مملكة البحرين Mamlakat al-Bahrayn Kingdom of Bahrain
Flag Coat of Arms
Anthem:  بحريننا Bahrainona Our Bahrain
Capital (and largest city)		Manama 26°13′N, 50°35′E
Official languages		Arabic[1]
Demonym		Bahraini
Government		Constitutional Monarchy
-	King	Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah
-	Prime Minister	Khalifah ibn Sulman Al Khalifah
Independence		from United Kingdom[2][3]
-	Date	16 December 1971
Area
-	Total	665 km² (189th) 253 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0
Population
-	2007 estimate	1,046,814 1 (155th)
-	Density	1454/km² (7th) 2,556/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		estimate
-	Total	$19. The national flag of Bahrain ( علم البحرين) consists of a white band on the left separated from a red area on the right by five triangles that serve The Coat of Arms of Bahrain ( شعار البحرين) was designed in the 1930s by the British advisor to the King of Bahrain (then Emir A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Bahrainona ( Our Bahrain) (نشيد البحرين الوطني is the National anthem of Bahrain. Most of the population of Bahrain is concentrated in the two principal cities Manama and Al Muharraq. Manama ( Arabic: المنامة, Transliteration: Al-Manāmah) is the capital and largest city of Bahrain with An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is The position of King of Bahrain was created in February 2002 when the then Emir of Bahrain Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah gave himself Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, KCMG (حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة (born December 28, 1949 in Riffa, Bahrain) In Bahrain, the Prime Minister is the Head of government of the country ‎ Khalifa ibn Salman Al Khalifah ( (born 22 November 1936) is the Prime Minister of Bahrain. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 75 billion (118th)
-	Per capita	$23,604 (32nd)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 866 (high) (41st)
Currency		Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Time zone		(UTC+3)
Internet TLD		.bh
Calling code		+973
1	Includes 517,368 non-nationals (September 2007 estimate). This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The dinar (دينار is the Currency of Bahrain. The ISO 4217 currency code is BHD ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E

The Kingdom of Bahrain (in Arabic: مملكة البحرين ‎, Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is a island country in the Persian Gulf. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language An island country is a Country that is wholly confined to an Island, several islands an Island group or several island groups and has no territory on The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain by the King Fahd Causeway (officially opened on November 25, 1986), and Qatar is to the south across the Gulf of Bahrain. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi The King Fahd Causeway (جسر الملك فهد is multiple dike - Bridge combination connecting Khobar, Saudi Arabia, and the Island Events 1034 - Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots dies Donnchad, the Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated The Qatar–Bahrain Friendship Bridge being planned will link Bahrain to Qatar as the longest fixed link in the world^[4]. The Qatar–Bahrain Friendship Bridge is a long-discussed bridge that is to be built between the two Gulf states of Qatar and Bahrain.

Contents 1 History 2 Politics 3 Governorates 4 Cities, towns and villages 5 Economy 6 Geography 7 Demographics 8 Culture 8.1 Language 8.2 Formula One and other motorsports events 8.3 Holidays 9 Military 10 Education 11 Tourism 12 See also 13 External links 14 References

History

Main article: History of Bahrain

Bahrain has been inhabited since ancient times. Its strategic location in the Persian Gulf has brought rule and influence from the Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, and finally the Arabs, under whom the island became Muslim. The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the The Assyrians are an Ethnic group whose origins lie in what is today Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Bahrain was in ancient times known as Dilmun, later under its Greek name Tylos^[5], then as Awal, and then by the Persian name Mishmahig, when it was a part of the Persian Empire. Dilmun (sometimes transliterated Telmun) is a land mentioned by Mesopotamian Civilizations as a trade partner source of raw material copper and Entrepot The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Bahrain was referred to by the Greeks as Tylos, the centre of pearl trading when Nearchus came to discover it serving under Alexander the Great. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia

The islands of Bahrain, positioned in the middle south of the Persian Gulf, have attracted the attention of invaders throughout history. The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the Bahrain is Arabic for "two seas", referring to the sweet water springs that can be found within the salty sea surrounding it^[6]

A strategic position between East and West, fertile lands, fresh water, and pearl diving made Bahrain historically a center of urban settlement. Pearl diving was the main economy until cultured pearls were invented in early twentieth century and more when oil was discovered in 1930s. About 2300 BC, Bahrain became a centre of one of the ancient empires trading between Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and the Indus Valley (now in Pakistan and India). Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country This was the civilization of Dilmun (sometimes transliterated Telmun) that was linked to the Sumerian Civilization in the third millennium BC. Dilmun (sometimes transliterated Telmun) is a land mentioned by Mesopotamian Civilizations as a trade partner source of raw material copper and Entrepot Bahrain became part of the Babylonian empire about 600 BC. Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital Historical records referred to Bahrain with names such as the "Life of Eternity", "Paradise", and Eden. Not to be confused with Eden Gardens.The Garden of Eden ( Hebrew "pleasure" גַּן עֵדֶן Arabic: جنات عدن, Bahrain was also called the "Pearl of the Persian Gulf". The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the Bahrain has many trade partners". Until Bahrain adopted Islam in 629 AD, it was a centre for Nestorian Christianity^[7]. Nestorius Nestorius (c  386 &ndashc  451) was a pupil of Theodore of Mopsuestia in Antioch in Syria (modern Early Islamic sources describe it as being inhabited by members of the Abdul Qays, Tamim, and Bakr tribes, worshiping the idol "Awal". This is not the Sub-clan of Quraish, for that see Banu Taim Banī Tamīm or Banu Tamim or Banu Tameem Banu Bakr ibn Wa'il or Banu Bakr son of Wa'il (بنو بكر بن وائل) were an Arabian tribe belonging to the large Rabi'ah branch of In 899, a millenarian Ismaili sect, the Qarmatians, seized hold of the country and sought to create a utopian society based on reason and the distribution of all property evenly among the initiates. Millenarianism (sometimes spelled millenarism or millennarism) is the belief by a religious social or political group or movement in a coming major transformation For the Egyptian city see Ismaïlia. The Ismāʿīlī ( Urdu: إسماعیلی Ismāʿīlī, Arabic: الإسماعيليون The Qarmatians, Arabic Qarāmita قرامطة (also spelled "Carmathians" "Qarmathians" "Karmathians" etc The Qarmatians caused disruption throughout the Islamic world: they collected tribute from the caliph in Baghdad; and in 930 sacked Mecca and Medina, bringing the sacred Black Stone back to Bahrain where it was held to ransom. The Qarmatians, Arabic Qarāmita قرامطة (also spelled "Carmathians" "Qarmathians" "Karmathians" etc Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous The Black Stone (called الحجر الأسود al-Hajar-ul-Aswad in Arabic) is a Muslim object of reverence which according to Islamic They were defeated in 976 by the Abbasids. ^[8] The final end of the Qarmatians came at the hand of the Arab Uyunid dynasty of al-Hasa, who took over the entire Bahrain region in 1076. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding This article refers to the traditional region of Al-Hasa For the current Saudi Arabian administrative unit sometimes called Al-Hasa see Al-Ahsa (governorate. ^[9] They controlled the Bahrain islands until 1235, when the islands were briefly occupied by the ruler of Fars. Fars (pronounced/fɑː(ɹs ( Persian: فارس Fârs) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. In 1253, the bedouin Usfurids brought down the Uyunid dynasty and gained control over eastern Arabia, including the islands of Bahrain. The Bedouin, (from the Arabic (ar بدوي pl badū) are a desert-dwelling Arab Nomadic pastoralist, or previously The Usfurids were a Sunni bedouin dynasty that in 1253 gained control of eastern Arabia including the islands of Bahrain, They were a branch of the Banu Uqayl tribe The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) In 1330, the islands became tributary to the rulers of Hormuz,^[10] though locally the islands were controlled by the Shi'ite Jarwanid dynasty of Qatif. For other uses see Katif. Qatif or Al-Qatif (also spelled Qateef or Al-Qateef; القطيف Al-Qaṭīf ^[11]

