Bahrain: Economic Snapshot

Quick Facts:

• Population

1,577,059 (2024 est.)

• Capital City

Manama

• Main Cities

Manama, Riffa, Muharraq, Hamad Town, Aali

• Languages

Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu

• Religion

Muslim 74.2%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Baha’i) 29.8% (2023 est.)

• Population growth

0.82% (2024 est.)

• Life expectancy at birth

Total population: 80.4 years (2023 est.)

male: 78.1 years

female: 82.7 years

• Literacy

Age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.5%

male: 99.9%, female: 94.9% (2018)

• Labour force

855,000 (2023 est.)

• Government type

Constitutional monarchy

• Governorates

4 (The Capital, Muharraq, Northern and Southern)

• National Day

16th December

• Legislature

Bicameral National Assembly consists of:

Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura

(40 seats; members appointed by the king) Council of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwab (40 seats; members directly elected in

single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve

4-year renewable terms)

• Legal system

Mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) law, English common law, Egyptian civil, criminal, and commercial codes; customary law

• Major Industries

Besides oil and gas industries, the other main industrial sectors in Bahrain are: Petrochemicals and Plastics, Engineering and Aluminium, Furniture and wood, Food and pharmacological, Wearing apparel and Textile

• Agricultural products

lamb/mutton, dates, milk, chicken, tomatoes, fruits,sheep offal, eggs, sheepskins, cucumbers/ gherkins.

• Exports

$40.344 billion (2023 est.)

• Exports – partners

United Arab Emirates 10%, Saudi Arabia 15%, United States 9%, Japan 5%, India 4% (2022)

• Exports – commodities

Refined Petroleum, Aluminum, Iron Ore, iron blocks, Aluminum Wiring (2022)

• Imports

$32.374 billion (2023 est.)

• Imports – partners

United Arab Emirates 12%, Brazil 9%,

China 15%, India 7% (2022)

• Imports – commodities

Iron ore, aluminum oxide, cars, gold, ships (2022)

• Real GDP

Purchasing power parity –

$85.491 billion (2023 est.) Growth rate – 2.48% (2023 est.) Per Capita – $57,600 (2023 est.)

• Natural Resources

Oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, Fish, Pearls

• Currency

Bahraini Dinars

• Exchange Rate

1 Bahraini Dinar = 2.65 US Dollars (2025)

• Exchange rate policy

Maintained against the US Dollar

• Currency Regulations

No restriction on import or export of currency

• Visa Requirements

It is requirement for all nationals and passport should have 6 months’ validity

• Bahrain Chamber Of Commerce & Industry

Bahrain Chamber of Commerce & Industry

P.O Box 1235, Sanabis, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: 1738 0000

Email: info@bahrainchamber.bh

• Gold Rate

22K Gold – 31.10 BHD ,

24K Gold – 33.20 BHD(January 1st 2025)

• Bahrain Gasoline price

0.37 bhd per liter

• Oil price per barrel

27 BHD

• Tax

10% VAT (Effective 2022)

Sources:

https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahrain/
https://www.bahrain.bh/, https://oilpricez.com/bh/