Bahrain Government

What is the capital of Bahrain?

Country Name Bahrain
Full Country Name Kingdom of Bahrain
Local - Long Mamlakat al Bahrayn
Local - Short Al Bahrayn
Former Name Dilmun, Tylos, Awal, Mishmahig, Bahrayn, State of Bahrain
Etymology- history of name the name means "the two seas" in Arabic and refers to the water bodies surrounding the archipelagoo
Government Type constitutional monarchy
Capital Name Manama
Capital - geographic coordinate 26 14 N, 50 34 E
Capital Time Difference UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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

amendments: proposed by the king or by at least 15 members of either chamber of the National Assembly followed by submission to an Assembly committee for review and, if approved, submitted to the government for restatement as drafts; passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both chambers and validation by the king; constitutional articles on the state religion (Islam), state language (Arabic), and the monarchy and "inherited rule" cannot be amended; amended 2012, 2017

Bahrain Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Bahrain Government and Politics

Who is the president of Bahrain?

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
Citizenship Criteria: 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
Legal System: mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) law, English common law, Egyptian civil, criminal, and commercial codes; customary law
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch: description: 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)

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 court(s): 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.
Regions or States: 4 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah)

Asimah (Capital), Janubiyah (Southern), Muharraq, Shamaliyah (Northern)

note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor
Political Parties and Leaders: note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law
International Law Organization Participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International Organization Participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CICA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic Representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulla bin Rashed AL KHALIFA (since 21 July 2017)

chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111

FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192

email address and website:

ambsecretary@bahrainembassy.org

https://www.mofa.gov.bh/Default.aspx?language=en-US&tabid=7702

consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic Representation from US: chief of mission: Ambassador Steven C. BONDY (since 9 February 2022)

embassy: Building 979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, P.O. Box 26431, Manama

mailing address: 6210 Manama Place, Washington DC 20521-6210

telephone: [973] 17-242700

FAX: [973] 17-272594

email address and website:

ManamaConsular@state.gov

https://bh.usembassy.gov/
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