 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, State of Bahrain
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name:Manamageographic coordinates:26 14 N, 50 34 E time difference:UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Asamah (Capital), Janubiyah (Southern), Muharraq, Shamaliyah (Northern), Wasat (Central)
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:
adopted 14 February 2002; amended 2012 (2012)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of Islamic 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
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal; note - Bahraini Cabinet in May 2011 endorsed a draft law lowering eligibility to 18 years
Executive branch:
chief of state:King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969)head of government:Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al-Khalifa (since 1971); First Deputy Prime Minister SALMAN bin Hamad Al Khalifa (since 11 March 2013); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, Jawad bin Salim al-ARAIDH, KHALID bin Abdallah Al Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections:the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Shura Council or Consultative Council (40 members appointed by the King) and the Council of Representatives or Chamber of Deputies (40 seats; members directly elected to serve four-year terms)elections:Council of Representatives - last held in two rounds on 23 and 30 October 2010 (next election to be held in fall 2014); byelections to fill 18 vacated seats held in two rounds on 24 September and 1 October 2011 election results:Council of Representatives (2010) - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - Wifaq (Shia) 18, Asalah (Sunni Salafi) 3, Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 2, independents 17; Council of Representatives byelection for 18 seats vacated by Wifaq (2011) - seats by society - independent Sunni 8, independent Shia 8, other 2; note - Bahrain has societies rather than parties
| | Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Court of Cassation (consists of a chairman and 3 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of a president and 6 members)note - the judiciary of Bahrain is divided into the civil law and sharia law courts judge selection and term of office:Court of Cassation and Constitutional Court judges appointed by royal decree and serve for a specified tenure subordinate courts:High Court of Appeal; middle and lower civil courts; higher and lower shariah courts, and the High Shariah Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
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, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Shaikh ABDULLA Mohamed Rashed Al Khalifa (since 26 November 2013)chancery:3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:[1] (202) 342-1111 FAX:[1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general:New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Thomas C. KRAJESKI (since 26 October 2011)embassy:Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama mailing address:PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone:[973] 1724-2700 FAX:[973] 1727-0547
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
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 |