Force
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $65 million, 2.7% of GDP (1990)

@Bahrain, Geography

Location:
Middle East, in the central Persian Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and
Qatar
Map references:
Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
620 sq km
land area:
620 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
161 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
not specified
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands; maritime
boundary with Qatar
Climate:
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain:
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Natural resources:
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish
Land use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
2%
meadows and pastures:
6%
forest and woodland:
0%
other:
90%
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1989 est.)
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 surface water resources; groundwater and sea
water are the only sources for all water needs
natural hazards:
periods of drought, dust storms
international agreements:
party to - Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change
Note:
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location
in Persian Gulf through which much of Western world's petroleum must
transit to reach open ocean

@Bahrain, People

Population:
585,683 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.96% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
26.59 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
3.83 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
6.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
19 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
73.51 years
male:
71.1 years
female:
76.05 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.96 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Bahraini(s)
adjective: