Introduction
Background
In 1783, the Sunni Al-KHALIFA family took power in Bahrain. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors. It has also endeavored to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, economic dependence on Saudi Arabia, and proximity to Iran require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Its foreign policy activities usually fall in line with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In 2022, the United States designated Bahrain as a major non-NATO ally.
The Sunni royal family has long struggled to manage relations with its large Shia-majority population. In early 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government confronted similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces to Bahrain. Failed political talks prompted opposition political societies to boycott 2014 legislative and municipal council elections. In 2018, a law preventing members of political societies dissolved by the courts from participating in elections effectively sidelined the majority of opposition figures from taking part in national elections. As a result, most members of parliament are independents. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces. On 15 September 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed peace agreements (the Abraham Accords) with Israel – brokered by the US – in Washington DC. Bahrain and the UAE thus became the third and fourth Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel.
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Geography
Location
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates
26 00 N, 50 33 E
Map references
Middle East
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
161 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
Climate
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Elevation
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 135 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Natural resources
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
Land use
agricultural land: 11.3% (2018 est.)
arable land: 2.1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 3.9% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 5.3% (2018 est.)
forest: 0.7% (2018 est.)
other: 88% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
40 sq km (2012)
Major aquifers
Arabian Aquifer System
Population distribution
smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq
Natural hazards
periodic droughts; dust storms
Geography - note
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean
People and Society
Population
1,553,886 (2023 est.)
note: immigrants make up approximately 45% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)
comparison ranking: 155
Nationality
noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini
Ethnic groups
Bahraini 46%, Asian 45.5%, other Arab 4.7%, African 1.6%, European 1%, other 1.2% (includes Gulf Co-operative country nationals, North and South Americans, and Oceanians) (2010 est.)
Languages
Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Age structure
0-14 years: 18.14% (male 142,866/female 139,083)
15-64 years: 77.83% (male 759,539/female 449,848)
65 years and over: 4.03% (2023 est.) (male 32,162/female 30,388)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 31.3
youth dependency ratio: 26.8
elderly dependency ratio: 4.6
potential support ratio: 21.8 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 32.9 years
male: 34.4 years
female: 30.3 years (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 103
Population distribution
smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq
Urbanization
urban population: 89.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
709,000 MANAMA (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.69 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population: 1.51 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 9.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total 136
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 80.13 years
male: 77.87 years
female: 82.45 years (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total population 52
Gross reproduction rate
0.82 (2023 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
4.2% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
0.93 physicians/1,000 population (2015)
Hospital bed density
1.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 1.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 148
Tobacco use
total: 14.9% (2020 est.)
male: 25.3% (2020 est.)
female: 4.5% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 104
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
43.8% (2023 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 99.9%
female: 94.9% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2019)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 9.9%
male: 6.1%
female: 20.5% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 154
Environment
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; lack of freshwater resources (groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs); lowered water table leaves aquifers vulnerable to saline contamination; desalinization provides some 90% of the country's freshwater
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Land use
agricultural land: 11.3% (2018 est.)
arable land: 2.1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 3.9% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 5.3% (2018 est.)
forest: 0.7% (2018 est.)
other: 88% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 89.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 69.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 31.69 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 15.47 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 951,943 tons (2016 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 76,155 tons (2012 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8% (2012 est.)
Major aquifers
Arabian Aquifer System
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 280 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
120 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun, Tylos, Awal, Mishmahig, Bahrayn, State of Bahrain
etymology: the name means "the two seas" in Arabic and refers to the water bodies surrounding the archipelago
Government type
constitutional monarchy
Capital
name: Manama
geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: name derives from the Arabic "al-manama" meaning "place of rest" or "place of dreams"
Administrative divisions
4 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Asimah (Capital), Janubiyah (Southern), Muharraq, Shamaliyah (Northern)
note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
Independence
15 August 1971 (from the UK)
National holiday
National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection
Constitution
history: adopted 14 February 2002
amendments: proposed by the king or by at least 15 members of either chamber of the National Assembly followed by submission to an Assembly committee for review and, if approved, submitted to the government for restatement as drafts; passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both chambers and validation by the king; constitutional articles on the state religion (Islam), state language (Arabic), and the monarchy and "inherited rule" cannot be amended; amended 2012, 2017
Legal system
mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) law, English common law, Egyptian civil, criminal, and commercial codes; customary law
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Bahrain
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years; 15 years for Arab nationals
Suffrage
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (born 21 October 1969)
head of government: Prime Minister Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (since 11 November 2020); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure KHALID bin Abdallah Al Khalifa (since 13 June 2022)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch
description: bicameral National Assembly consists of:
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (40 seats; members appointed by the king)
Council of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwab (40 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year renewable terms)
elections:
Consultative Council - last appointments on 30 November 2022 (next appointments in 2026)
Council of Representatives - first round for 6 members held on 12 November 2022; second round for remaining 34 members held on 19 November 2022 (next to be held in November 2026)
election results:
Consultative Council - all members appointed; composition as of August 2023 - men 30, women 10, percent of women 25%
Council of Representatives - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - NA; composition as of August 2023 - men 32, women 8, percent of women 20%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 23%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Court of Cassation (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Supreme Court of Appeal (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the president and 6 members); High Sharia Court of Appeal (court sittings include the president and at least one judge)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by royal decree and serve for a specified tenure; Constitutional Court president and members appointed by the Higher Judicial Council, a body chaired by the monarch and includes judges from the Court of Cassation, sharia law courts, and Civil High Courts of Appeal; members serve 9-year terms; High Sharia Court of Appeal member appointments by royal decree for a specified tenure
subordinate courts: Civil High Courts of Appeal; middle and lower civil courts; High Sharia Court of Appeal; Senior Sharia Court; Administrative Courts of Appeal; military courts
note: the judiciary of Bahrain is divided into civil law courts and sharia law courts; sharia courts (involving personal status and family law) are further divided into Sunni Muslim and Shia Muslim; the Courts are supervised by the Supreme Judicial Council.
Political parties and leaders
note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law
International organization participation
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulla bin Rashed AL KHALIFA (since 21 July 2017)
chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111
FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
email address and website:
ambsecretary@bahrainembassy.org
https://www.mofa.gov.bh/Default.aspx?language=en-US&tabid=7702
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Steven C. BONDY (since 9 February 2022)
embassy: Building 979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, P.O. Box 26431, Manama
mailing address: 6210 Manama Place, Washington DC 20521-6210
telephone: [973] 17-242700
FAX: [973] 17-272594
email address and website:
ManamaConsular@state.gov
https://bh.usembassy.gov/
Flag description
red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam
note: until 2002, the flag had eight white points, but this was reduced to five to avoid confusion with the Qatari flag
National symbol(s)
a red field surmounted by a white serrated band with five white points; national colors: red, white
National anthem
name: "Bahrainona" (Our Bahrain)
lyrics/music: unknown
note: adopted 1971; although Mohamed Sudqi AYYASH wrote the original lyrics, they were changed in 2002 following the transformation of Bahrain from an emirate to a kingdom
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Dilmun Burial Mounds; Qal'at al-Bahrain – Ancient Harbor and Capital of Dilmun; Bahrain Pearling Path
Economy
Economic overview
heavily dependent oil/gas economy, has suffered due to lower prices and COVID-19 demand reductions; diversification struggles driven by unemployment and low-skilled labor force; deployed fiscal balancing efforts; emerging tourism industry hit hard by COVID-19 disruptions
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$72.267 billion (2021 est.)
$70.694 billion (2020 est.)
$74.364 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 102
Real GDP per capita
$49,400 (2021 est.)
$47,800 (2020 est.)
$49,800 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 32
GDP (official exchange rate)
$38.472 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-0.61% (2021 est.)
-2.32% (2020 est.)
1.01% (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 222
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: B+ (2020)
Moody's rating: B2 (2018)
Standard & Poors rating: B+ (2017)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 0.3% (2017 est.)
industry: 39.3% (2017 est.)
services: 60.4% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 122; industry 33; agriculture 216
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 45.8% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 15.5% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 26.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.4% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 80.2% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -67.9% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
mutton, dates, milk, poultry, tomatoes, fruit, sheep offals, sheep skins, eggs, pumpkins
Industries
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
Labor force
819,100 (2021 est.)
note: excludes unemployed; 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
comparison ranking: 151
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 1%
industry: 32%
services: 67% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate
1.87% (2021 est.)
1.78% (2020 est.)
1.2% (2019 est.)
note: official estimate; actual rate is higher
comparison ranking: 215
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 9.9%
male: 6.1%
female: 20.5% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 154
Average household expenditures
on food: 13.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.4% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: $9.168 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $12.63 billion (2019 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$2.435 billion (2018 est.)
-$1.6 billion (2017 est.)
-$1.493 billion (2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 164
Exports
$30.097 billion (2018 est.)
$26.732 billion (2017 est.)
note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
comparison ranking: 73
Exports - partners
United Arab Emirates 31%, Saudi Arabia 12%, Japan 8%, United States 8% (2019)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, aluminum, iron ore and reductions, aluminum wiring, crude petroleum (2021)
Imports
$27.187 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$23.876 billion (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 78
Imports - partners
United Arab Emirates 27%, China 11%, Saudi Arabia 7%, United States 5%, Brazil 5%, Japan 5%, India 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
cars, iron ore, jewelry, gold, gas turbines (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$4.993 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$2.523 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$3.903 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 102
Debt - external
$52.15 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$42.55 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 66
Exchange rates
Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
0.376 (2021 est.)
0.376 (2020 est.)
0.376 (2019 est.)
0.376 (2018 est.)
