDDIN
chancery: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 342-8372 through 8376
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John C. HOLZMAN
embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
mailing address: G.P.O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
telephone: [880] (2) 884700 through 884722
FAX: [880] (2) 883-744
Flag description: green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist
side of center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to
achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside,
and secondarily, the traditional color of Islam
@Bangladesh:Economy
Economy-overview: Despite sustained domestic and international efforts
to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains one
of the world's poorest, most densely populated, and least developed
nations. Annual GDP growth has averaged over 4% in recent years from a
low base. Its economy is largely agricultural, with the cultivation of
rice the single most important activity in the economy. Major
impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, the
inefficiency of state-owned enterprises, a rapidly growing labor force
that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy
resources (natural gas), inadequate power supplies, and slow
implementation of economic reforms. Frequent strikes that crippled the
economy in 1995 and early 1996 subsided after Prime Minister Sheikh
HASINA Wajed's Awami League government assumed power in mid-1996,
allowing a return to normal economic activity. The current government
has made some headway improving the climate for foreign investors and
liberalizing the capital markets; for example, it has negotiated with
foreign firms for oil and gas exploration, better countrywide
distribution of cooking gas, and the construction of natural gas
pipelines and power plants. Progress on other economic reforms has
been halting because of opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector
unions, and other vested interest groups.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$167 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 5.5% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$1,330 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 30%
industry: 18%
services: 52% (1996)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 2.5% (1996)
Labor force:
total: 56 million
by occupation: agriculture 63%, services 25%, industry and mining 10%
(1996)
note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, and Oman
(1996)
Unemployment rate: 35.2% (1996)
Budget:
revenues: $3.6 billion
expenditures: $5.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $3
billion (FY96/97)
Industries: jute manufacturing, cotton textiles, food processing,
steel, fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: 5.3% (1996)
Electricity-capacity: 2.978 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 11.5 billion kWh (1997)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 71 kWh (1997 est.)
Agriculture-products: rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes;
beef, milk, poultry
Exports:
total value: $3.9 billion (1996)
commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and
seafood
partners: Western Europe 42%, US 30%, Hong Kong 4%, Japan 3% (FY95/96
est.)
Imports:
total value: $6.9 billion (1996)
commodities: capital goods, textiles, food, petroleum products
partners: India 21%, China 10%, Western Europe 8%, Hong Kong 7%,
Singapore 6% (FY95/96 est.)
Debt-external: $17.1 billion (1996)
Economic aid:
recipient: $1.475 billion (FY96/97)
Currency: 1 taka (Tk) = 100 poisha
Exchange rates: taka (Tk) per US$1-45.450 (January 1998), 43.892
(1997), 41.794 (1996), 40.278 (1995), 40.212 (1994), 39.567 (1993)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
Communications
Telephones: 249,800 (1994 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: poor domestic telephone service
international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean);
international radiotelephone communications and landline service to
neighboring countries
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 11
Televisions: 350,000 (1993 est.)
@Bangladesh:Transportation
Railways:
total: 2,892 km
broad gauge: 978 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,914 km 1.000-m gauge (1992)
Highways:
total: 223,391 km
paved: 16,084 km
unpaved: 207,307 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 5,150-8,046 km navigable waterways (includes 2,575-3,058 km
main cargo routes)
Pipelines: natural gas 1,220 km
Ports and harbors: Chittagong, Dhaka, Chalna Port (Mongla)
Merchant marine:
total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 310,728 GRT/444,245 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 31, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1997 est.)
Airports: 16 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
@Bangladesh:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces
(includes Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Ansars, Armed Police Reserve,
Village Defense Parties, National Cadet Corps)
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 33,780,741 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 19,984,761 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $481 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1.7% (FY95/96)
@Bangladesh:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: a portion of the boundary with India is
indefinite
Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in
neighboring countries
______________________________________________________________________
BARBADOS
@Barbados:Geography
Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 13 10 N, 59 32 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 97 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 12%
other: 46% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
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: Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity
Geography-note: easternmost Caribbean island
@Barbados:People
Population: 259,025 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (male 30,592; female 29,747)
15-64 years: 67% (male 84,725; female 87,730)
65 years and over: 10% (male 9,926; female 16,305) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.09% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 14.92 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 8.21 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 17.25 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.79 years
male: 72.03 years
female: 77.62 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Barbadian(s)
adjective: Barbadian
Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 4%, other 16%
Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%,
other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, unknown 3%, other 9% (1980)
Languages: English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97.4%
male: 98%
female: 96.8% (1995 est.)
@Barbados:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Barbados
Data code: BB
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Bridgetown
Administrative divisions: 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew,
Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint
Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas
note: the city of Bridgetown may be given parish status
Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Constitution: 30 November 1966
Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative
acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since
1 June 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6
September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6
September 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general
appointed by the queen; prime minister appointed by the governor
general
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of
Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly-last held 6 September 1994 (next to be
held by January 1999)
election results: House of Assembly-percent of vote by party-NA; seats
by party - BLP 19, DLP 8, NDP 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature, judges are appointed by
the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Service
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David
THOMPSON]; Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; National
Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES]