United Nations HRI/CORE/BHR/2019 International Human Rights Distr.: General 3 July 2019 Instruments English Original: Arabic Common core document forming part of the reports of States parties Bahrain* [Date received: 1 May 2019] * The present document is being issued without formal editing. GE.19-11264 (E) 131119 151119 HRI/CORE/BHR/2019 I. General information A. Demographic, economic, social and cultural characteristics Geographic location 1. The Kingdom of Bahrain lies in the Arabian Gulf, approximately equidistant between the Straits of Hormuz and the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab. Its strategic location has given Bahrain enormous cultural importance throughout history and it has been and continues to be a major international trading centre, a key link in east-west trade and a global communications hub. 2. Bahrain is an archipelago consisting of 40 islands located in the Arabian Gulf, between longitudes 50.50 to 51.11 and latitudes 26.06 to 27.18. The total area of the country is 8,269 km2, of which 778 km2 (approximately 9 per cent) is land mass. Bahrain Island, where the capital, Manama, is located, is the country’s largest island and accounts for about 85 per cent of total land mass. Bahrain is connected with Saudi Arabia by the King Fahd Causeway, which opened in 1986. Bahrain is generally low-lying, with the highest point of elevation at Jabal al-Dukhan (“Mountain of Smoke”), 134 meters above sea level. Bahrain has a dome-like structure.1 Item 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Total area 8 269 8 269 8 269 8 269 8 269 8 269 Land mass 770 770 774 778 779 780 Territorial waters 7 499 7 499 7 495 7 491 7 490 7 489 Source: Survey and Land Registration Bureau. 3. Other important islands in the archipelago are the Hawar group, lying 25 kilometres south of Bahrain Island and having a land mass of some 52.10 km2. Area Island Total Umm Umm Qaser Nabih Muarraq Area Hawar Nassan Jiddah Sabban AlQulaya Sitra Saleh + Asry Bahrain 2012 Sq. Km 769.77 52.10 20.47 0.57 0.18 0.14 15.69 1.25 63.95 615.42 Sq. Miles 297.21 20.12 7.90 0.22 0.07 0.05 6.06 0.48 24.69 237.61 % 100.00 6.77 2.66 0.07 0.02 0.02 2.04 0.16 8.31 79.95 2013 Sq. Km 770.34 52.10 20.47 0.57 0.18 0.14 15.82 1.28 64.22 615.56 Sq. Miles 297.43 20.12 7.90 0.22 0.07 0.05 6.11 0.49 24.80 237.67 % 100.00 6.76 2.66 0.07 0.02 0.02 2.05 0.17 8.34 79.91 2014 Sq. Km 774.44 52.10 20.47 0.59 0.18 0.14 18.34 1.29 65.32 616.01 Sq. Miles 299.01 20.12 7.90 0.23 0.07 0.05 7.08 0.50 25.22 237.84 % 100.00 6.73 2.64 0.08 0.02 0.02 2.37 0.17 8.43 79.54 2015 Sq. Km 778.33 52.10 20.47 0.59 0.18 0.14 21.46 1.29 65.65 616.45 Sq. Miles 300.52 20.12 7.90 0.23 0.07 0.05 8.29 0.50 25.35 238.01 % 100.00 6.69 2.63 0.08 0.02 0.02 2.76 0.17 8.43 79.20 1 Kingdom of Bahrain: Voluntary National Review on Sustainable Development Goals 2030. 2 GE.19-11264 HRI/CORE/BHR/2019 Area Island Total Umm Umm Qaser Nabih Muarraq Area Hawar Nassan Jiddah Sabban AlQulaya Sitra Saleh + Asry Bahrain 2016 Sq. Km 779.39 52.10 20.47 0.59 0.18 0.14 21.89 1.29 66.19 616.54 Sq. Miles 300.92 20.12 7.90 0.23 0.07 0.05 8.45 0.50 25.55 238.05 % 100.00 6.68 2.63 0.08 0.02 0.02 2.81 0.16 8.49 79.11 2017 Sq. Km 779.95 52.10 20.63 0.59 0.18 0.13 21.91 1.30 66.48 616.63 Sq. Miles 301.14 20.12 7.96 0.23 0.07 0.05 8.46 0.50 25.67 238.08 % 100.00 6.68 2.64 0.08 0.02 0.02 2.81 0.17 8.52 79.06 Source: Survey and Land Registration Bureau. Population 4. The country’s geographical situation is reflected in the nature of the Bahraini people, who enjoy distinctive and authentic characteristics that give expatriates and visitors a sense of security and stability, while at the same time serving the spirit of enterprise which prevails across the wider region. 5. The Bahraini people are characterized by tolerance, close-knit family ties, bonds of human fellowship and trustworthiness in business dealings, with an aversion to all forms of intolerance, bigotry and discrimination. This has led to migrants from neighbouring countries making Bahrain their home, attracted by its atmosphere of tranquillity and calm. The country’s embrace of Islam and adoption of its revealed truth have helped to reinforce these qualities. 6. The overwhelming majority of Bahrainis are of Arab origin, the product of successive waves of tribal immigration from the Arabian Peninsula in pre-Islamic times. Their historical roots can be traced back to the pre-Christian Dilmun civilization and later civilizations, such as those of Tylos, Arados and Awal. The modern history of Bahrain began in 1783. 7. Approximately 80 per cent of the population are concentrated in Bahrain Island, particularly the northern half, where government offices and business incubators are located. In certain parts of the country, the population density exceeds 1,800/km2. In 2017, the total population stood at around 1,500,000, of whom some 45 per cent were Bahraini nationals. Of these, 64 per cent were of working age (i.e. aged between 15 and 64). Young people in the 15–24 age group made up around 12 per cent of the population, while dependents (i.e. those aged under 15 and over 64) made up 31 per cent (25 per cent children and 6 per cent the elderly). Around 46 per cent of the population was under the age of 30 (58 per cent Bahraini and 36 per cent non-Bahraini). The average life expectancy of Bahrainis was 76.7 years, meaning that Bahrain may, in principle, benefit from the demographic dividend.2 The following table shows the gender distribution of the population: 2 Kingdom of Bahrain: Voluntary National Review on Sustainable Development Goals 2030. GE.19-11264 3 HRI/CORE/BHR/2019 Population by nationality and gender Bahraini Non-Bahraini Total Year Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total 2012 305 354 294 275 599 629 455 095 154 240 609 335 760 449 448 515 1 208 964 2013 312 945 301 885 614 830 475 436 162 925 638 361 788 381 464 810 1 253 191 2014 320 839 309 905 630 744 485 648 198 170 683 818 806 487 508 075 1 314 562 2015 328 887 318 948 647 835 517 478 205 009 722 487 846 365 523 957 1 370 322 2016 336 834 327 873 664 707 551 555 207 464 759 019 888 389 535 337 1 423 726 2017 343 340 334 166 677 506 607 972 215 638 823 610 951 312 549 804 1 501 116 2018 349 661 340 053 689 714 597 203 216 174 813 377 946 864 556 227 1 503 091 Source: Information and eGovernment Authority. 8. Population density Year Population density (km2) Population Land area (km2) 2012 1 570 1 208 964 770 2013 1 628 1 253 191 770 2014 1 698 1 314 562 774 2015 1 761 1 3703 22 778 2016 1 827 1 423 726 779 2017 5 192 1 501 116 780 Source: Information and eGovernment Authority. 9. Age distribution of the population (percentage) Age range 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 0–4 7.3 7.3 7.7 7.7 7.1 7.3 7.1 5–9 6.5 6.5 6.8 7.0 6.8 6.6 6.7 10–14 5.8 5.7 6.0 6.1 6.0 5.9 5.9 15–19 5.8 5.6 5.6 5.5 5.4 5.1 5.2 20–24 8.6 8.4 8.1 7.5 7.7 7.3 7.5 25–29 14.5 14.4 13.5 13.1 13.6 14.0 12.7 30–34 13.4 14.0 13.0 13.7 14.1 14.4 14.3 35–39 10.6 10.7 10.3 10.9 11.0 11.3 11.6 40–44 8.6 8.4 8.1 8.5 8.4 8.5 8.7 45–49 6.7 6.7 6.6 6.8 6.6 6.5 6.5 50–54 5.1 5.0 5.3 5.1 5.0 4.9 5.0 55–59 3.2 3.4 4.0 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.7 60–64 1.7 1.7 2.2 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.3 65–69 0.8 0.9 1.1 0.1 1.1 1.1 1.2 70–74 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 75–79 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 80–84 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 85+ 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 Source: Information and eGovernment Authority.