0.376 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 6.982 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 31,038,250,000 kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 447 million kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 652 million kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 611 million kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 79; transmission/distribution losses 125; imports 80; exports 76; consumption 62
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 185,300 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 73,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 228,800 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 186.5 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 18,271,840,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
consumption: 18,251,140,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 81.382 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
43.112 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 7.308 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 35.804 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 61
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 266,741 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 114
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 1,923,443 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 153
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: Bahrain continues to develop its telecoms sector in a bid to develop its long-term Economic Vision 2030 strategy; this is a multi-faceted strategy aimed at developing a digital transformation across numerous sectors, including e-government, e-health, e-commerce, and e-banking; 5G services have become widely available since they were launched in 2020; Bahrain’s telecom sector by the Fourth National Telecommunications Plan (initiated in 2016) which focuses on fiber optic infrastructure deployment and establishing affordable prices for high-speed access (2022)
domestic: approximately 18 per 100 fixed-line and 131 per 100 mobile-cellular; modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly expanding mobile-cellular telephones (2021)
international: country code - 973; Bahrain’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has made part of the C-band spectrum available for 5G private networks, in line with the goals outlined in its Workplan for the 2022-23 period (2023)
Broadcast media
state-run Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) operates 5 terrestrial TV networks and several radio stations; satellite TV systems provide access to international broadcasts; 1 private FM station directs broadcasts to Indian listeners; radio and TV broadcasts from countries in the region are available (2019)
Internet users
total: 1.5 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 100% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 144
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 148,928 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 123
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 42
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 5,877,003 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 420.98 million (2018) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
4
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Heliports
1 (2021)
Pipelines
20 km gas, 54 km oil (2013)
Roadways
total: 4,122 km (2010)
paved: 3,392 km (2010)
unpaved: 730 km (2010)
comparison ranking: total 152
Merchant marine
total: 190
by type: general cargo 11, oil tanker 3, other 176 (2022)
comparison ranking: total 68
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Mina' Salman, Sitrah
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Bahrain Defense Force (BDF): Royal Bahraini Army (includes the Royal Guard), Royal Bahraini Navy, Royal Bahraini Air Force
Ministry of Interior: National Guard, Special Security Forces Command (SSFC), Coast Guard
(2023)
note 1: the Royal Guard is officially under the command of the Army, but exercises considerable autonomy
note 2: the Ministry of Interior is responsible for internal security and oversees police and specialized security units responsible for maintaining internal order; the National Guard's primary mission is to guard critical infrastructure such as the airport and oil fields and is a back-up to the police; the Guard is under the Ministry of Interior but reports directly to the king
Military expenditures
3.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
3.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
4% of GDP (2019 est.)
4% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 25
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 10,000 active personnel (7,500 Army; 1,000 Navy; 1,500 Air Force); approximately 3,000 National Guard (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory consists of a mix of equipment acquired from a wide variety of suppliers; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of arms to Bahrain (2023)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for non-commissioned officers, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2022)
note: the BDF hires foreign nationals, Sunni Muslims primarily from Arabic countries and Pakistan, to serve under contract; as of 2020, foreigners were estimated to comprise as much as 80% of the military; the policy has become a controversial issue with the primarily Shia population; during the 2011, the BDF reportedly deployed mostly foreign personnel against protesters
Military - note
the BDF is a small, but well-equipped military focused on territorial defense and support to internal security; its primary concern is Iran, both the conventional military threat and its support to regional terrorist groups; the BDF participates in multinational exercises and has conducted small deployments outside of the country; in 2015, for example, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in Yemen, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft; the Army’s primary combat units are an armored brigade and a mechanized brigade, plus battalions of royal guards and special forces; in a conflict, the Army would be supported by the paramilitary National Guard; the Navy’s principal warships are a US-provided secondhand frigate, 2 corvettes acquired from Germany, and a secondhand British offshore patrol vessel; the Air Force has small numbers of US-made combat aircraft and attack helicopters
Bahrain’s closest security partners are the US and Saudi Arabia; it hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which includes the US 5th Fleet, several subordinate naval task forces, and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes; in 2003, the US granted Bahrain Major Non-NATO Ally status, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; Bahraini leaders have said that the security of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are “indivisible”; Saudi Arabia sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising; Bahrain also has close security ties to other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, particularly Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the UK (2023)Space
Space agency/agencies
Bahrain National Space Science Agency (NSSA; established 2014) (2023)
Space program overview
space program in nascent stages and is focused on developing the capabilities to build and operate satellites; the NSSA’s mission includes promoting space science, technology, and research, building capacity in the fields of satellite manufacturing, tracking, control, data processing and analysis, and remote sensing, developing space-related programs and space policy, and facilitating international cooperation; cooperates with a variety of foreign agencies and commercial entities, including those of India, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and the UAE; also a member of the Arab Space Coordination Group, established by the UAE in 2019 (2023)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): al-Ashtar Brigades; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force
note 1: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
note 2: in addition to the al-Ashtar Brigades and the IRGC/Qods Force, Saraya al-Mukhtar (aka The Mukhtar Brigade) is an Iran-backed terrorist organization based in Bahrain, reportedly receiving financial and logistic support from the IRGC; Saraya al-Mukhtar's self-described goal is to depose the Bahraini Government with the intention of paving the way for Iran to exert greater influence in Bahrain; the group was designated by the US as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in Dec 2020
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none identified