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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, Tylos, Awal, Mishmahig, Bahrayn, State of Bahrain

Administrative Divisions

4 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Asimah (Capital), Janubiyah (Southern), Muharraq, Shamaliyah (Northern)

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

History: adopted 14 February 2002

Legal System

mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) 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

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: no

Citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Bahrain

Dual citizenship recognized: no

Residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years; 15 years for Arab nationals

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (born 21 October 1969)

Head of government: Prime Minister Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (since 11 November 2020); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure KHALID bin Abdallah Al Khalifa (since 13 June 2022)

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch

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

Legislative Branch

Description: bicameral National Assembly consists of

Elections: Consultative Council - last appointments on 30 November 2022 (next appointments in 2026)Council of Representatives - first round for 6 members held on 12 November 2022; second round for remaining 34 members held on 19 November 2022 (next to be held in November 2026)

Election results: Consultative Council - all members appointed; composition as of August 2023 - men 30, women 10, percent of women 25%Council of Representatives - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - NA; composition as of August 2023 - men 32, women 8, percent of women 20%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 23%

Judicial Branch

Highest courts: Court of Cassation (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Supreme Court of Appeal (consists of the chairman and 3 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the president and 6 members); High Sharia Court of Appeal (court sittings include the president and at least one judge)

Judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by royal decree and serve for a specified tenure; Constitutional Court president and members appointed by the Higher Judicial Council, a body chaired by the monarch and includes judges from the Court of Cassation, sharia law courts, and Civil High Courts of Appeal; members serve 9-year terms; High Sharia Court of Appeal member appointments by royal decree for a specified tenure

Subordinate courts: Civil High Courts of Appeal; middle and lower civil courts; High Sharia Court of Appeal; Senior Sharia Court; Administrative Courts of Appeal; military courts

Note: the judiciary of Bahrain is divided into civil law courts and sharia law courts; sharia courts (involving personal status and family law) are further divided into Sunni Muslim and Shia Muslim; the Courts are supervised by the Supreme Judicial Council.

Political Parties and Leaders

Note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law

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 Symbols

National Anthem

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

National Heritage