Until the late Middle Ages, "Bahrain" referred to the larger historical region of Bahrain that included Ahsa, Qatif (both now within the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia) and the Awal (now the Bahrain) Islands. Bahrain (البحرين al-Baḥrayn) is a historical region in eastern Arabia that was known as the Province of Bahrain (إقليم البحرين Eastern Province (الشرقية Ash-Sharqīyah) is the largest province of Saudi Arabia, located in the east of the country on the Persian The region stretched from Basrah to the Strait of Hormuz in Oman. Basra ( BGN: AlBasrah also called Basorah Abillah and Uruk or IRAQ The name that British colony has adopted for Basra Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast This was Iqlīm al-Bahrayn "Bahrayn Province. " The exact date at which the term "Bahrain" began to refer solely to the Awal archipelago is unknown. ^[12]

In the mid-15th century, the islands came under the rule of the Jabrids, a bedouin dynasty that was also based in al-Ahsa and ruled most of eastern Arabia. Location and design The Bahrain World Trade Center (also known as Bahrain WTC or BWTC) is a high twin tower complex located in Manama The King Fahd Causeway (جسر الملك فهد is multiple dike - Bridge combination connecting Khobar, Saudi Arabia, and the Island Location and design The Bahrain World Trade Center (also known as Bahrain WTC or BWTC) is a high twin tower complex located in Manama The Jabrids ( الجبريون, الدولة الجبرية, or الجبور) were a Bedouin dynasty that dominated eastern Arabia The Bedouin, (from the Arabic (ar بدوي pl badū) are a desert-dwelling Arab Nomadic pastoralist, or previously The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) The Portuguese invaded Bahrain in 1521 in alliance with Hormuz, seizing it from the Jabrid ruler Migrin ibn Zamil, who was killed in battle. The Portuguese Empire was the earliest and longest lived of the modern European colonial empires spanning almost six centuries from the capture of Ceuta Muqrin ibn Zamil ( مقرن بن زامل, pronounced Migrin ibin Zāmil) the ruler of eastern Arabia, including Al-Hasa, Al-Qatif Portuguese rule lasted for nearly 80 years, during which they depended mostly on Sunni Persian governors. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic ^[13]

The Portuguese were expelled from the islands in 1602 by Abbas I of the Safavid dynasty of Iran, who instituted Shi'ism as the official religion in Bahrain. Shāh ‘Abbās I or Shāh ‘Abbās the Great ( (born January 27, 1571; died January 19, 1629) was Shah of Iran and the most eminent The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. ^[14] The Iranian rulers retained sovereignty over the islands, with some interruptions, for nearly two centuries. For most of that period, they resorted to governing Bahrain indirectly, either through Hormuz or through local Sunni Arab clans, such as the Huwala. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic The Huwala (also spelt howala howila huwalah (Arabic الهولة meaning "Those that have changed or moved" ^[15][16][17] During this period, the islands suffered two serious invasions by the Ibadhis of Oman in 1717 and 1738. The Ibadi movement or Ibadiyya (Arabic الاباضية al-Ibāḍiyyah is a form of Islam distinct from the Shi'a and Sunni denominations Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast Year 1717 ( MDCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1738 ( MDCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or ^[18][19] In 1753, the Huwala clan of Al Madhkur invaded Bahrain on behalf of the Iranians, restoring direct Iranian rule. Year 1753 ( MDCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Huwala (also spelt howala howila huwalah (Arabic الهولة meaning "Those that have changed or moved" ^[20]

In 1783, an alliance of Sunni Arab clans from the Arabian coast, led by the Al Khalifa, invaded and took control of Bahrain from the Persians and their Huwala allies, establishing an independent emirate. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Al Khalifa (آل خليفة dynasty is the ruling Sunni family of Bahrain. layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox The Huwala (also spelt howala howila huwalah (Arabic الهولة meaning "Those that have changed or moved" An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Arab Monarch styled Emir. ^[21][22][23] The Al Khalifa, however, had to weather a series of Omani invasions between 1799 and 1828. Omani (ﻲﻧﺎﻣﻋ in Arabic) refers to anything that is of or pertaining to Oman. Year 1799 ( MDCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The year 1828 ( MDCCCXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap ^[24][25] It was under the Al Khalifa's rule, in 1845, that a section of the Dawasir tribe from southern Nejd settled in Bahrain. Year 1845 ( MDCCCXLV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The al Dawasir ( is an Arabian Bedouin tribe divided into clans and families Nejd or Najd (literally "highland" نجد) is the central region of the Arabian Peninsula. ^[26] The Al Khalifa at times extended their authority to the northern shores of Qatar and the fort of Dammam on the Arabian coast. Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated Dammam (Also Ad Dammām) (الدمام is the Capital of the Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia.

For more details on this topic, see 1783 Al Khalifa invasion of Bahrain. In 1783 the Al Khalifa clan led an attack on the islands of Bahrain, from their then base of Zubara, successfully capturing it from Nasr Al-Madhkur.

After the Saudis conquered al-Hasa and Qatif in 1796, the Al Khalifa briefly became their tributaries. The First Saudi State was established in the year 1744 (1157 A This article refers to the traditional region of Al-Hasa For the current Saudi Arabian administrative unit sometimes called Al-Hasa see Al-Ahsa (governorate. For other uses see Katif. Qatif or Al-Qatif (also spelled Qateef or Al-Qateef; القطيف Al-Qaṭīf Year 1796 ( MDCCXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year ^[27] When the Saudis re-established their power in the region in the 19th century, they attempted again to bring the emirate of Bahrain under their control, resulting in many battles and skirmishes between the two dynasties. ^[28] This, however, was opposed by the British, who by that time had become highly influential in the Gulf, viewing it as essential to their control of India. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country ^[29] Britain's policy in the Gulf at this time stipulated "uncompromising opposition" to the Saudis in Bahrain. In 1859, a British naval squadron was sent to protect the islands, and the British resident in the Persian Gulf notified the Saudi ruler Faisal ibn Turki Al Saud that it viewed Bahrain as an "independent emirate. Year 1859 ( MDCCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common From 1763 until 1971 the United Kingdom maintained varying degrees of political control over some Persian Gulf states including the United Arab Emirates (originally called Abdallah ibn Faisal Saud ibn Faisal Muhammad ibn Faisal Abdul Rahman ibn Faisal Faisal " In 1861, the British imposed a protection treaty on the emir of Bahrain, ending Saudi efforts to bring the islands under their sphere of influence. Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[30] The treaty was the culmination of a series of treaties with the British, beginning in 1820. Year 1820 ( MDCCCXX) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year ^[31] The country remained a British protectorate until 1971. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. The population of the island at the time was estimated to be around 70,000 persons. ^[32] In the early 1920s the islands were rocked by disturbances between the Dawasir and the Shi'ite Baharna of Bahrain. The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada The al Dawasir ( is an Arabian Bedouin tribe divided into clans and families The Bahrani (plural Baharna,) are the indigenous Shi'a inhabitants of the archipelago of Bahrain and the oasis of Qatif on the Persian As a result, most of the Dawasir were compelled to leave Bahrain and settle on the Arabian mainland as subjects of Ibn Saud. King Saud King Faisal Mohammed King Khaled Nasr Saad ^[33]

Oil was discovered in 1932 and brought rapid modernization to Bahrain. An oil is a substance that is in a viscous Liquid state ( "oily") at ambient temperatures or slightly warmer and is Bahrain was the first place to find oil in the whole region. It also made relations with the United Kingdom closer, evidenced by the British moving more bases there. British influence would continue to grow as the country developed, culminating with the appointment of Charles Belgrave as an advisor^[34]; Belgrave established modern education systems in Bahrain^[35]. Charles Dalrymple Belgrave (1894–1969 was a British citizen and adviser to the rulers of Bahrain from 1926 until 1957

After World War II, increasing anti-British sentiment spread throughout the Arab World and in Bahrain led to riots. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The riots focused on the Jewish community which counted among its members distinguished writers and singers, accountants, engineers and middle managers working for the Oil Company, textile merchants with business all over the peninsula [Jews were not allowed to settle permanently in Saudi Arabia], and free professionals. Following the events of 1947, most of the members of Bahrain's Jewish community abandoned their properties and evacuated to Bombay and later settled in Palestine (later Israel - Tel Aviv's Pardes Chana neighborhood) and the United Kingdom. As of 2007 there were 36 Jews remaining in the country. The issue of compensation was never settled.

In 1960, the United Kingdom put Bahrain's future to international arbitration and requested that the United Nations Secretary-General take on this responsibility. The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. In 1970, Iran laid claim to Bahrain and the other Persian Gulf islands. The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the However, in an agreement with the United Kingdom it agreed to "not pursue" its claims on Bahrain if its other claims were realized. The following plebiscite saw Bahrainis confirm their Arab identity and independence from Britain. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita Bahrain to this day remains a member of the Arab League and Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( CCASG; مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council

The British withdrew from Bahrain on December 16, 1971, making Bahrain an independent emirate^[36]. Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. The oil boom of the 1970s greatly benefited Bahrain, but its downturn was felt badly. However, the country had already begun to diversify its economy, and had benefited from the Lebanese civil war that began in the 1970s; Bahrain replaced Beirut as the Middle East's financial hub as Lebanon's large banking sector was driven out of the country by the war^[37]. The Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990 was a multifaceted Civil war whose antecedents can be traced back to the conflicts and political compromises reached after the end Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2

After the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, Bahraini Shī'a fundamentalists in 1981 orchestrated a failed coup attempt under the auspices of a front organization, the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Iranian Revolution' (mostly known as the Islamic Revolution, Persian: انقلاب اسلامی Enghelābe Eslāmi was the Revolution that transformed After Ayatollah Khomeini came to power in Iran in 1979 Tehran made clear its intention to spread its Islamic Revolution throughout the Middle East. The Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain was an Iran-based Shia resistance group that advocated theocratic rule in Bahrain against the Sunni ruling Al The coup would have installed a Shī'a cleric exiled in Iran, Hujjatu l-Islām Hādī al-Mudarrisī, as supreme leader heading a theocratic government. Hojatoleslam (from Arabic حجة الإسلام hujjat-ul-islām) is an Honorific title meaning "authority on Islam " or "proof Ayatollah Sayed Hadi Almodarresi or al-Modarresi ( Arabic: هادي المدرسي; transliterated: Hādī al-Mudarrisī Theocracy is a form of government in which a god or deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler ^[38]

In 1994, a wave of rioting by disaffected Shīa Islamists was sparked by women's participation in a sporting event. Islamism ( Islam + ism; Arabic: al-'islāmiyya) a set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only The Kingdom was badly affected by sporadic violence during the mid-1990s in which over forty people were killed in violence between the government and cleric-led opposition^[39].

In March 1999, King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah succeeded his father as head of state and instituted elections for parliament, gave women the right to vote, and released all political prisoners. Manama ( Arabic: المنامة, Transliteration: Al-Manāmah) is the capital and largest city of Bahrain with Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, KCMG (حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة (born December 28, 1949 in Riffa, Bahrain) These moves were described by Amnesty International as representing an "historic period of human rights. Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to "^[40] The country was declared a kingdom in 2002. It formerly was considered a State and officially called a "Kingdom. "

Politics

Bahrain

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Bahrain

Constitution King: Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah Prime minister Khalifah ibn Sulman Al Khalifah National Assembly Consultative Council Council of Representatives Political parties Elections: 2006 parliamentary Governorates Human rights Women's political rights Foreign relations

Other countries · Atlas  Politics Portal view • talk • edit

Main article: Politics of Bahrain

See also: Bahraini parliamentary election, 2006 and Human rights in Bahrain

Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy headed by the King, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa; the head of government is the Prime Minister, Shaikh Khalīfa bin Salman al Khalifa, who presides over a cabinet of twenty-three members ^[41]. Politics of Bahrain takes place in a framework of a Constitutional monarchy, with an executive appointed by the king Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Bahrain has had two Constitutions in its modern history The first one was promulgated in 1973, and the second one in 2002. The position of King of Bahrain was created in February 2002 when the then Emir of Bahrain Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah gave himself Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, KCMG (حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة (born December 28, 1949 in Riffa, Bahrain) In Bahrain, the Prime Minister is the Head of government of the country ‎ Khalifa ibn Salman Al Khalifah ( (born 22 November 1936) is the Prime Minister of Bahrain. The National Assembly is the name of both chambers of the Bahraini Parliament when sitting in joint session as laid out in the Constitution of 2002. The Consultative Council ( Majlis al-shura) is the name given to the Upper house of the National Assembly, the main legislative body of Bahrain The Council of Representatives ( Majlis an-nuwab) sometimes translated as the "Chamber of Deputies" is the name given to the Lower house of the Bahraini Political parties from the former Communist Left to the Islamist Right sit in parliament in Bahrain, but are known technically as Political Associations The National Assembly is Bicameral with the lower house the Chamber of Deputies, having 40 members elected in single-seat constituencies for a four year term Bahrain held parliamentary elections on 25 November 2006 for the 40-seat lower house of parliament the Chamber of Deputies as well as municipal elections Bahrain's record on human rights has been praised as one of the most progressive in the Middle East by western human rights groups and the UN with Human Rights Watch calling it "a Bahrain plays a modest moderating role in regional politics and adheres to the views of the Arab League on Middle East peace and Palestinian rights Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent Politics of Bahrain takes place in a framework of a Constitutional monarchy, with an executive appointed by the king Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Bahrain held parliamentary elections on 25 November 2006 for the 40-seat lower house of parliament the Chamber of Deputies as well as municipal elections Bahrain's record on human rights has been praised as one of the most progressive in the Middle East by western human rights groups and the UN with Human Rights Watch calling it "a A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, KCMG (حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة (born December 28, 1949 in Riffa, Bahrain) Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Cheikh, Shaikh, and other variants ( Arabic:, shaykh ‎ Khalifa ibn Salman Al Khalifah ( (born 22 November 1936) is the Prime Minister of Bahrain. Bahrain has a bicameral legislature with a lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, elected by universal suffrage and the upper house, the Shura Council, appointed by the king. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral Both houses have forty members. The inaugural elections were held in 2002, with parliamentarians serving four year terms; the first round of voting in the 2006 parliamentary election took place on 25 November 2006, and second round run-offs were decided on 2 December 2006^[42]. Bahrain held parliamentary elections on 25 November 2006 for the 40-seat lower house of parliament the Chamber of Deputies as well as municipal elections Events 1034 - Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots dies Donnchad, the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire The opening up of politics has seen big gains for both Shīa and Sunnī Islamists in elections, which has given them a parliamentary platform to pursue their policies. This has meant that what are termed "morality issues" have moved further up the political agenda with parties launching campaigns to impose bans on female mannequins displaying lingerie in shop windows^[43], sorcery, and the hanging of underwear on washing lines^[44], as well as change the building by laws to fit one-way glass to houses to prevent residents being able to see out^[45]. Analysts of democratization in the Middle East cite the Islamists' references to respect for human rights in their justification for these programmes as evidence that these groups can serve as a progressive force in the region.

Islamist parties have been particularly critical of the government's readiness to sign international treaties such as the United Nation's International Convention on Civil and Political Rights^[46]. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security At a parliamentary session in June 2006 to discuss ratification of the Convention, Sheikh Adel Mouwda, the former leader of salafist party, Asalah, explained the party's objections: "The convention has been tailored by our enemies, God kill them all, to serve their needs and protect their interests rather than ours. Sheikh Adel Al Mouwda was the second deputy chairman of Bahrain 's parliament of 2002 the Chamber of Deputies, and the former leader of salafist party Asalah The Al Asalah Islamic Society ( is the main Salafist political party in Bahrain, with four MPs after 2006's general election (down from seven MPs elected This why we have eyes from the American Embassy watching us during our sessions, to ensure things are swinging their way" ^[47].

Both Sunnī and Shī'a Islamists suffered a setback in March 2006 when 20 municipal councillors, most of whom represented religious parties, went missing in Bangkok on an unscheduled stopover when returning from a conference in Malaysia^[48]. After the missing councillors eventually arrived in Bahrain they defended their stay at the Radisson Hotel in Bangkok, telling journalists it was a "fact-finding mission", and explaining: "We benefited a lot from the trip to Thailand because we saw how they managed their transport, landscaping and roads. " ^[49]

Bahraini liberals have responded to the growing power of religious parties by organizing themselves to campaign through civil society in order to defend basic personal freedoms from being legislated away. Political parties from the former Communist Left to the Islamist Right sit in parliament in Bahrain, but are known technically as Political Associations In November 2005, al Muntada, a grouping of liberal academics, launched "We Have A Right", a campaign to explain to the public why personal freedoms matter and why they need to be defended. Al Muntada (or The Forum) is a Bahrain society set up by academics journalists and businessmen to promote liberalism in the Kingdom We Have A Right is a political campaign launched to protect personal freedoms in Bahrain by the society of liberal intellectuals Al Muntada, on 22 November 2005

Women's political rights in Bahrain saw an important step forward when women were granted the right to vote and stand in national elections for the first time in the 2002 election. However, no women were elected to office in that year’s polls and instead Shī'a and Sunnī Islamists dominated the election, collectively winning a majority of seats. In response to the failure of women candidates, six were appointed to the Shura Council, which also includes representatives of the Kingdom’s indigenous Jewish and Christian communities. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The country's first female cabinet minister was appointed in 2004 when Dr. Nada Haffadh became Minister of Health, while the quasi-governmental women's group, the Supreme Council for Women, trained female candidates to take part in the 2006 general election. Dr Nada Haffadh was Bahrain 's first ever female cabinet minister when she was appointed Minister of Health in 2004 serving in the position The Supreme Council for Women is Bahrain ’s advisory body to the government on women's issues When Bahrain was elected to head the United Nations General Assembly in 2006 it appointed lawyer and women's rights activist Haya bint Rashid Al Khalifa as the President of the United Nations General Assembly ^[50], only the third woman in history to head the world body^[51]. Membership For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly see General Assembly members Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa (born October 18, 1952) ( is a lawyer and diplomat from Bahrain who was the President of the 61st session The President of the United Nations General Assembly is a position voted for by representatives in the United Nations General Assembly on a yearly basis

The king recently created the Supreme Judicial Council^[52] to regulate the country's courts and institutionalize the separation of the administrative and judicial branches of government^[53]; the leader of this court is Mohammed Humaidan.

On 11–12 November 2005, Bahrain hosted the Forum for the Future bringing together leaders from the Middle East and G8 countries to discuss political and economic reform in the region. The Forum for the Future in Bahrain on 11-12 November 2005 brought together by suggestion of the President of Spain Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the leaders ^[54]

The near total dominance of religious parties in elections has given a new prominence to clerics within the political system, with the most senior Shia religious leader, Sheikh Isa Qassim, playing what’s regarded as an extremely important role; according to one academic paper, “In fact, it seems that few decisions can be arrived at in Al Wefaq – and in the whole country, for that matter – without prior consultation with Isa Qassim, ranging from questions with regard to the planned codification of the personal status law to participation in elections. 2006 elections Bahraini parliamentary election 2006 Al Wefaq announced that it would reverse its elections boycott and participate in the 2006 parliamentary election ”^[55]

In 2007, Al Wefaq-backed parliamentary investigations are credited with forcing the government to remove ministers who had frequently clashed with MPs: the Minister of Health, Dr Nada Haffadh (who was also Bahrain’s first ever female cabinet minister) and the Minister of Information, Dr Mohammed Abdul Gaffar^[56]. Dr Nada Haffadh was Bahrain 's first ever female cabinet minister when she was appointed Minister of Health in 2004 serving in the position

Governorates

Bahrain is split into five governorates. Until July 3, 2002, it was divided into twelve municipalities; see Municipalities of Bahrain. Events 324 - Battle of Adrianople Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Bahrain was formerly split into twelve Municipalities that were all administered from the capital city of Manama. The governorates are:

1. Capital
2. Central
3. Muharraq
4. Northern
5. Southern

For further information, see Decree-Law establishing governoratesPDF (732 KiB) from the Bahrain official website. The Capital Governorate ( Arabic: محافظة العاصمة transliterated: Muhafazat al-'Asimah is one of the five Governorates of Bahrain The Central Governorate ( Arabic: المحافظة الوسطى transliterated: al-Muhafazah al-Wustah is one of the five Governorates of Bahrain The Muharraq Governorate ( transliterated: Muhafazat al-Muharaq is one of the five Governorates of Bahrain. The Northern Governorate (المحافظة الشمالية transliterated: al- Muhafazah ash-Shamaliyah) is one of the five Governorates of The Southern Governorate ( Arabic: المحافظة الجنوبية transliterated: al-Muhafazah Al-Janobiyah) is the largest of the five Governorates A kibibyte (a contraction of ki lo bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, established by the International

Cities, towns and villages

Among Bahrain's cities and towns are:

Al Manama Al Muharraq Hamad Town Madinat Isa / Isa Town

Riffa Jidhafs Sitrah Al-Hidd

Bahrain's many small towns and villages include:

A'Ali Abu Saiba Al Daih Al Dair Al Duraz Al Muqsha

Arad Askar Awali Bani Jamrah Budaiya Busaiteen

Galali Janabiyah Jannusan Jaw Jeblat Hibshi Jid Alhaj Jid Ali

Jurdab Karrana Ma'ameer Malkiya Maqaba Nabih Saleh Sar

Salmabad Samaheej Sanad Tubli Zallaq

Economy

Main article: Economy of Bahrain

In a region experiencing an oil boom, Bahrain has the fastest growing economy in the Arab world, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia found in January 2006^[57]. Manama ( Arabic: المنامة, Transliteration: Al-Manāmah) is the capital and largest city of Bahrain with Muharraq ( (meaning Place of Ashes is Bahrain 's second largest city and served as its capital until 1923 Madinat Hamad ( Hamad Town) (مدينة حمد is a city in northern Bahrain. Ar Rifa` or Al-Riffa or Riffa (in Arabic: الرفاع is a City in the South Governorate of central Bahrain. Jidhafs ( Arabic جدحفص is an area in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Sitra ( is an Island in Bahrain, just east of Bahrain Island. Abu Saiba is a village in the north of Bahrain. It is inhabited mostly by Shia Baharna. Diraz (الدراز is a village on the north west coast of Bahrain. Askar ( is a village on the south eastern coast of Bahrain It is inhabited by members of the Al Buainain tribe among others Awali is a small municipality located approximately in the centre of the Kingdom of Bahrain, a small island in the Persian Gulf. Al Budaiya ( is a coastal town located in the northwestern corner of Bahrain Island, in the Northern Governorate of the Kindgdom of Bahrain. Busaiteen ( is a small town in northern Bahrain. It is located on Muharraq Island, just north of Muharraq City. Galali ( is a small area in the Kingdom of Bahrain, located on Muharraq Island, north of Muharraq City. Jaww ( is a village on the south eastern coast of Bahrain, and has traditionally been home to the Al Bu Romaih tribe Karrana (كرانة is a village in Bahrain, an island country in the Persian Gulf. Ma'ameer (المعامير is a village in the island-kingdom of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. Nabih Saleh ( is an Island in Bahrain. It lies in the Tubli Bay, east of Bahrain Island. Sanad is a town in Bahrain. The region is located near Isa Town and Riffa. Al Zallaq (الزلاق is a village on the western coast of Bahrain. According to the 2007 Index of Economic Freedom published by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal, Bahrain has the second most free economy The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, is one of the five regional Bahrain also has the freest economy in the Middle East according to the 2006 Index of Economic Freedom published by the Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal, and is twenty-fifth freest overall in the world^[58]. The Index of Economic Freedom is a series of 10 economic measurements created by the Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation to measure the degree of Economic freedom The Heritage Foundation is an American conservative Think tank. In 2008, Bahrain was named the world’s fastest growing financial centre by the City of London’s Global Financial Centres Index^[59][60]. The Global Financial Centres Index is a Ranking of the Competitiveness of Financial centres based on 11685 financial centre assessments from an online

In Bahrain, petroleum production and processing account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. Economic conditions have fluctuated with the changing fortunes of oil since 1985, for example, during and following the Gulf crisis of 1990-91. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to multinational firms. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude oil. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems.

In 2004, Bahrain signed the US-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement, which will reduce certain barriers to trade between the two nations^[61]. The United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement (FTA was signed September 14, 2004.

Bahrain in 2007 became the first Arab country to institute unemployment benefit as part of a series of labour reforms instigated under Minister of Labour, Dr. Unemployment benefits are payments made by Governments to unemployed people Majeed Al Alawi^[62]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Bahrain

Bahrain is a generally flat and arid archipelago, consisting of a low desert plain rising gently to a low central escarpment, in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia. Bahrain (from the Arabic word for "two seas" &mdash itself an inaccurate Folk etymology for the much older non- Semitic term Bahran comprises An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi The highest point is the 122 m Jabal ad Dukhan.

