# Bahrain

> country in the Persian Gulf

**Wikidata**: [Q398](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q398)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahrain)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bahrain

## Summary
Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is a sovereign state and island country located in the Persian Gulf. An archipelago in West Asia, it is a constitutional monarchy with Manama as its capital. As of 2023, the country has an estimated population of over 1.5 million people and operates as a distinct territorial body with the highest authority over its territory.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** Kingdom of Bahrain (also known as Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn or Dawlat al-Bahrain).
- **Classification:** Sovereign state, island country, archipelago, and distinct territorial body.
- **Location:** Persian Gulf, Middle East, West Asia; shares borders with Saudi Arabia and Iran.
- **Capital:** Manama.
- **Area:** 786.5 square kilometres.
- **Population:** 1,569,666 (2023 estimate); 1,472,233 (2022).
- **Inception:** August 14, 1971.
- **Currency:** Bahraini dinar (since 1965).
- **Official Language:** Arabic.
- **Official Religion:** Islam (Malikism school).
- **Head of State:** Hamad II of Bahrain (since March 6, 1999).
- **Head of Government:** Salman bin Hamad, Crown Prince of Bahrain (since November 11, 2020).
- **Government Type:** Constitutional monarchy.
- **UN Membership:** Joined September 21, 1971.

## FAQs
**What type of government and political system does Bahrain have?**
Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is Hamad II of Bahrain, who assumed the role on March 6, 1999. The head of government is Salman bin Hamad, the Crown Prince, who took office on November 11, 2020.

**What are the demographic details of Bahrain?**
The population of Bahrain was estimated at 1,569,666 in 2023. In 2022, the male population was 912,199 and the female population was 560,034. The country has a high literacy rate of 97.5% as of 2018 and a life expectancy of 79 years as of 2022.

**What organizations is Bahrain a member of?**
Bahrain is a member of numerous international organizations including the United Nations (joined 1971), the League of Arab States (joined 1971), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the World Trade Organization, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf.

## Why It Matters
Bahrain is a significant geopolitical entity in the Middle East, functioning as a sovereign state with strategic importance in the Persian Gulf. It plays a role in international diplomacy and global economics, evidenced by its membership in the UN, Arab League, and WTO, and its diplomatic relations with major powers like the US, UK, Russia, and China. With a high Human Development Index of 0.875 in 2021 and a nominal GDP of over $44 billion in 2022, it is a developed economy in the region. Its status as a constitutional monarchy and its classification as a "not-free country" by Freedom House also highlight its distinct political and social landscape.

## Notable For
- **Geography:** Being an island country and archipelago in the Persian Gulf with an area of 786.5 square kilometres.
- **Politics:** A constitutional monarchy headed by Hamad II, with a democracy index of 2.52 in 2021.
- **Economy:** A high-income economy with a nominal GDP of $44.39 billion in 2022 and a currency (Bahraini dinar) introduced in 1965.
- **International Relations:** Hosting diplomatic relations with a wide range of countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, and North Korea.
- **Development:** Achieving a Human Development Index of 0.875 in 2021 and a literacy rate of 97.5% in 2018.

## Body

### Geography and Administration
Bahrain is located in West Asia within the Middle East region, situated in the Persian Gulf. It is classified as an island country and an archipelago. The nation covers a total area of 786.5 square kilometres. Its geographic coordinates are 26.0675°N, 50.551111°E. The country shares borders with Saudi Arabia (Bahrain–Saudi Arabia border) and Iran (Bahrain–Iran border). The highest point in the country is the Mountain of Smoke, at an elevation of 134 metres, while the lowest point is the Persian Gulf at sea level. The capital city is Manama. Administratively, the country contains the Capital Governorate, Muharraq Governorate, Northern Governorate, and Southern Governorate; the Central Governorate existed until September 2014.

### Demographics and Society
The population of Bahrain has grown significantly, from 160,691 in 1960 to an estimated 1,569,666 in 2023. In 2022, the population consisted of 912,199 males and 560,034 females. The majority of the population lives in urban areas (1,321,226 in 2022) compared to rural areas (151,007 in 2022). The life expectancy at birth is 79 years as of 2022. The country has a literacy rate of 97.5% (2018) and a median income of $24,633. The official language is Arabic, with English, Bahrani Arabic, and Malay also listed as languages used. The demonym for citizens is Bahraini. The society is predominantly Muslim, following the Malikism school of Islamic jurisprudence.

### Governance and Politics
Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy that was established in its current form on August 14, 1971. It replaced the former State of Bahrain. The head of state is the monarch, currently Hamad II of Bahrain, who has held the position since March 6, 1999. The head of government is the Prime Minister, currently Salman bin Hamad, Crown Prince of Bahrain, who succeeded Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa on November 11, 2020. The legislative body is the National Assembly of Bahrain. The country's political rights and civil liberties have been assessed by organizations such as Freedom House, which classified it as a "not-free country" in its 2017 report. The Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) governance index for Bahrain was 3.73 in 2022.

