Location: Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia Area: total: 665 sq km land: 665 sq km water: 0 sq km Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers Terrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment 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 Population: 688,345 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups: Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census) Nationality: noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini Languages: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu Religions: Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census) Literacy: 89.1%

Government type: constitutional hereditary monarchy Executive branch: • chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since March 1999) • head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa (since 1971) • cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch National Holiday: National Day, 16 December (1971) ACD Member: ACD Member since 2002 Prime Mover (PM) on Working Group: Energy Security Co-Prime Mover on Working Group: None Bahrain government official web site : www.bahrain.gov.bh

Currency (code): Bahraini dinar (BHD) GDP: $14.08 billion (2005 est.) GDP per capita: $20,500 (2005 est.) Exports - commodities: Petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles Exports - partners: Saudi Arabia , US , UAE Imports - commodities: Crude oil, machinery, chemicals Imports - partners: Saudi Arabia , Japan , Germany , US , UK , France Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrim, fish Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelling, iron polletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism Source : The World Fact Book 2005 (www.cia.gov)