s; 6% meadows and pastures;
0% forest and woodland; 90% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment: subsurface water sources being rapidly depleted (requires
development of desalination facilities); dust storms; desertification

Note: proximity to primary Middle Eastern crude oil sources
and strategic location in Persian Gulf through which much of Western world's
crude oil must transit to reach open ocean

- People
Population: 520,186 (July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990)

Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 3 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 8 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 19 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 76 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 4.1 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Bahraini(s); adjective--Bahraini

Ethnic divisions: 63% Bahraini, 13% Asian, 10% other Arab, 8% Iranian, 6%
other

Religion: Muslim (70% Shia, 30% Sunni)

Language: Arabic (official); English also widely spoken; Farsi, Urdu

Literacy: 40%

Labor force: 140,000; 42% of labor force is Bahraini; 85% industry and
commerce, 5% agriculture, 5% services, 3% government (1982)

Organized labor: General Committee for Bahrain Workers exists in only
eight major designated companies

- Government
Long-form name: State of Bahrain

Type: traditional monarchy

Capital: Manama

Administrative divisions: 11 municipalities (baladiyat,
singular--baladiyah); 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 Isa, Mintaqat Juzur Hawar, Sitrah

Independence: 15 August 1971 (from UK)

Constitution: 26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973

Legal system: based on Islamic law and English common law

National holiday: National Day, 16 December

Executive branch: amir, crown prince and heir apparent, prime minister,
Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly was dissolved
26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet

Judicial branch: High Civil Appeals Court

Leaders:
Chief of State--Amir Isa bin Salman Al KHALIFA (since
2 November 1961); Heir Apparent Hamad bin Isa Al KHALIFA (son of Amir;
born 28 January 1950);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al KHALIFA,
(since 19 January 1970)

Political parties and pressure groups: politica