Chapter M: Major infectious diseases (8)

0-14 years: 25.9% (male 40,085/female 39,959)

15-64 years: 67.2% (male 102,154/female 105,482)

65 years and over: 6.9% (male 8,772/female 12,704) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 28.7 years

male: 27.9 years

female: 29.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.536% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Birth rate:

16.81 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Death rate:

9.32 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Net migration rate:

-2.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Urbanization:

urban population: 84% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 23.17 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 93 male: 28.21 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 65.78 years country comparison to the world: 164 male: 62.63 years

female: 68.98 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.1 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

6,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Nationality:

noun: Bahamian(s)

adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups:

black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Religions:

Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)

Languages:

English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95.6%

male: 94.7%

female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Education expenditures:

3.6% of GDP (2000) country comparison to the world: 125

Government ::Bahamas, The

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas

conventional short form: The Bahamas

Government type:

constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Nassau

geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W

time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

Administrative divisions:

21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador, and Rum Cay

Independence:

10 July 1973 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution:

10 July 1973

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 4 May 2007)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation

elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (41 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time

elections: last held 2 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - FNM 49.86%, PLP 47.02%; seats by party - FNM 23, PLP 18

Judicial branch:

Privy Council in London; Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders:

Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Friends of the Environment

other: trade unions

International organization participation:

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Cornelius A. SMITH

chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660

FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Ned L. SIEGEL

embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau, New Providence

mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370

telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)

FAX: [1] (242) 328-2206

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; the band colors represent the golden beaches of the islands surrounded by the aquamarine sea; black represents the vigor and force of a united people, while the pointing triangle indicates the enterprise and determination of the Bahamian people to develop the rich resources of land and sea

Economy ::Bahamas, The

Economy - overview:

The Bahamas is one of the wealthiest Caribbean countries with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for approximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but tourist arrivals have been on the decline since 2006 and will likely drop even further in 2009. Tourism, in turn, depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. To help offset the effect of the global economic downturn, particularly on employment, the INGRAHAM administration plans to engage in infrastructure projects. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy and, when combined with business services, account for about 36% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture combined contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$9.352 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 $9.495 billion (2007 est.)

$9.236 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$7.564 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-1.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 2.8% (2007 est.)

4.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$30,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 $31,400 (2007 est.)

$30,900 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3%

industry: 7%

services: 90% (2001 est.)

Labor force:

175,500 (2007) country comparison to the world: 168

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

7.6% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Population below poverty line:

9.3% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: 27% (2000)

Budget:

revenues: $1.03 billion

expenditures: $1.03 billion (FY04/05)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Central bank discount rate:

5.25% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 81 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

5.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 138 5.5% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$1.255 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 82 $1.274 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$4.637 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 71 $4.324 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$7.883 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 77 $7.395 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

citrus, vegetables; poultry

Industries:

tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

2.045 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Electricity - consumption:

1.902 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Oil - consumption:

34,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Oil - exports:

transshipments of 41,570 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Oil - imports:

72,420 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 53

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Current account balance:

-$1.442 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Exports:

$674 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 159

Exports - commodities:

mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables

Exports - partners:

US 21.6%, Singapore 19%, Poland 18.2%, Germany 7.7%, Japan 7.5% (2008)

Imports:

$2.401 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 145

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals

Imports - partners:

US 25.1%, South Korea 18.8%, Japan 16.4%, Singapore 7.3%, Venezuela 5% (2008)

Debt - external:

$342.6 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Exchange rates:

Bahamian dollars (BSD) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004)

Communications ::Bahamas, The

Telephones - main lines in use:

133,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 138

Telephones - mobile cellular:

358,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 164

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern facilities

domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed; the Bahamas Domestic Submarine Network links 14 of the islands and is designed to satisfy increasing demand for voice and broadband internet services

international: country code - 1-242; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

2 (2006)

Internet country code:

.bs

Internet hosts:

8,325 (2009) country comparison to the world: 122

Internet users:

106,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 151

Transportation ::Bahamas, The

Airports:

62 (2009) country comparison to the world: 79

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 23

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 11

914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 39

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m: 22 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Roadways:

total: 2,717 km country comparison to the world: 168 paved: 1,560 km

unpaved: 1,157 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 1,223 country comparison to the world: 6 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 210, cargo 226, carrier 2, chemical tanker 88, combination ore/oil 12, container 65, liquefied gas 77, passenger 109, passenger/cargo 35, petroleum tanker 209, refrigerated cargo 119, roll on/roll off 16, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 51

foreign-owned: 1,150 (Angola 6, Belgium 15, Bermuda 12, Brazil 2, Canada 84, China 10, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 25, Denmark 67, Finland 9, France 30, Germany 44, Greece 209, Hong Kong 30, Iceland 1, Indonesia 2, Ireland 2, Isle of Man 1, Italy 4, Japan 87, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Malaysia 13, Monaco 15, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 9, Nigeria 2, Norway 189, Poland 17, Russia 4, Saudi Arabia 16, Singapore 17, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, Spain 14, Sweden 4, Switzerland 1, Thailand 5, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 8, UAE 23, UK 56, US 106, Venezuela 1)

registered in other countries: 12 (Bolivia 1, Panama 9, Peru 1, Portugal 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point

Military ::Bahamas, The

Military branches:

Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Land Force, Navy, Air Wing (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 80,200 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 50,764

females age 16-49: 51,690 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,992

female: 3,003 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 160

Transnational Issues ::Bahamas, The

Disputes - international:

disagrees with the US on the alignment the northern axis of a potential maritime boundary; continues to monitor and interdict drug dealers and Haitian and Cuban refugees in Bahamian waters

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center

page last updated on November 11, 2009

======================================================================

@Bahrain (Middle East)

Introduction ::Bahrain

Background:

In 1783, 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. King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shia community. Shia political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shia political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shia discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence.

Geography ::Bahrain

Location:

Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:

26 00 N, 50 33 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 741 sq km country comparison to the world: 190 land: 741 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

161 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Climate:

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain:

mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Natural resources:

oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Land use:

arable land: 2.82%

permanent crops: 5.63%

other: 91.55% (2005)

Irrigated land:

40 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.1 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.3 cu km/yr (40%/3%/57%)

per capita: 411 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts; dust storms

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)

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

People ::Bahrain

Population:

727,785 country comparison to the world: 162 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.9% (male 95,224/female 93,241)

15-64 years: 70.2% (male 292,941/female 217,729)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 15,106/female 13,544) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.1 years

male: 33.2 years

female: 26.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.285% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Birth rate:

17.02 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Death rate:

4.37 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Net migration rate:

0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Urbanization:

urban population: 89% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.34 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female

total population: 1.24 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 15.25 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 125 male: 17.81 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.16 years country comparison to the world: 83 male: 72.64 years

female: 77.76 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.5 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.2% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 600 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Nationality:

noun: Bahraini(s)

adjective: Bahraini

Ethnic groups:

Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)

Religions:

Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)

Languages:

Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.5%

male: 88.6%

female: 83.6% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 16 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (1991) country comparison to the world: 107

Government ::Bahrain

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

Government type:

constitutional monarchy

Capital:

name: Manama

geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat

note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor

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

Legal system:

based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal

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: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:

bicameral legislature consists of the 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 November-December 2006 (next election to be held in 2010)

election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - al Wifaq (Shia) 17, al Asala (Sunni Salafi) 5, al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7, independents 11; note - seats by society as of February 2007 - al Wifaq 17, al Asala 8, al Minbar 7, al Mustaqbal (Moderate Sunni pro-government) 4, unassociated independents (all Sunni) 3, independent affiliated with al Wifaq (Sunni oppositionist) 1

Judicial branch:

High Civil Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders:

political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators

other: several small leftist and other groups are active

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Houda Ibrahim Ezra NUNU

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 J. Adam ERELI

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

Economy ::Bahrain

Economy - overview:

With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for over 60% of Bahrain's export receipts, over 70% of government revenues, and 11% of GDP (exclusive of allied industries), underpinning Bahrain's strong economic growth in recent years. Aluminum is Bahrain's second major export after oil. Other major segments of Bahrain's economy are the financial and construction sectors. Bahrain is focused on Islamic banking and is competing on an international scale with Malaysia as a worldwide banking center. Bahrain is actively pursuing the diversification and privatization of its economy to reduce the country's dependence on oil. As part of this effort, in August 2006 Bahrain and the US implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. Continued strong growth hinges on Bahrain's ability to acquire new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are long-term economic problems. The global financial crisis is likely to result in slower economic growth for Bahrain during 2009 as tight international credit and a slowing global economy cause funding for many non-oil projects to dry up. Lower oil prices may also cause Bahrain's budget to slip back into deficit.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$26.89 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $25.29 billion (2007 est.)

$23.34 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$21.24 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 8.4% (2007 est.)

6.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$37,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $35,700 (2007 est.)

$33,400 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 0.4%

industry: 66.2%

services: 33.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

557,000 country comparison to the world: 152 note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 79%

services: 20% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15% (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

26.6% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Budget:

revenues: $6.934 billion

expenditures: $5.612 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

28.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 63.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 3.3% (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 101 8.35% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$4.169 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$10.63 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$10.32 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$21.18 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 65 $28.13 billion (31 December 2007)

$21.12 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Industries:

petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

6.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Electricity - production:

10.25 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Electricity - consumption:

10.1 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

48,520 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Oil - consumption:

38,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Oil - exports:

238,300 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Oil - imports:

228,400 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Oil - proved reserves:

124.6 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Natural gas - production:

12.64 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Natural gas - consumption:

12.64 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 45

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Natural gas - proved reserves:

92.03 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Current account balance:

$2.257 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $2.907 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$17.49 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $13.79 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Exports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 3.4%, India 2.7%, UAE 2.2% (2008)

Imports:

$14.25 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $10.93 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Saudi Arabia 26.7%, Japan 8.9%, US 7.8%, China 6.2%, Germany 4.8%, South Korea 4.7%, UK 4.5% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$3.803 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $4.101 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$10.33 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 $7.858 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$15.01 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $13.31 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$9.34 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $7.72 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Exchange rates:

Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - 0.376 (2008 est.), 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004)

Communications ::Bahrain

Telephones - main lines in use:

220,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 123

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1.4 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 135

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; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth station - 1 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:

4 (1997)

Internet country code:

.bh

Internet hosts:

51,489 (2009) country comparison to the world: 82

Internet users:

402,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 112

Transportation ::Bahrain

Airports:

3 (2009) country comparison to the world: 191

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 3

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2009)

Heliports:

1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 20 km; oil 32 km (2008)

Roadways:

total: 3,498 km country comparison to the world: 161 paved: 2,768 km

unpaved: 730 km (2003)

Merchant marine:

total: 9 country comparison to the world: 114 by type: bulk carrier 4, container 4, petroleum tanker 1

foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 5, UAE 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Military ::Bahrain

Military branches:

Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard

Military service age and obligation:

17 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 210,938

females age 16-49: 170,471 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 171,004

females age 16-49: 144,555 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 6,612

female: 6,499 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

4.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 22

Transnational Issues ::Bahrain

Disputes - international:

none

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men and women trafficked for the purposes of involuntary servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; men and women from Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia migrate voluntarily to Bahrain to work as laborers or domestic servants where some face conditions of involuntary servitude such as unlawful withholding of passports, restrictions on movements, non-payment of wages, threats, and physical or sexual abuse; women from Thailand, Morocco, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia are trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Bahrain is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increased efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly efforts that enforce laws against trafficking in persons, and that prevent the punishment of victims of trafficking; during 2007, Bahrain passed a comprehensive law prohibiting all forms of trafficking in persons; the government also established a specialized anti-trafficking unit within the Ministry of Interior to investigate trafficking crimes; however, the government did not report any prosecutions or convictions for trafficking offenses during 2007, despite reports of a substantial problem of involuntary servitude and sex trafficking (2008)

page last updated on November 11, 2009

======================================================================

@Bangladesh (South Asia)

Introduction ::Bangladesh

Background:

Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947, West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units separated by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. A military-backed, emergency caretaker regime suspended parliamentary elections planned for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption. In contrast to the strikes and violent street rallies that had marked Bangladeshi politics in previous years, the parliamentary elections finally held in late December 2008 were mostly peaceful. Sheikh HASINA Wajed was reappointed prime minister. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.

Geography ::Bangladesh

Location:

Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Geographic coordinates:

24 00 N, 90 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 143,998 sq km country comparison to the world: 94 land: 130,168 sq km

water: 13,830 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Iowa

Land boundaries:

total: 4,246 km

border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Coastline:

580 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 18 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:

mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Natural resources:

natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Land use:

arable land: 55.39%

permanent crops: 3.08%

other: 41.53% (2005)

Irrigated land:

47,250 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

1,210.6 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 79.4 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%)

per capita: 560 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

droughts; cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season

Environment - current issues:

many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; waterborne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal

People ::Bangladesh

Population:

156,050,883 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 7

Age structure:

0-14 years: 34.6% (male 27,065,625/female 26,913,961)

15-64 years: 61.4% (male 45,222,182/female 50,537,052)

65 years and over: 4% (male 3,057,255/female 3,254,808) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 23.3 years

male: 22.9 years

female: 23.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.292% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Birth rate:

24.68 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Death rate:

9.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Net migration rate:

-2.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Urbanization:

urban population: 27% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 59.02 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 39 male: 66.12 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 51.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 60.25 years country comparison to the world: 183 male: 57.57 years

female: 63.03 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.74 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

12,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 95

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations

water contact disease: leptospirosis

animal contact disease: rabies

note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Bangladeshi(s)

adjective: Bangladeshi

Ethnic groups:

Bengali 98%, other 2% (includes tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims) (1998)

Religions:

Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Languages:

Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 47.9%

male: 54%

female: 41.4% (2001 Census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years

male: 8 years

female: 8 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

2.7% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 151

Government ::Bangladesh

Country name:

conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh

conventional short form: Bangladesh

local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh

local short form: Banladesh

former: East Bengal, East Pakistan

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Dhaka

geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 24 E

time difference: UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet

Independence:

16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

National holiday:

Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

Constitution:

4 November 1972; effective 16 December 1972; suspended following coup of 24 March 1982; restored 10 November 1986; amended many times

Legal system:

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Zillur RAHMAN (since 12 February 2009)

head of government: Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed (since 6 January 2009)

cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the president

elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last election held on 11 February 2009 (next scheduled election to be held in 2014)

election results: Zillur RAHMAN declared president-elect by the Election Commission on 11 February 2009 (sworn in on 12 February); he ran unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote - NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies; members serve five-year terms

elections: last held 29 December 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results: percent of vote by party - AL 49%, BNP 33.2%, JP 7%, JIB 4.6%, other 6.2%; seats by party - AL 230, BNP 30, JP 27, JIB 2, other 11

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:

Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Manjurul A. KHAN]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh or JIB [Matiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY and Oli AHMED]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Advocacy to End Gender-based Violence through the MoWCA (Ministry of Women's and Children's Affairs)

other: environmentalists; Islamist groups; religious leaders; teachers; union leaders

International organization participation:

ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183

FAX: [1] (202) 244-7830/2771

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY

embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212

mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000

telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500

FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744

Flag description:

green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the hoist side of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh

Economy ::Bangladesh

Economy - overview:

The economy has grown 5-6% per year since 1996 despite inefficient state-owned enterprises, delays in exploiting natural gas resources, insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently-governed nation. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. Garment exports and remittances from Bangladeshis working overseas, mainly in the Middle East and East Asia, fuel economic growth. In 2008 Bangladesh pursued a monetary policy aimed at maintaining high employment, but created higher inflation in the process.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$226.4 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $214 billion (2007 est.)

$201.5 billion (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$84.2 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 6.2% (2007 est.)

6.4% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 197 $1,400 (2007 est.)

$1,300 (2006 est.)

note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 19.1%

industry: 28.6%

services: 52.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

70.86 million country comparison to the world: 8 note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $4.8 billion in 2005-06. (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 63%

industry: 11%

services: 26% (FY95/96)

Unemployment rate:

2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 2.5% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

45% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4.3%

highest 10%: 26.6% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

33.2 (2005) country comparison to the world: 94 33.6 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Budget:

revenues: $8.825 billion

expenditures: $12.54 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:

39.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57 43% of GDP (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

8.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 9.1% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 99 5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

16.38% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 37 16% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$9.294 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 46 $8.444 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$37.98 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 30 $32.35 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$47.03 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 50 $40.1 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$6.671 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 78 $6.793 billion (31 December 2007)

$3.61 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Industries:

cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Industrial production growth rate:

6.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Electricity - production:

22.99 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Electricity - consumption:

21.38 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Oil - production:

6,426 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Oil - consumption:

95,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Oil - exports:

2,612 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

Oil - imports:

87,660 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Oil - proved reserves:

28 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Natural gas - production:

17.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Natural gas - consumption:

17.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 52

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 78

Natural gas - proved reserves:

141.6 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Current account balance:

