Treaty Summary in Government type entry); sections (some overlapping)
claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK;
the US and most other states do not recognize the territorial claims
of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia
reserve the right to do so); no claims have been made in the sector
between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west; several states with land
claims in Antarctica have expressed their intention to submit data to
the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to extend their
continental shelf claims to adjoining undersea ridges
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Bahrain
Introduction
Bahrain
Background: Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf
countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs
among its larger neighbors. Possessing minimal oil reserves, Bahrain has
turned to petroleum processing and refining, and has transformed itself
into an international banking center. The new amir is pushing economic
and political reforms, and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a
community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on
the National Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political
liberalization program.
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 km water: 0 sq km land: 665 sq km
Area - comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 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: 5% permanent crops: 4% other: 91% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 50 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; dust storms
Environment - current issues: 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: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Geography - note:
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location
in Persian Gulf, which much of Western world's petroleum must transit
to reach open ocean
People Bahrain
Population: 656,397 note: includes 228,424 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.2% (male 97,022; female 94,605) 15-64
years: 67.7% (male 261,919; female 182,727) 65 years and over: 3.1%
(male 10,230; female 9,894) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.67% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 19.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 3.95 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.43 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.29 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 19.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 75.96 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.75 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.15% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini
Ethnic groups: Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%
Religions: Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%
Languages: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 88.5% male: 91.6% female: 84.2% (2002 est.)
Government Bahrain
Country name: Kingdom of Bahrain conventional short form: Mamlakat
al Bahrayn
Government type: constitutional hereditary monarchy
Capital: Manama
Administrative divisions: 12 municipalities (manatiq, singular -
mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al
Wusta, Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah
al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar,
Sitrah note: all municipalities administered from Manama
Independence: 15 August 1971 (from UK)
National holiday: National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August
1971 is the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the
date of independence from British protection
Constitution: adopted late December 2000; Bahrani voters approved
on 13-14 February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised
constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a constitutional
monarchy, and an independent judiciary)
Legal system: based on Islamic law and English common law
Suffrage: none
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 NA 1971) cabinet: Cabinet
appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary;
prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly was dissolved
26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet;
appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992; the National
Action Charter created a bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000;
approved by referendum of 14 February 2001
Judicial branch: High Civil Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited but
politically oriented nongovernment organizations are allowed
Political pressure groups and leaders: Shi'a activists fomented unrest
sporadically in 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National
Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist
and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC,
ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Khalifa bin Ali bin Rashid AL KHALIFA chancery: 3502 International Drive
NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general:
New York telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Ronald E. NEUMANN embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli
Sports Club), Block 321, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American
Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100;
American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone:
Flag description: red with a white serrated band (eight white points)
on the hoist side
Economy Bahrain
Economy - overview: In Bahrain, petroleum production and refining
account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues,
and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport
facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business
in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil revenue granted
as aid. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from
refining imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial
projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of
oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.4 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $13,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 35% services: 64%
(2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 295,000 (1998 est.) note: 44% of the population in the
15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: industry, commerce, and service 79%,
government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $2.2 billion, including
capital expenditures of $700 million (2002 est.)
Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting,
offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 5.765 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 5,361.45 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products;
shrimp, fish
Exports: $5.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum,
textiles
Exports - partners: India 8.4%, US 3.9%, Saudi Arabia 3.4%, Japan 2.8%,
South Korea 2.1% (2000)
Imports: $4.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: crude oil, machinery, chemicals
Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia 28.7%, US 12.5%, UK 6.6%, France 6%,
Japan 4% (2000)
Debt - external: $2.8 billion (2000)
Economic aid - recipient: $48.4 million (1995)
Currency: Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Currency code: BHD
Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.3760 (fixed rate
pegged to the US dollar)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Bahrain
Telephones - main lines in use: 152,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 58,543 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern system domestic: modern
fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing
use of mobile cellular telephones 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 (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 Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 105,000 (2001)
Transportation Bahrain
Railways: 0 km
Highways: 3,164 km paved: 2,433 km unpaved: 731 km note: a paved causeway
links Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km
Ports and harbors: Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah
Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 270,784
GRT/384,561 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 4, container 2, includes
a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1
(2002 est.)
