Basic Country Facts

Government Name of country: conventional long form: State of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Dawlat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn Data code: BA Type of government: traditional monarchy Capital: Manama Administrative divisions: 12 municipalites (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 Independence: 15 August 1971 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 16 December (1971) Constitution: 26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973 Legal system: based on Islamic law and English common law Suffrage: none Executive branch: chief of state: Amir ISA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 2 November 1961) is a traditional Arab monarch; Heir Apparent HAMAD bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa (son of the Amir, born 28 January 1949) head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since 19 January 1970) was appointed by the amir cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the amir Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly was dissolved 26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet; appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992 Judicial branch: High Civil Appeals Court Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited Other political or pressure groups: several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active; following the arrest of a popular Shi'a cleric, Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically from late 1994 to September 1995, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad ABD AL-GHAFFAR al-Abdallah chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741, 342-0742 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador David M. RANSOM embassy: Building No. 979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Zinj District, Manama mailing address: FPO AE 09834-5100; P.O. Box 26431, Manama (International Mail) telephone: [973] 273-300 FAX: [973] 272-594 Flag: red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side