$1.032 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 $856.8 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$15.44 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $12.47 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood

Exports - partners:

US 21%, Germany 13.2%, UK 8.6%, France 6.3%, Netherlands 4.7% (2008)

Imports:

$21.51 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $16.67 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement

Imports - partners:

China 14.7%, India 14.7%, Kuwait 7.5%, Singapore 7.1%, Japan 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$5.789 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 $5.278 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$22.83 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $21.23 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$5.971 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88 $5.261 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$97 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Exchange rates:

taka (BDT) per US dollar - 68.554 (2008 est.), 69.893 (2007), 69.031 (2006), 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004)

Communications ::Bangladesh

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.39 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 67

Telephones - mobile cellular:

45.75 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 22

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate for a modern country; fixed-line telephone density remains less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly and has reached 30 per 100 persons

domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities

international: country code - 880; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 6; international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 15, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:

15 (1999)

Internet country code:

.bd

Internet hosts:

4,209 (2009) country comparison to the world: 135

Internet users:

556,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 104

Transportation ::Bangladesh

Airports:

17 (2009) country comparison to the world: 139

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 15

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 4 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Pipelines:

gas 2,597 km (2008)

Railways:

total: 2,768 km country comparison to the world: 60 broad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 239,226 km country comparison to the world: 21 paved: 22,726 km

unpaved: 216,500 km (2003)

Waterways:

8,370 km country comparison to the world: 17 note: includes up to 3,060 km main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in dry season (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 40 country comparison to the world: 77 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 27, container 5, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4

foreign-owned: 1 (China 1)

registered in other countries: 10 (Comoros 2, Honduras 1, Malta 2, Panama 2, Singapore 2, Togo 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Chittagong, Mongla Port

Transportation - note:

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Bangladesh as high risk for armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen

Military ::Bangladesh

Military branches:

Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army (Sena Bahini), Bangladesh Navy (Noh Bahini, BN), Bangladesh Air Force (Biman Bahini, BAF) (2009)

Military service age and obligation:

16 years of age for voluntary military service; 17 years of age for officers (both with parental consent); conscription legally possible in emergency, but has never been implemented (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 41,199,340 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 24,946,041

females age 16-49: 31,409,069 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 1,538,865

female: 1,666,670 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 105

Transnational Issues ::Bangladesh

Disputes - international:

discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, exchange territory for 51 small Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111 small Indian exclaves in Bangladesh, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's fencing and walling off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint Bangladesh-India boundary commission resurveyed and reconstructed 92 missing pillars in 2007; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; after 21 years, Bangladesh resumes talks with Burma on delimiting a maritime boundary

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 26,268 (Burma)

IDPs: 65,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

page last updated on November 11, 2009

======================================================================

@Barbados (Central America and Caribbean)

Introduction ::Barbados

Background:

The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.

Geography ::Barbados

Location:

Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:

13 10 N, 59 32 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 430 sq km country comparison to the world: 200 land: 430 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

97 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain:

relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, fish, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 37.21%

permanent crops: 2.33%

other: 60.46% (2005)

Irrigated land:

50 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

0.1 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.09 cu km/yr (33%/44%/22%)

per capita: 333 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Environment - current issues:

pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

easternmost Caribbean island

People ::Barbados

Population:

284,589 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.2% (male 27,383/female 27,352)

15-64 years: 71.3% (male 99,829/female 103,049)

65 years and over: 9.5% (male 10,464/female 16,512) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 35.8 years

male: 34.7 years

female: 36.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.383% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Birth rate:

12.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Death rate:

8.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Net migration rate:

-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Urbanization:

urban population: 40% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 143 male: 13.89 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.94 years country comparison to the world: 95 male: 71.65 years

female: 76.26 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.68 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

2,200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Nationality:

noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)

adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Ethnic groups:

black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Religions:

Protestant 63.4% (Anglican 28.3%, Pentecostal 18.7%, Methodist 5.1%, other 11.3%), Roman Catholic 4.2%, other Christian 7%, other 4.8%, none or unspecified 20.6% (2008 est.)

Languages:

English

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.7%

female: 99.7% (2002 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2001)

Education expenditures:

6.9% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 24

Government ::Barbados

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Barbados

Government type:

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

Capital:

name: Bridgetown

geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

11 parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas

Independence:

30 November 1966 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Constitution:

30 November 1966

Legal system:

English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: