Area: 706 square kilometers.
Population: 593,600 ( Estimated figure in 1996 from 1991 census data.) Capital: Manama.

Average daytime temperatures:
Spring (Mar - May) 24.7 C
Summer (Jun - Aug) 33.5 C
Autumn (Sep - Nov) 28.7 C
Winter ( Dec - Feb) 17.3 C

Language:
Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken and used in business.

Religion:
Islam is the state religion and more than 85 percent of the population are Muslims.There are also Christians, Jews, Bahai, Hindu and Parsee minorities.

Weights & Measures:
The Metric System Gross Domestic Product (GDP): BD 2,015.8 million (1996) Gross National Product (GNP): BD 1,891.8 million (1996)
Per Income:
BD 2,826 (1996)

Electricity: 220 Volts, 50 Cycles, AC throughout Bahrain except Awali which has 110 Volts, 6O Cycles.
Time: GMT + 3
Currency:
The Bahraini Dinar is fixed to the US dollar at the rate of: US$ 1=BD. 0.378. The unit of currency is the Bahraini Dinar (BD) which is divided into 1000 fils: Notes: 500 fils, 1, 5,10, 20 dinars. Coins: 1, 5,10, 25, 50, 100 fils. There are no restrictions on import or export of currency.

Business Hours:
Friday is the weekly day of rest, when nearly all business is closed, and most shops. Many businesses close early on Thursday. Thursday and Friday as weekend applies to all branches of the Civil Services and schools.
Government Offices: 7:00 to 14:15 Saturday to Tuesday 7:00 to 14:00 Wednesday.
Commercial Organizations: 7:00 -12:00 and 14:30 -17:30 Saturday to Thursday.
Shopping Hours: 08:00 -12:30 and 15:30 -18:30 Saturday to Thursday. Some shops are open in the souk on Fridays for a few hours.

Banking:
Financial services form an important element in the economy of Bahrain. The country's time-zone, intermediate between the East and the West, is a major asset in international transactions. In 1975, offshore Banking Unit (OBUs) were established. Today Bahrain is the banking and financial centre in the Middle East with more than 180 financial institutions on the island.
Banking Hours: 07:30 -12:00 Saturday to Wednesday 15:30 -17:30 Saturday to Wednesday (for some banks) 07:30- 11:00 Thursday

Communications:
Bahrain's telecommunications services are among the most advanced in the world, with direct dialing to most countries. Postal services are speedy and reliable. Bahrain International Airport and the port of Mina Salman are to international standards and well serviced. When calling Bahrain the country code is +973, followed by the local six digit number. There are no town or area codes.

Bahrain Stock Exchange:
Opened in June 1989, the Bahrain Stock Exchange ( BSE ) has secured a place on the map of Middle East share market. The stock exchange has several key advantages. The biggest is its close association with the Saudi economy, a 30-minute drive away across the King Fahad Causeway. Another is that Bahrain has been in the global finance business longer than any other Gulf state. In April 1995, a new ministerial resolution expanded the range, of governing brokerage firms. As a result, Faysal Islamic Bank and Bank of Bahrain & Kuwait have set up their own brokerage house. The BSE hopes more brokers will follow. In the same year, BIB was given approval to set up the Dilmun Index Fund, which invests exclusively in BSE-listed stock. This fund is open to investors of any nationality.