Basic Country Facts

Economy Economic overview: In Bahrain, petroleum production and processing account for about 80% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. Economic conditions have fluctuated with the changing fortunes of oil since 1985, for example, during and following the Gulf crisis of 1990-91. 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 imported crude. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.3 billion (1995 est.) GDP real growth rate: -2% (1995 est.) GDP per capita: $12,000 (1995 est.) GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1995 est.) Labor force: 140,000 by occupation: industry and commerce 85%, agriculture 5%, services 5%, government 3% (1982) note: 42% of labor force is Bahraini Unemployment rate: 25% (1994 est.) Budget: revenues: $1.38 billion expenditures: $1.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.) Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing Industrial production growth rate: 13% (1992) Electricity: capacity: 1,050,000 kW production: 3.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,453 kWh (1993) Agriculture: fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish Exports: $3.2 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 80%, aluminum 7% partners: India 20%, Japan 14%, Saudi Arabia 7%, US 6%, UAE 5% (1994) Imports: $3.29 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% partners: Saudi Arabia 37%, US 12%, UK 6%, Japan 5%, Germany 4% (1994) External debt: $2.6 billion (1993) Economic aid: $NA Currency: 1 Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars (BD) per US$1 - 0.3760 (fixed rate) Fiscal year: calendar year