Long-form name: State of Bahrain

Type: traditional monarchy

Capital: Manama

Administrative divisions: 11 municipalities (baladiyat, singular--baladiyah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Isa, Mintaqat Juzur Hawar, Sitrah

Independence: 15 August 1971 (from UK)

Constitution: 26 May 1973, effective 6 December 1973

Legal system: based on Islamic law and English common law

National holiday: National Day, 16 December

Branches: amir rules with help of Cabinet led by prime minister; Amir Al Khalifa dissolved the National Assembly in August 1975 and suspended the constitutional provision for election of the Assembly; independent judiciary

Leader: @m5Chief of State--Amir Isa bin Sulman Al KHALIFA (since 2 November 1961); Heir Apparent Hamad bin Isa Al KHALIFA (son of Amir) (born 28 January 1950); @m5Head of Government--Prime Minister Khalifa bin Sulman Al KHALIFA, (since 19 January 1970)

Suffrage: none

Elections: none

Political parties and pressure groups: political parties prohibited; several small, clandestine leftist and Shia fundamentalist groups are active

Communists: negligible

Member of: Arab League, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), GCC, IBRD, ICAO, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ghazi Mohamed ALGOSAIBI; Chancery at 3502 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 342-0741 or 342-0742; there is a Bahraini Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador Dr. Sam H. ZAKHEM; Embassy at Shaikh Isa Road, Manama (mailing address is P. O. 26431, Manama, or FPO New York 09526); telephone �973� 714151 through 714153

Flag: red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side

NOTE: The information regarding Bahrain on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Bahrain Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Bahrain Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.