Bahrain

Kingdom of Bahrain

LOCATION

Background: In 1783, the Sunni AL-KHALIFA family took power in Bahrain. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors. It has also endeavored to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, economic dependence on Saudi Arabia, and proximity to Iran require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Its foreign policy activities usually fall in line with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In 2022, the United States designated Bahrain as a major non-NATO ally. The Sunni royal family has long struggled to manage relations with its Shia-majority population. In 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government responded to similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces. In 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed the US-brokered Abraham Accords with Israel. In 2023, Bahrain and the United States signed the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement to enhance cooperation across a wide range of areas, from defense and security to emerging technology, trade, and investment.

Location: Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 26 00 N, 50 33 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 760 sq km
land: 760 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Elevation: highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 135 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
Land use: agricultural land: 10.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 5% (2023 est.)
forest: 4.3% (2023 est.)
other: 84.2% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (2012)
Major aquifers: Arabian Aquifer System
Population distribution: smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; dust storms
Geography - note: close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

Population: total: 1,566,888 (2024 est.)
male: 940,022
female: 626,866
Nationality: noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini
Ethnic groups: Bahraini 47.4%, Asian 43.4%, other Arab 4.9%, African 1.4%, North American 1.1%, Gulf Co-operative countries 0.9%, European 0.8%, other 0.1% (2020 est.)
Languages: Languages: Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu
major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Muslim 74.2%, other 25.9% (2020 est)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.1% (male 143,399/female 139,667)
15-64 years: 77.7% (male 762,190/female 454,616)
65 years and over: 4.3% (2024 est.) (male 34,433/female 32,583)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 28.8 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 23.3 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.5 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 18.2 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 33.5 years (2025 est.)
male: 34.6 years
female: 31.2 years
Population growth rate: 0.79% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 12.08 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 2.86 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: smallest population of the Gulf States, but urbanization rate exceeds 90%; largest settlement concentration is found on the far northern end of the island in and around Manamah and Al Muharraq
Urbanization: urban population: 89.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 709,000 MANAMA (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population: 1.5 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 17 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 78.1 years
female: 82.7 years
Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.81 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: total: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 4.3% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 8.6% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.74 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 29.8% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 1.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 17.3% (2025 est.)
male: 24.3% (2025 est.)
female: 4.8% (2025 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 56.4% (2020 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 1.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 8.3% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy: total population: 97.8% (2024 est.)
male: 98.7% (2024 est.)
female: 96.3% (2024 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 16 years (2023 est.)
male: 15 years (2023 est.)
female: 17 years (2023 est.)

Environmental issues: desertification; drought; coastal degradation from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources; saline contamination from lowered water table
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Land use: agricultural land: 10.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 2.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 5% (2023 est.)
forest: 4.3% (2023 est.)
other: 84.2% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 89.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 47.818 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: -1,401 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 8.825 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 38.995 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 51.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 165.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 0.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 163.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 1.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 951,900 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 14.1% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 275.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 14.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 144.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 116 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

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
etymology: the name means "the two seas" in Arabic and refers to the water bodies on each side of the archipelago
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: name: Manama
geographic coordinates: 26 14 N, 50 34 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: name derives from the Arabic word al-manama, meaning "place of rest" or "place of dreams"
Administrative divisions: 4 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Asimah (Capital), Janubiyah (Southern), Muharraq, Shamaliyah (Northern)
Legal system: mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) law, English common law, Egyptian civil, criminal, and commercial codes; customary law
Constitution: history: previous 1973; latest adopted 14 February 2002, entry into force 14 February 2002
amendment process: 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
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)
head of government: Prime Minister Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad Al-Khalifa (since 11 November 2020)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: legislature name: National Assembly (Al-Majlis Al-Watani)
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name: Council of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwab)
number of seats: 40 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 11/12/2022 to 11/19/2022
percentage of women in chamber: 20%
expected date of next election: November 2026
Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name: Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura)
number of seats: 40 (all appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 11/27/2022
percentage of women in chamber: 25%
expected date of next election: November 2026
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
Political parties: note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law
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.orghttps://www.mofa.gov.bh/Default.aspx?language=en-US&tabid=7702
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Stephanie HALLETT (since 19 December 2025); Chargé d’Affaires Elizabeth A. LITCHFIELD
embassy: Building 979, Road 3119, 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.govhttps://bh.usembassy.gov/
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
Independence: 15 August 1971 (from the UK)
National holiday: National Day, 16 December (1971)
Flag: description: red, with a white serrated band of five white points on the left sidemeaning: red is the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states; the five points represent the five pillars of Islamhistory: until 2002, the flag had eight white points, but this was reduced to five to avoid confusion with the Qatari flag
National symbol(s): a white serrated band with five white points on top of a red field
National color(s): red, white
National anthem(s): title: "Bahrainona" (Our Bahrain)
lyrics/music: unknown
history: adopted 1971; Mohamed Sudqi AYYASH wrote the original lyrics, but they were changed in 2002 after Bahrain became a kingdom
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Dilmun Burial Mounds; Qal'at al-Bahrain – Ancient Harbor and Capital of Dilmun; Bahrain Pearling Path