Bahrain has a total area of 665 km² (266 mi²), which is slightly larger than the Isle of Man, though it is smaller than the nearby King Fahd International Airport near Dammam, Saudi Arabia (780 km² or 301 mi²). Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn or Mann (Mannin) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical King Fahd International Airport (مطار الملك فهد الدولي is located 15 kilometers (about 9 As an archipelago of thirty-three islands, Bahrain does not share a land boundary with another country but does have a 161-kilometre (100 mi) coastline and claims a further twelve nautical miles (22 km) of territorial sea and a twenty-four nautical mile (44 km) contiguous zone. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States A nautical mile or sea mile is a unit of Length. It corresponds approximately to one minute of Latitude along any meridian. Territorial waters, or a territorial sea, as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is a belt of coastal waters extending at most Territorial waters, or a territorial sea, as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is a belt of coastal waters extending at most Bahrain's largest islands are Bahrain Island, Muharraq, Umm an Nasan, and Sitrah. Bahrain Island ( is the largest island in the Kingdom of Bahrain and forms the bulk of the country's land mass and hosts most of its population Muharraq ( (meaning Place of Ashes is Bahrain 's second largest city and served as its capital until 1923 Umm an Nasan island ( is the fourth largest Island in Bahrain, after Bahrain Island, Hawar Island and Muharraq Island. Sitra ( is an Island in Bahrain, just east of Bahrain Island. Bahrain has mild winters and very hot, humid summers.

Bahrain's natural resources include large quantities of oil and natural gas as well as fish stocks. Arable land constitutes only 2. 82%^[63] of the total area. Desert constitutes 92% of Bahrain and periodic droughts and dust storms are the main natural hazards for Bahrainis.

Environmental issues facing Bahrain include desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land and coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations, illegal land reclamation at places such as Tubli Bay. Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices One involves creating new land from sea- or riverbeds the other refers to restoring an area to a more natural state (such as after Tubli Bay ( (also known as the Gulf of Tubli) is a Bay in the east of Bahrain, between Bahrain Island and Sitra island The agricultural and domestic sectors' over-utilization of the Dammam Aquifer, the principle aquifer in Bahrain, has led to its salinization by adjacent brackish and saline water bodies.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Bahrain

Ethnic, Cultural and Religious Groups of Bahrain

The official religion of Bahrain is Islam, which the majority of the population practices. Most of the population of Bahrain is concentrated in the two principal cities Manama and Al Muharraq. Bahrain is located in the Persian Gulf in a strategical position in relation to the Eastern Coast of the Arabian Peninsula Persia Iraq and Oman For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. However, due to an influx of immigrants and guest workers from non-Muslim countries, such as India, Philippines and Sri Lanka ^[64], the overall percentage of Muslims in the country has declined in recent years. According to the 2001 census, 80% of Bahrain's population was Muslim, 10% were Christian, and 10% practiced other religions. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth

There are no official figures for the proportion of Shia and Sunni among the Muslims of Bahrain. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Unofficial sources, such as the Library of Congress Country Studies^[65], BBC^[66], and the New York Times^[67], estimate it to be approximately 45% Sunni and 55% Shia. The Country Studies are works published by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress ( USA) freely available for use by researchers Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic The last official census (in 1941) which included sectarian identification reported 53% as Shia.

Bahrain has transformed into a cosmopolitan society with mixed communities: two thirds of Bahrain's population consists of Arabs. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding A Large contingency of people of Iranian descent as well as immigrants and guest workers from, South Asia and Southeast Asia are present. The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. A Financial Times published on 31 May 1983 found that "Bahrain is a polyglot state, both religiously and racially. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Leaving aside the temporary immigrants of the past ten years, there are at least eight or nine communities on the island. "

The present communities may be classified as:

• Tribals - Sunni Arab bedouin tribes allied to the Al-Khalifa including the Utoob tribes, Dawasir, Al Nuaim, Al Mannai etc
• Baharna - indigenous Shia ethnic group
• Howala - descendants of Sunni Arabs who migrated to Persia and returned later on, although some of them are originally Persians. The Bedouin, (from the Arabic (ar بدوي pl badū) are a desert-dwelling Arab Nomadic pastoralist, or previously The Al Khalifa (آل خليفة dynasty is the ruling Sunni family of Bahrain. The ' Utub ( العتوب) was an alliance of Arab clans originating from the region of Najd in central Arabia. The al Dawasir ( is an Arabian Bedouin tribe divided into clans and families The Al Nuaim ( tribe is an Arab Bedouin tribe based primarily in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. The Al Mannai ( tribe (plural Al Mananea ( is an Arab Bedouin tribe based primarily in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. The Bahrani (plural Baharna,) are the indigenous Shi'a inhabitants of the archipelago of Bahrain and the oasis of Qatif on the Persian The Huwala (also spelt howala howila huwalah (Arabic الهولة meaning "Those that have changed or moved" ^[68][69]
• Ajam - ethnic Persians from Shia and Sunni faith. The Ajam ( are a community of Bahraini Persians in Bahrain. They have traditionally been merchants living in a specific quarters of Manama and Muharraq
• Najdis (also called Hadhar), non-tribal urban Sunni Arabs from Najd in central Arabia. Nejd or Najd (literally "highland" نجد) is the central region of the Arabian Peninsula. Nejd or Najd (literally "highland" نجد) is the central region of the Arabian Peninsula. These are families whose ancestors were pearl divers, traders, etc. An example is the Al Gosaibi family. The Al Gosaibi family ( is a prominent Arab family in Bahrain and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
• Banyan - Indians who traded with Bahrain and settled before the age of oil^[70] (formerly known as the Hunood or Banyan, Arabic: البونيان) -- see also Bania (caste);
• Afro-Arabs - Descendants of black African slaves from East Africa
• Bahraini Jews - a tiny Jewish community; and a miscellaneous grouping. The Arabic alphabet is the script used for writing several languages of Asia and Africa such as Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. According to the Indian caste system, Vanika ( Sanskrit) or Bania ( Hindi, Punjabi and other Indian languages is a trader or merchant Afro-Arab (sometimes referred to as African Arab) refers to people who possess both Black African and Arab ancestry History of the Jews in Bahrain. Bahraini Jews constitute one of the world's smallest Jewish communities

Culture

Main article: Culture of Bahrain

Bahrain is sometimes described as the "Middle East lite"^[71] a country that mixes modern infrastructure with a Gulf identity, but unlike other countries in the region its prosperity is not solely a reflection of the size of its oil wealth, but also related to the creation of an indigenous middle class. People & Heritage Nearly five-sevenths of the population are Arabs and most are native-born Bahrainis but only minority of them are Omanis This unique socioeconomic development in the Persian Gulf has meant that Bahrain is generally more liberal than its neighbours. While Islam is the main religion, Bahrainis have been known for their tolerance, and alongside mosques can be found churches, a Hindu temple, a Sikh Gurdwara and a Jewish synagogue. A Hindu temple or Mandir ( Sanskrit: मंदिर is a house of worship for Hindus followers of Hinduism. A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of The country is home to several communities that have faced persecution elsewhere.

It is too early to say whether political liberalisation under King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has augmented or undermined Bahrain's traditional pluralism. Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, KCMG (حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة (born December 28, 1949 in Riffa, Bahrain) The new political space for Shia and Sunni Islamists has meant that they are now in a much stronger position to pursue programmes that often seek to directly confront this pluralism, yet at the same time political reforms have encouraged an opposite trend for society to become more self critical with a greater willingness in general to examine previous social taboos. It is now common to find public seminars on once unheard of subjects such as marital problems and sex^[73] and child abuse^[74]. Another facet of the new openness is Bahrain's status as the most prolific book publisher in the Arab world, with 132 books published in 2005 for a population of 700,000. In comparison, the average for the entire Arab world is seven books published per one million people in 2005, according to the United Nations Development Programme.  ^[75]

Ali Bahar is the most famous singer in Bahrain. Ali Bahar is a famous musician from Bahrain. He is known for singing in the local Bahrain dialect of Arabic. He performs his music with his Band Al-Ekhwa (The Brothers).

On October 20, 2005, it was reported that Michael Jackson intended to leave the United States permanently in order to seek a new life in Bahrain. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29 1958 is an American musician entertainer and businessman The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Jackson has reportedly told friends that he feels "increasingly Bahraini"^[76]after buying a former PM's mansion in Sanad, and is now seeking another property by the seashore. Sanad is a town in Bahrain. The region is located near Isa Town and Riffa. Jackson reportedly moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2006. Other celebrities associated with the Kingdom include singer Shakira and Grand Prix driver Jenson Button, who owns property there. Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born February 2 1977 known simply as Shakira Jenson Alexander Lyons Button, often called Jense, (born 19 January, 1980) is a British Formula One racing driver from England

In Manama lies the new district of Juffair, predominantly built on reclaimed land. This is the location of the U. S. Naval Support Activity. The concentration of restaurants, bars and nightlife make this area a magnet for U. S. service members and Saudi weekend visitors.

Language

Arabic is the official language of Bahrain, though English is widely used. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Another language spoken by some of the local inhabitants of Bahrain is a dialect of Persian which has been heavily influenced by Arabic. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Amongst the domestic workers, housemaids and construction workers, Hindi, Malayalam and Tagalog are widely spoken. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Not to be confused with the Malay language. Malayalam (മലയാളം malayāḷaṁ) is a Dravidian language used Tagalog is one of the major languages used in the Philippines.

Formula One and other motorsports events

Bahrain has a Formula One race-track, hosting the Gulf Air Grand Prix on 4 April 2004, the first for an Arab country. Gulf Air (طيران الخليج is the Flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Races by country Active and past races See {{CURRENTYEAR}} Formula One season for a schedule of this year's races Events 1581 - Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The race was won by Michael Schumacher of Scuderia Ferrari. Scuderia Ferrari is the name for the Gestione Sportiva the division of the Ferrari automobile company concerned with racing This was followed by the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2005. The Bahrain Grand Prix (جائزة البحرين الكبرى is a Formula One Championship race which first took place at the Bahrain International Circuit Bahrain has successfully hosted the opening Grand Prix of the 2006 season on 12 March. Both the above races were won by Fernando Alonso of Renault. The 2007 event took place on April 13th, 14th and 15th resulting in victory of Ferrari's Felipe Massa^[77]. On Sunday, April 6th, 2008, Ferrari's Felipe Massa once again took the Bahrain Grand Prix victory, with BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica being the first Polish driver on pole position, and BMW's first pole as well.

In 2006, Bahrain also hosted its inaugural Australian V8 Supercar event dubbed the "Desert 400". V8 Supercars is a Touring car racing category operated under the regulations of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA The V8s will return every November to the Sakhir circuit. Sakhir ( Arabic: الصخير is a Desert area located in the Kingdom of Bahrain, near Zallaq. The inaugural round was won by Ford Performance Racing's Jason Bright.

The Bahrain International Circuit also features a full length drag strip, and the Bahrain Drag Racing Club has organised invitational events featuring some of Europe's top drag racing teams ^[78] to try and raise the profile of the sport in the Middle East. The Bahrain International Circuit ( Arabic: حلبة البحرين الدولية) is a venue used for Drag racing, GP2, and an annual Drag racing is a competition in which objects compete to be the first to cross a set finish mark usually from a dead stop and in a straight line There has been much speculation about Bahrain hosting a round of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship, but as yet this has not come to fruition due to problems with the track gaining the necessary licence ^[79].

Holidays

Date	English name	Local name
January 1	New Year's Day	رأس السنة الميلادية
May 1	Labour Day	عيد العمال
December 16	National Day	العيد الوطني
December 17	Accession Day	عيد الجلوس
10th Zilhajjah	Feast of the Sacrifice (4 days)[80]	Eid ul-Adha	Commemorates Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismial; occurs at the 10th day of the month of hajj. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC New Year's Day is the first day of the Year. On the modern Gregorian calendar, it is celebrated on January 1, as it was also in ancient Rome (though Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Eid al-Adha ( Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd ul-’Aḍḥā, Urdu: بقرعید or the Festival of Sacrifice is a religious festival celebrated Ibrahim ( إبراهيم, Ibrāhīm) or Ebrahim ( Ebrāhīm) is a Arabic name given after prophet Ibrahim אַבְרָהָם The Hajj (حج is a pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world i. e. the month of Dhu al-Hijjah
1st Shawal	Little Feast (3 days)	Eid ul-Fitr	Commemorates end of Ramadan
1st Moharram	Hijri New Year	Muharram	Islamic New Year
9th & 10th Moharram	Ashura Day	Muharram
Last days of Ramadan	Al-Isra' wa ul-Miraj	Lailat al Miraj	Commemorates Muhammad's journey to the Heavens
27th Rajab	Al-Isra' wa ul-Miraj	Rajab	Non Salafi Sunni celebrate Mi'raj i. Dhu al-Hijja (ar ذو الحجة is the twelfth and final month in the Islamic Calendar. Eid ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Fitr (عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr) often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim Holiday that marks the end of Ramadan or Ramazan ( Arabic: رمضان Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic Muharram ( Arabic: ar محرم is the first month of the Islamic calendar. Muharram ( Arabic: ar محرم is the first month of the Islamic calendar. Ramadan or Ramazan ( Arabic: رمضان Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic In Islamic tradition the Isra and Mi'raj (الإسراء والمعراج) are the two parts of a journey that Muhammad took in one night around the year 620 Rajab ( Arabic: ar رجب is the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic In Islamic tradition the Isra and Mi'raj (الإسراء والمعراج) are the two parts of a journey that Muhammad took in one night around the year 620 e. the day Muhammad is alleged to have ascended to heaven
12th Rabiul Awal	Prophet Muhammad's birthday	Mawlid al-Nabi
9th-10th Moharram	Ashoura (2 days)		Commemorates the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala

On 1 September 2006 Bahrain changed its weekend from being Thursdays and Fridays to Fridays and Saturdays, in order to have a day of the weekend shared with the rest of the world. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond In Religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has encountered the Supernatural or the divine and serves as an intermediary IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics The Day of Ashura ( ar عاشوراء, Ashura Ashoura and other spellings is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar حسين بن علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب)‎ (third of Shaban 4 AH / 8th January 626 AD at Medina The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10 61 AH ( October 9 or 10 680 CE in Karbala, in present day Iraq. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

Military

The kingdom has a small but well equipped military called the Bahrain Defense Force. Bahrain Defence Force (BDF Bahrain Royal Medical Services|Royal Bahraini Army|Royal Bahraini Air Force|Royal Bahraini Navy The Military of Bahrain (well known as They have a cooperative agreement with the United States Military and have provided the United States a base in Juffair since the early 1990s. The United States Armed Forces are the overall unified military forces of the United States Juffair is in Manama, Bahrain located in an area that used to be sea but has been extensivley reclaimed since 1970 This is the home of the United States Navy Central Command (COMUSNAVCENT) and about 1500 U. '''US Naval Forces Central Command''' is the naval element of United States Central Command (CENTCOM S. and coalition military ^[81].

