General Profile
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%
|