Land area

712 sq km

Population

1,039,297 (end-2007), of whom 527,433 are Bahraini nationals, according to the Central Informatics Organisation

Main towns

Population (April 2001, official census)

Manama (capital): 153,395

Muharraq: 91,939

Climate

Hot, very humid summer (April to September); temperate December to March

Weather in Manama (altitude 5 metres)

Hottest month, August, 29-38°C; coldest month, January, 14-20°C (average daily minimum and maximum); 70 mm average annual rainfall; driest months, June-October; wettest months, November, December, February

Language

Official language is Arabic; English also widely used

Measures

Metric system; also local measures including: 1 dhara=48.26 cm, 1 rafa=254 kg

Currency

Bahraini dinar (BD) = 1,000 fils. The dinar is pegged to the US dollar at a rate of BD0.376:US$1

Time

3 hours ahead of GMT

Fiscal year

January 1st-December 31st

Public holidays

The dates of Islamic holidays are based on the lunar calendar and are therefore approximate. New Year's Day (January 1st); Prophet Mohammed's birthday (February 15th 2011); Labour Day (May 1st); Eid al-Fitr (August 30th 2011); Eid al-Adha (November 6th 2011); National Day (December 16th); Islamic New Year (Muharram, November 26th 2011); Ashura (December 5th 2011)