Bahrain continues to maintain a favorable balance of trade, with total exports amounting to 1.76 billion Bahraini dinars ($4.6 billion) during the first three quarters of 2003, while total imports amounted to BD 1.46 billion, according to Economic Indicators, a new quarterly publication by the Bahrain Monetary Agency.
New commercial licenses issued for carrying out various business activities totaled 3,287 during the first three quarters of 2003, compared with 3,553 during the whole of 2002.
Bahrain’s tourism industry also continues to do well, with a total of 3.6 million arrivals recorded for the first three quarters of 2003, compared with 4.8 million arrivals during 2002, according to the report.
Population and employment statistics show that nearly 29.3 percent of Bahrain’s population was employed in 2002, up from 25.7 percent five years ago. The statistics show that 196,894 people were employed in 2002, compared with 155,196 in 1998. Of the employed people, 83.6 percent were employed by the private sector in 2002, compared with 80 percent in 1998.
According to the report, monthly wages of Bahraini male workers in the public sector averaged BD 450 in 2002, an increase of 6.9 percent over the 1998 figure of BD 421, while average monthly wages of Bahraini female workers in the public sector grew 5.4 percent to BD 471 in 2002, from BD 447 in 1998.
Average monthly wages of Bahraini male workers in the private sector declined 4.8 percent to BD 239 in 2002, compared with BD 251 in 1998, while those of female workers declined 14 percent to BD 225 in 2002, from BD 262 in 1998.
In the area of construction and real estate development, figures reveal that construction activity is at a five-year high and is most intense in the Northern District, followed by the Central District and Muharraq. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