Economic overview: high-income, growing Middle Eastern island economy; oil and aluminum exporter with diversification led by services, construction and manufacturing; regional finance and tourism hub; high public debt linked to oil revenue dependence and limited tax base; vulnerable to water reservoir depletion
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $93.937 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $91.185 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $87.781 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 3% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 6.2% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $59,100 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $57,800 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $57,600 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $47.737 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 0.9% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 3.6% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 0.3% (2023 est.)
industry: 43.4% (2023 est.)
services: 51.9% (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 38.9% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 14.6% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 27.5% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.8% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 87.4% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -70.1% (2023 est.)
Agricultural products: lamb/mutton, dates, milk, tomatoes, chicken, eggs, sheep offal, sheepskins, eggplants, chillies/peppers (2023)
Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Labor force: 913,300 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 1.2% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 1.2% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 1.4% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 5.2% (2024 est.)
male: 2.5% (2024 est.)
female: 12.4% (2024 est.)
Average household expenditures: on food: 13.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 0.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 0% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $5.538 billion (2020 est.)
expenditures: $9.982 billion (2020 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2020: 111.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 2.8% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: $2.282 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $2.699 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $6.839 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $41.303 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $40.344 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $44.58 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: UAE 16%, Saudi Arabia 15%, South Africa 8%, USA 6%, India 4% (2023)
Exports - commodities: refined petroleum, aluminum, iron ore, aluminum wire, jewelry (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $33.044 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $32.374 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $33.066 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: China 13%, Saudi Arabia 12%, UAE 11%, Brazil 8%, Australia 7% (2023)
Imports - commodities: iron ore, aluminum oxide, ships, cars, gold (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $4.949 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $5.118 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $4.775 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 0.376 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 0.376 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 0.376 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 0.376 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 0.376 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 7.031 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 35.09 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 467.898 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 480.883 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 1.093 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 99.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: exports: 600 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 190,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 72,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 186.5 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas: production: 19.55 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 19.878 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 81.98 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 81.383 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 554.202 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 246,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 2,415,720 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 160 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: state-run Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) operates 6 terrestrial TV networks and several radio stations; satellite TV systems provide access to international broadcasts; 1 private FM station has broadcasts for Indian listeners; radio and TV broadcasts from countries in the region are available (2023)
Internet country code: .bh
Internet users: percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 268,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: A9C
Airports: 3 (2025)
Heliports: 8 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 184 (2023)
by type: general cargo 12, oil tanker 3, other 169
Ports: total ports: 4 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 3
small: 1
very small: 0
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Al Manamah, Khalifa Bin Salman, Mina Salman, Sitrah

Military and security forces: Bahrain Defense Force (BDF): Royal Bahraini Army (includes the Royal Guard), Royal Bahraini Navy, Royal Bahraini Air ForceMinistry of Interior: National Guard, Special Security Forces Command (SSFC), Coast Guard (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 3% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 3.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 3.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 4.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: information varies; approximately 10,000 active Bahrain Defense Force; approximately 3,000 National Guard (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military's inventory is comprised of mostly older US armaments alongside smaller quantities from other countries, such as France, Germany, Turkey, and the UK (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 18-55 to voluntarily join the reserves (2025)
Military - note: the BDF (established 1968) is responsible for territorial defense and support to internal security; its primary concern is Iran, both the conventional military threat and Tehran's support to regional terrorist groups; the BDF participates in multinational exercises and has conducted small deployments outside of the country; in 2015, for example, Bahrain joined the Saudi Arabia-led military intervention in Yemen, supplying a few hundred troops and combat aircraft Bahrain’s closest security partners are Saudi Arabia and the US; Bahraini leaders have said that the security ties of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are “indivisible”; Saudi Arabia sent forces to Bahrain to assist with internal security following the 2011 uprising; Bahrain hosts the US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT; established 1983), which includes the US 5th Fleet and the Combined Maritime Forces (established 2002), a coalition of more than 30 nations providing maritime security for regional shipping lanes; Bahrain also has close security ties with the UK, which maintains a naval support facility thereBahrain hosts the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Unified Maritime Operations Center and is a member of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region (2025)

Space agency/agencies: Bahrain Space Agency (BSA; established 2014) (2025)
Space program overview: focuses on promoting space research and science, applying space-related technologies, and building capacity in the fields of satellite manufacturing, tracking, control, data processing and analysis, and remote sensing; cooperates with a variety of foreign agencies and commercial entities, including those of India, Italy, Japan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UK, the UAE, and the US; also a member of the Arab Space Coordination Group (2025)
Key space-program milestones: 2022 - first scientific nanosatellite (Light-1 CubeSat) built with assistance from the UAE and launched by Japan; joined US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration2023 - first domestically built technology-demonstrator nanosatellite (Kuwait Sat-1) launched by US2025 - first domestically built remote-sensing nanosatellite (Al Munther) launched by US

Terrorist group(s): al-Ashtar Brigades; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 371 (2024 est.)