Airports: 4 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Bahrain
Military branches: Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF) comprising Ground Force
(includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police Force,
Amiri Guards, National Guard
Military manpower - military age: 15 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 222,572 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 121,955
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 5,926
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $526.2 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 6.7% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Bahrain
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Barbados
Introduction
Barbados
Background: The island was uninhabited when first settled by the
British in 1627. Its economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum,
and molasses production through most of the 20th century. In the 1990s,
tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic
importance.
Geography Barbados
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: 431 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 431 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: 2% other: 61% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1998 est.)
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,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: easternmost
Caribbean island
People Barbados
Population: 276,607 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.4% (male 29,888; female 29,338) 15-64
years: 69.8% (male 94,214; female 98,811) 65 years and over: 8.8%
(male 9,378; female 14,978) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.46% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 13.32 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 8.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 11.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 76.12 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.17% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,800 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 130 (1999 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%,
other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%
Languages: English
Literacy: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
Government Barbados
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Barbados
Government type: parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state
within the Commonwealth
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 (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 monarch is hereditary;
governor general appointed by the monarch; 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: 2004) election results: House of Assembly -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BLP 26, DLP 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by
the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)
Political parties and leaders: Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR];
Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Clyde MASCOLL]; National Democratic Party
or NDP [Richard HAYNES]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Barbados Workers Union
[Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMMISSIONG];
People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados
[Dr. George BELLE]
International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael
Ian KING consulate(s): Los Angeles consulate(s) general: Miami and New
York FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200 chancery:
2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires Marcia BERNICHT embassy: Canadian Imperial
Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO
Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown mailing
P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055 telephone:
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side),
gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold
band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past
(the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
Economy Barbados
Economy - overview: Historically, the Barbadian economy had been
dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production
in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. Offshore
finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners,
and there is also a light manufacturing sector. The government continues
its efforts to reduce unemployment, encourage direct foreign investment,
and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted
in 2001 due to slowdowns in tourism and consumer spending. Growth will
remain anemic in 2002 with a recovery likely near the end of the year.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -2% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78%
(2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 128,500 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10%
(1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 10% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $847 million (including grants) expenditures: $886
million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly
for export
Industrial production growth rate: -3.2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 740 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 688.2 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Exports: $272 million (2000)
Exports - commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and
beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing
Exports - partners: Caribbean Community 43.2%, US 15.3%, UK 13.2% (2000)
Imports: $1.16 billion (2000)
Imports - commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs,
construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners: US 40.8%, Caribbean Community 19.8%, UK 8.1%,
Japan 5.2%, Canada 4.2% (2000)
Debt - external: $425 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $9.1 million (1995)
Currency: Barbadian dollar (BBD)
Currency code: BBD
Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate
pegged to the US dollar)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Barbados
Telephones - main lines in use: 108,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 8,013 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: island-wide automatic
telephone system international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 237,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)
Televisions: 76,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .bb
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 19 (2000)
Internet users: 6,000 (2000)
Transportation Barbados
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,650 km paved: 1,628 km unpaved: 22 km (1998)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)
Merchant marine: total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 629,987
GRT/1,073,991 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered
here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bahamas, The 1, Canada 4,
Germany 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 7, Norway 7, United Kingdom 18 (2002 est.)
ships by type: Airports: 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)
Military Barbados
Military branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force (including Ground Forces
and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 78,132 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 53,532
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues Barbados
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics
bound for Europe and the US
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Botswana
Introduction
Botswana
Background: Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana
adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. The economy, one of the
most robust on the continent, is dominated by diamond mining.
Geography Botswana
Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 600,370 sq km water: 15,000 sq km land: 585,370 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 4,013 km border countries: Namibia 1,360 km,
South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
Terrain: predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert
in southwest
Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe
Rivers 513 m highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m