Compare Bahrain (2006) - Tunisia (2005)

Compare Bahrain (2006) z Tunisia (2005)

	Bahrain (2006)	Tunisia (2005)

Administrative divisions	5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor	24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)
Age structure	0-14 years: 27.4% (male 96,567/female 94,650) 15-64 years: 69.1% (male 280,272/female 202,451) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 12,753/female 11,892) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 25.3% (male 1,316,308/female 1,234,309) 15-64 years: 68.1% (male 3,437,880/female 3,418,591) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 321,287/female 346,576) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish	olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds
Airports	3 (2006)	30 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)	total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 665 sq km land: 665 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 163,610 sq km land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km
Area - comparative	3.5 times the size of Washington, DC	slightly larger than Georgia
Background	In 1782, the Al Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. 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. 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. Sheikh HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa, who came to power in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms and has worked to improve relations with the Shia community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National Action Charter - the centerpiece of Sheikh HAMAD's political liberalization program. In February 2002, Sheikh HAMAD pronounced Bahrain a constitutional monarchy and changed his status from amir to king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral legislature, the National Assembly.	Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.
Birth rate	17.8 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	15.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $4.662 billion expenditures: $3.447 billion; including capital expenditures of $700 million (2005 est.)	revenues: $6.799 billion expenditures: $7.573 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2004 est.)
Capital	name: Manama geographic coordinates: 26 13 N, 50 35 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Tunis
Climate	arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers	temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Coastline	161 km	1,148 km
Constitution	new constitution 14 February 2002	1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002
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: Tunisian Republic conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis
Death rate	4.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$6.814 billion (2005 est.)	$14.71 billion (2004 est.)
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] 1727-0547	chief of mission: Ambassador William J. HUDSON embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La Goulette, Tunisia mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 107-000 FAX: [216] 71 962-115
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Muhammad al-BALUSHI 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 Mohamed Nejib HACHANA chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858
Disputes - international	none	none
Economic aid - recipient	$150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and Kuwait (2002)	$114.6 million (2002)
Economy - overview	Petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of Bahrain's 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. A large share of exports consists 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. In 2005 Bahrain and the US ratified a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state.	Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism. Better rains in 2003 and 2004, however, helped push GDP growth above 5% for these years. Tourism also recovered after the end of combat operations in Iraq. Tunisia is gradually removing barriers to trade with the European Union. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.
Electricity - consumption	6.83 billion kWh (2003)	10.05 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2003)	10 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2003)	90 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	7.345 billion kWh (2003)	10.72 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m	lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 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	toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups	Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)	Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Exchange rates	Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002), 0.376 (2001)	Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002), 1.4387 (2001), 1.3707 (2000)
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 1971); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch	chief of state: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17 November 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%, Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%
Exports	NA bbl/day	NA
Exports - commodities	petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles	textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons
Exports - partners	Saudi Arabia 3.3%, US 2.6%, UAE 2.3% (2005)	France 33.1%, Italy 25.3%, Germany 9.2%, Spain 6.1% (2004)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
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 white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 0.5% industry: 38.7% services: 60.8% (2005 est.)	agriculture: 13.8% industry: 31.8% services: 54.4% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $7,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.9% (2005 est.)	5.1% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	26 00 N, 50 33 E	34 00 N, 9 00 E
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	strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration
Heliports	1 (2006)	-
Highways	-	total: 18,997 km paved: 12,424 km (including 142 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,573 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)
Imports	NA bbl/day	NA
Imports - commodities	crude oil, machinery, chemicals	textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food
Imports - partners	Saudi Arabia 36.4%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 6.4%, US 5.4%, UK 5%, UAE 4.1% (2005)	France 25.1%, Italy 19%, Germany 8.5%, Spain 5.3% (2004)
Independence	15 August 1971 (from UK)	20 March 1956 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	2% (2000 est.)	4.4% (2004 est.)
Industries	petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing, tourism	petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Infant mortality rate	total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	total: 24.77 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.7% (2005 est.)	4.1% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO	ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land	40 sq km (2003)	3,800 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	High Civil Appeals Court	Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation
Labor force	380,000 note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2005 est.)	3.55 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 1% industry: 79% services: 20% (1997 est.)	services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
Land use	arable land: 2.82% permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2005)	arable land: 17.86% permanent crops: 13.74% other: 68.4% (2001)
Languages	Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu	Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Legal system	based on Islamic law and English common law	based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session
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 in September 2006) election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Sunni Islamists 12, Shia grouping 7, other groupings and independents 21 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 Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 74.45 years male: 71.97 years female: 77 years (2006 est.)	total population: 74.89 years male: 73.2 years female: 76.71 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.1% male: 91.9% female: 85% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.3% male: 83.4% female: 65.3% (2004 est.)
Location	Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia	Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Map references	Middle East	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm
Merchant marine	total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 235,449 GRT/339,728 DWT by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2006)	total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 124,733 GRT/122,664 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 5, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 3 (2005)
Military branches	Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, National Guard	Army, Navy, Air Force (2003)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$627.7 million (2005 est.)	$356 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	4.9% (2005 est.)	1.5% (FY99)
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, 20 March (1956)
Nationality	noun: Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini	noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian
Natural hazards	periodic droughts; dust storms	NA
Natural resources	oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls	petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Net migration rate	0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines	gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2006)	gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law	Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests and marches, demanding that more power be vested in the elected Council of Representatives and that the government do more to decrease unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active	the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed
Population	698,585 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)	10,074,951 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	7.6% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate	1.45% (2006 est.)	0.99% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways	-	total: 2,152 km standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2004)
Religions	Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)	Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.38 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female total population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2006 est.)	at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	20 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 - 1 (1997)	general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay international: country code - 216; 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches
Telephones - main lines in use	196,500 (2005)	1,163,800 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	748,700 (2005)	1,899,900 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	4 (1997)	26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain	mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment	mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
Total fertility rate	2.6 children born/woman (2006 est.)	1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	15% (2005 est.)	13.8% (2004 est.)

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