Bahrain:
Al-Khalifa family controls govt
Shah claimed Bahrain had always been part of
Iran, UN offered a referendum, led to independence with assembly in order
to win
brief limited dem 1972 for Constituent Assembly
1973 Constn with advisory Assembly voted by male
citizens
R&R for arabs as well as US troops: discos,
brothels and bars, open society
70% shia, but ruled by sunni family
1975 assembly dissolved by ruler
1981 joined Gulf Cooperation Council over fear
of Iran & local Shias.
Tense relations with Qatar over island of Hawar
675,000 pop, inlcudes 1/3 expats
very low pop over 65 years
Free health care but low quality
pop growth 1.6%
Arabic with English widely spoken
High literacy, both genders, esp. men
Islamic law & English common law
notorious human rights violations with Shia pop
leaders, not emir but ...?
GDP $11Bn, 5% growth
$17,000 per capita
15% unemployment
oil 43,000 bbl/day (small)
internet growing but politically restricted
Shia majority has been calling for democracy
for a decade, but Bahraini sunni regime is very friendly with US
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Kuwait:
Al-Sabah family controls
1963 emir created Assembly
smaller than NJ, 10,000 US troops based there
80% Sunni, ruling majority
Assembly dissolved twice by rulers
great security concern because of 1990 invasion
2.2 M pop, includes 62% foreign workers
higher incomes in Kuwait
very low pop over 65 years
Free health care but low quality
pop growth 3.4%
Kuwait higher birth rate, lower death rate
Many more immigrants than Bahrain
Arabic with English widely spoken
High literacy, both genders
Civil law with Islamic law in personal matters
has not accected compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
women voters in 2005
Emir with Crown Prince (2006)
Prime minister
Cabinet: Council of Ministers apptd by PM and
approved by monarch
GDP $41 Bn, 4.6% growth
$19,000 per capita
2% unemployment
Oil 2.27 M BBl/day huge
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