Government & politics — Bahrain
Government structure, legal system, citizenship, and international relations.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Government & politics at a glance
Government structure, legal system, citizenship, and international relations. Key figure for Bahrain: Kingdom of Bahrain
Immigration rules and fees change frequently — confirm current requirements on official government or embassy websites.
Identity & names
- Full Country Name
Kingdom of Bahrain
- Country Name
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
- 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
Political system
- Government Type
constitutional monarchy
- Constitution
- 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
- Legal System:
mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) law, English common law, Egyptian civil, criminal, and commercial codes; customary law
- Executive Branch:
- chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Crown Prince SALMAN b
- in 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 Infrastructur
- Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
- 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 preside
- nt 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 appointme
- nts 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
- Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
- Citizenship Criteria:
- no citizenship by descent only: the fa
- no residency requirement for naturalization: 25 years; 15 years for Arab nationals
Capital & time
- 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)
International role
- 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
- International Law Organization Participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
- 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/
- 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