### Economy
Bahrain uses the Bahraini dinar as its currency, which was introduced in 1965. The country's nominal GDP was reported as $39,303,403,989 in 2021 and $44,390,820,479 in 2022. The Value Added Tax (VAT) rate is 10% as of January 1, 2022. The central bank is the Central Bank of Bahrain. Key economic indicators include an unemployment rate of 4% (2014) and a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.875 in 2021.

### International Relations
Bahrain maintains a wide network of diplomatic relations, including with the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, Germany, and North Korea (relations established May 23, 2001). It is a member of numerous international organizations. It joined the United Nations on September 21, 1971, and the League of Arab States on September 11, 1971. Other memberships include the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (since 1972), the World Trade Organization, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (since 1972), and regional bodies like the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf.

### Culture and Symbols
The national anthem of Bahrain is "Bahrainona." The flag of Bahrain was officially adopted on February 14, 2002. The coat of arms is the coat of arms of Bahrain. The country's motto is "Ours. Yours. Bahrain" (tourism slogan). The official religion is Islam, and the official language is Arabic.

### Infrastructure and Codes
Bahrain's international dialing code is +973, and its internet top-level domain is .bh. ISO codes include BH (alpha-2), BHR (alpha-3), and 048 (numeric). The country drives on the right. The mains voltage is 230V at 50Hz, utilizing the BS 1363 plug type. Emergency phone numbers include 999 and 112.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.workwithdata.com/place/bahrain)
2. Constitution of Bahrain
3. [Source](https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-list-of-non-cooperative-jurisdictions/timeline-eu-list-of-non-cooperative-jurisdictions/)
4. [Source](https://data.iana.org/time-zones/tzdb-2021e/asia)
5. [Source](https://www.oic-oci.org/states/?lan=en)
6. [Interpol](https://www.interpol.int/Member-countries/World)
7. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Member-countries/Asia-South-Pacific/BAHRAIN)
8. [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons](https://www.opcw.org/about-opcw/member-states/)
9. [Source](https://www.opcw.org/about-us/member-states/bahrain)
10. [International Hydrographic Organization](https://www.iho.int/srv1/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=452&lang=en)
11. [Source](http://www.unesco.org/eri/cp/ListeMS_Indicators.asp)
12. [Source](http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/member-countries.html)
13. [Source](https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/Member-Countries?csid=-1&cid=36)
14. [Source](https://www.itu.int/online/mm/scripts/gensel8)
15. [Source](https://public.wmo.int/en/members/bahrain)
16. [Source](https://www.who.int/choice/demography/by_country/en/)
17. [Source](https://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/about-us/wco-members/list-of-members-with-membership-date.pdf)
18. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parties_to_the_Treaty_on_the_Non-Proliferation_of_Nuclear_Weapons)
19. [Source](https://www.ncnk.org/sites/default/files/content/resources/publications/NCNK_Issue_Brief_DPRK_Diplomatic_Relations.pdf)
20. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
21. FIPS 10-4
22. MusicBrainz
23. [Human Development Report. 2022](https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/human-development-index#/indicies/HDI)
24. World Bank Open Data
25. [World Bank Open Data](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL)
26. [Source](https://data.who.int/countries/048)
27. [Source](http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS)
28. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
29. Official Names of the United Nations Membership
30. [Source](https://www.skgeodesy.sk/sk/ugkk/geodezia-kartografia/standardizacia-geografickeho-nazvoslovia/nazvy-statov/)
31. The National Terminology Database for Irish
32. [Source](https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2017)
33. [Source](https://www.bahrain.bh/wps/wcm/connect/bnp_en/about%20the%20kingdom/about%20bahrain/related%20topics/facts%20and%20figures)
34. [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
35. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=DEMO_DS)
36. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=3372)
37. BabelNet
38. [International Numbering Resources Database](http://www.itu.int/net/itu-t/inrdb/e129_important_numbers.aspx)
39. [World Plugs](http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.htm)
40. [Source](https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/bahrain/corporate/other-taxes)
41. [Source](https://cleartax.in/s/vat-in-bahrain)
42. WikiUMLS: Aligning UMLS to Wikipedia via Cross-lingual Neural Ranking
43. [Source](https://countrycodebase.com/undp/)
44. [Source](https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-freedom/bahrain/)
45. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
46. [Source](https://apps.who.int/gho/athena/data/xmart.csv?target=GHO/SDGSUICIDE,SDG_SH_STA_SCIDEN&profile=crosstable&filter=COUNTRY:*;REGION:*;AGEGROUP:-&x-sideaxis=COUNTRY;SEX&x-topaxis=GHO;YEAR)
47. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=239)
48. ASC Leiden Thesaurus dataset of 5 June 2018
49. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
50. [Gazetteer](https://github.com/EnvironmentOntology/gaz/blob/master/src/ontology/gaz_countries.csv)