Bahrain (2004) | Tonga (2003) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
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 |
3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 28.4% (male 97,179; female 95,043)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 271,015; female 192,342) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 11,426; female 10,881) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 21,085; female 20,265)
15-64 years: 57.6% (male 30,785; female 31,532) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,973; female 2,501) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish | squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish |
Airports | 4 (2003 est.) | 6 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 665 sq km
land: 665 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km |
Area - comparative | 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC | four times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. The new amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. | The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific. |
Birth rate | 18.54 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 24.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $2.981 billion
expenditures: $3.019 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (2003 est.) |
revenues: $39.9 million
expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY 99/00 est.) |
Capital | Manama | Nuku'alofa |
Climate | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers | tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) |
Coastline | 161 km | 419 km |
Constitution | adopted late December 2000; Bahrani voters approved on 13-14 February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary) | 4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967 |
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 |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands |
Currency | Bahraini dinar (BHD) | pa'anga (TOP) |
Death rate | 4.03 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $4.682 billion (2003) | $57.5 million (June 2001) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE
embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 1724-2700 FAX: [973] 1725-6242 (consular) |
the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador KHALIFA bin ALI bin Rashid Al Khalifa
chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU
chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1136 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from each of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait (2002) | Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02) |
Economy - overview | In well-to-do Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil granted as aid. A large share of exports consist of petroleum products made from refining imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. | Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. |
Electricity - consumption | 5.819 billion kWh (2001) | 25.36 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 6.257 billion kWh (2001) | 27.27 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m |
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 | deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8% | Polynesian, Europeans about 300 |
Exchange rates | Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002), 0.376 (2001), 0.376 (2000), 0.376 (1999) | pa'anga per US dollar NA (2002), 2.12 (2001), 1.76 (2000), 1.6 (1999), 1.49 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969)
head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since NA 1971) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch |
chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU (since NA January 2001) cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the Cabinet, and two governors elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch |
Exports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles | squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops |
Exports - partners | US 3.5%, India 3.3%, South Korea 2.2% (2003) | Japan 43.2%, US 41.2%, Greece 4% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
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 | red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $11.29 billion (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $236 million (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.7%
industry: 42.1% services: 57.2% (2003 est.) |
agriculture: 26%
industry: 12% services: 62% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $16,900 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.9% (2003 est.) | 3% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 26 00 N, 50 33 E | 20 00 S, 175 00 W |
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 | archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited) |
Heliports | 1 (2003 est.) | - |
Highways | total: 3,261 km
paved: 2,531 km unpaved: 730 km (2000) |
total: 680 km
paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | crude oil, machinery, chemicals | foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals |
Imports - partners | Saudi Arabia 30.7%, US 11.4%, Japan 7.8%, UK 5.7%, Germany 5.4% (2003) | New Zealand 30.8%, Fiji 20.7%, US 14.2%, Australia 13.2%, China 6.1% (2002) |
Independence | 15 August 1971 (from UK) | 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2% (2000 est.) | 8.6% (FY 98/99) |
Industries | petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism | tourism, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -0.2% (2003 est.) | 8.4% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 50 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | High Civil Appeals Court | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court) |
Labor force | 350,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2003 est.) |
33,908 (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1%, industry, commerce, and services 79%, government 20% (1997 est.) | agriculture 65% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2001) |
arable land: 23.61%
permanent crops: 43.06% other: 33.33% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu | Tongan, English |
Legal system | based on Islamic law and English common law | based on English law |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly elected to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next election to be held NA 2006) election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10 note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14 February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on 25 December 2002 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 70%; seats - pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 73.98 years
male: 71.52 years female: 76.51 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 68.88 years
male: 66.43 years female: 71.44 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1% male: 91.9% female: 85% (2003 est.) |
definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.) |
Location | Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Middle East | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined |
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 219,083 GRT/312,638 DWT
by type: bulk 3, container 2, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: Hong Kong 1, Kuwait 1 registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.) |
total: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 250,020 GRT/350,055 DWT
ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 44, chemical tanker 4, container 1, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 2, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 1, Australia 4, Austria 1, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 1, Djibouti 1, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Lebanon 2, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2, Morocco 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 1, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 5, Ukraine 1, UAE 16, US 4 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, National Guard | Tonga Defense Services (made up of three operational command components and two support elements, including the Royal Marines, Royal Guards, Maritime Force, a support/logistics group, and a training group), Police; note - a new air wing that will be subordinate to the Ministry of Defense is being developed |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $618.1 million (2003) | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 7.5% (2003) | NA% |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 221,661 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 121,484 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 6,396 (2004 est.) | - |
National holiday | National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of independence from British protection | Independence Day, 4 June (1970) |
Nationality | noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini |
noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan |
Natural hazards | periodic droughts; dust storms | cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou |
Natural resources | oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls | fish, fertile soil |
Net migration rate | 1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2004) | - |
Political parties and leaders | political parties prohibited but politically oriented societies are allowed | there are no political parties |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active | Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA, president] |
Population | 677,886
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2004 est.) |
108,141 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.56% (2004 est.) | 1.9% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah | Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30% | Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.41 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones international: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 185,800 (2003) | 8,000 (1996) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 443,100 (2003) | 302 (1996) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (1997) | 2 (2001) |
Terrain | mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment | most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base |
Total fertility rate | 2.67 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 3 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 15% (1998 est.) | 13.3% (1996 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |