Population figures
Total country population
1,498,712
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
250
Asylum-seekers:
122
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
0
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
0
Country context
Bahrain is an island nation situated in the Persian Gulf, bordered by Saudi Arabia to the west and Qatar to the southeast. Its strategic location in the Gulf region places it at the crossroads of significant migratory routes. The country does not host formal refugee camps or settlements. Individuals seeking asylum generally reside in urban settings. Estimates suggest the presence of several thousand individuals without recognized nationality, often referred to as "Bidun". These individuals typically reside within urban areas and face challenges related to legal identity and access to certain rights.
Bahrain is not a party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees or to its 1967 Protocol. Moreover, Bahrain is neither a party to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, nor the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
...The legal context in Bahrain concerning refugees, asylum-seekers, and stateless persons is characterized by the absence of specific national legislation and limited integration of international legal standards into domestic law. This situation presents ongoing challenges for asylum-seekers and stateless persons in the country. The absence of a formal legal framework for refugees and asylum-seekers means that these individuals may not have access to specific rights or services. While Bahrain's legal provisions allow for the naturalization of foreign nationals under certain conditions, naturalized citizens may face limitations regarding specific rights, such as political participation, for a defined period following naturalization. The nationality law also contains gender-discriminatory provisions regarding the conferral of nationality on children, which is a cause of statelessness in the country.
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