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@Bahrain

Bahrain Introduction

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 2001, the
International Court of Justice awarded the Hawar Islands, long
disputed with Qatar, to Bahrain.

Bahrain Geography

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: 620 sq km

land: 620 sq km

water: 0 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

continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

territorial sea: 12 NM

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: 1%

permanent crops: 1%

permanent pastures: 6%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 92% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 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; no natural
fresh water resources so that groundwater and sea water 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: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources;
strategic location in Persian Gulf which much of Western world's
petroleum must