Education

Main article: Education in Bahrain

See also: Boy Scouts of Bahrain

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Quranic schools (Kuttab) were the only form of education in Bahrain. Bahrain has the oldest Public education system in the Arabian Peninsula The Boy Scouts of Bahrain (جمعية كشافة البحرين is the national Scouting organization of Bahrain. They were traditional schools aimed at teaching children and youth the reading of the Qur'an. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran After the First World War, Bahrain became open to western influences and a demand for modern educational institutions appeared. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

1919 marked the beginning of modern public school system in Bahrain when Al-Hidaya Al-Khalifia School for boys was opened in Muharraq. In 1926, the Education Committee opened the second public school for boys in Manama and in 1928 the first public school for girls was opened in Muharraq.

In 2004 King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa introduced a project that uses information communication technology (ICT) to support K–12 education in Bahrain. K–12 (pronounced "kay through twelve" "kay to twelve" or just "kay twelve" a designation for the sum of primary and Secondary education This project is named King Hamad Schools of Future. The objective of this project is to connect and link all schools within the kingdom with the internet.

In addition to British intermediate schools, the island is served by the Bahrain School (BS). Bahrain School is an International school located in Juffair, Bahrain following the American Curriculum. The BS is a United States Department of Defense school that provides a K-12 curriculum including International Baccalaureate offerings. The United States Department of Defense ( DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government The International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma Programme (DP is an Educational programme examined in one of three languages ( English, French or Spanish

Private schools also exist that offer either the IB Diploma Programme or UK A-Levels. The International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma Programme (DP is an Educational programme examined in one of three languages ( English, French or Spanish The A-level, short for Advanced Level, is a General Certificate of Education qualification in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, In 2007, St Christopher's School Bahrain became the first school in Bahrain to offer a choice of IB or A-Levels for students. The British School of Bahrain was listed by The Times newspaper as being one of the top 10 schools outside the United Kingdom. The Times is a daily national Newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Numerous international educational institutions and schools have established links to Bahrain. A few prominent institutions are DePaul University, Bentley College, and NYIT. DePaul University is a private institution of Higher education and Research in Chicago, Illinois, U The New York Institute of Technology (also known as NYIT and New York Tech) is a private co-educational college in New York in the USA.

See also: List of universities in Bahrain

Schooling is paid for by the government, and, although not compulsory, primary and secondary attendance rates are high. Universities of Bahrain: New York Institute of Technology, Bahrain branch Bahrain Institute of Technology Bahrain also encourages institutions of higher learning, drawing on expatriate talent and the increasing pool of Bahrain Nationals returning from abroad with advanced degrees. The University of Bahrain has been established for standard undergraduate and graduate study, and the College of Health Sciences – operating under the direction of the Ministry of Health – trains physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and paramedics. The University of Bahrain was founded in 1986 The roots of the University go back to the late 1960s when the Higher Institutes for male and female teachers were established The national action charter, passed in 2001, paved the way for the formation of private universities. The first private university was Ahlia University, situated in Manama. The University of London External has appointed MCG as the regional representative office in Bahrain for distance learning programs. MCG is one of the oldest private institutes in the country.

Asian institutes have also been opened which educate to Asian students, such as the Pakistan Urdu School. The Indian School, Bahrain and the New Indian School, Bahrain are Indian institutions for children whose parents are expatriates in Bahrain from India. Founded in the year 1950 The Indian School Bahrain was initiated by a small group of people with a committed workforce of three staff

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Bahrain

Bahrain is a popular tourist destination with over eight million tourists a year. Bahrain is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Middle East with over two million tourists a year Most of the visitors are from the surrounding Arab states but there is an increasing number of tourists from outside the region thanks to a growing awareness of the kingdom’s heritage and its higher profile with regards to the Bahrain Formula One Race Track. The Bahrain Grand Prix (جائزة البحرين الكبرى is a Formula One Championship race which first took place at the Bahrain International Circuit

The Lonely Planet describes Bahrain as "an excellent introduction to the Persian Gulf"^[82] because of its authentic Arab heritage and reputation as relatively liberal and modern. Lonely Planet Publications (usually known as Lonely Planet or LP) is one of the largest travel Guidebook publishers in the world The kingdom combines Arab culture, Gulf glitz and the archaeological legacy of five thousand years of civilization. The island is home to castles including Qalat Al Bahrain which has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site

The Bahrain National Museum has artifacts from the country's history dating back to the island's first human inhabitation 9000 years ago. Qal`at al-Bahrain ( english: is an archaeological site located in Bahrain. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The Bahrain National Museum (also referred as National Museum of Bahrain) is the largest and one of the most oldest Museums in Bahrain.

Some of the major projects underway are Durrat Al Bahrain, Amwaj Islands, Bahrain Bay, Financial Harbour, Areen Resort and Spa, Bahrain City Center, Bahrain Bay, Salam Resort Bahrain, Reef Island, Bahrain Health Island, Diyaar Al Muharraq, Bahrain International Circuit, Riffa Views, Marina West, Al Jazir Beach, World Trade Center and Abraj Lulu, and the new Iceberg Tower (which is a ski resort) to be opened in 2009.

Bahrain Offical Tourist Website
Bahrain Economic Development'

See also

• Bahrain Bay
• Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix
• Durrat Bahrain
• Bahrain Financial Harbour
• Amwaj Island
• Bahrain Riding School

External links

• Kingdom of Bahrain - eGovernment Portal
• Bahrain Tourism
• BBC Country profile: Bahrain
• Bahrain entry at The World Factbook
• Lonely Planet Destination Guide
• Bahrain Guide
• A Guide to Bahrain for Visitors and Expatriates
• Bahrain Brief
• Bahrain Expatriate Community
• Bahrain Wiki

References

The National Post is a Canadian English-language national Newspaper based in Don Mills, Ontario, a district of

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