Bahrain is the Gulfs smallest economy, but it has a diversified productive sector in which financial services and manufacturing each account for around 15% of GDP. Meanwhile, oil and gas, the leading industry, generates over one-quarter of economic output.
Political unrest has persisted since the outbreak of mass protests calling for political and social reform in early 2011. Although some protests are permitted by the authorities, the security forces will continue to crack down harshly on unauthorised demonstrations. The risk of political unrest will hang over economic developments throughout our forecast period (2015-19).
Bahrain has served as a regional financial hub since the 1970s, but these activities were set back by the global financial crisis of 2008-09 and then by domestic protests since 2011. As a proportion of real GDP, financial services accounted for around 19% in 2009, but had slipped to 15% by the third quarter of 2014.

Financial services report 2

Banks 3

Insurers 5

Asset managers 7

Financial markets and instruments 8

Financial regulation 10

Monetary and currency policy 11

Bahrain at a glance 13

Fundamental indicators 14

Key contacts 15

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