Bahrain

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the historical region, see Bahrain (historical region). For the island, see Bahrain
Island. For the town in Pakistan, see Behrain.

Kingdom of Bahrain
‫مملكة البحرين‬
Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn

Flag Emblem

Anthem: Bahrainona

Capital Manama
(and largest city) 26°13′N 50°35′E

Official language(s) Arabic

Demonym Bahraini

Government Constitutional monarchy

  King Hamad ibn Isa Al

-  Khalifa
  Crown Prince Salman ibn Hamad ibn
-  Isa Al Khalifa

  Prime Minister Khalifa ibn Salman Al

-  Khalifa

Independence

  From Persia 1783[1][2] 
- 

  Termination of special August 15, 1971[3][4] 

- treaty with the United
Kingdom

Area

750 km2
  Total  (184th)
-  290 sq mi 

  Water (%) 0
- 

Population

  2008 estimate 807,000[5] (158th)
- 

  Density 1,189.5/km2 (7th)
-  3,126.5/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2009 estimate

  Total $28.275 billion[6] 

- 

  Per capita $27,214[6] 

- 

GDP (nominal) 2009 estimate
   Total $20.590 billion[6] 
- 

  Per capita $19,817[6] 

- 

HDI (2010)  0.801[7] (very
high) (39th)

Currency Bahraini dinar(BHD)

Time zone (UTC+3)

Drives on the Right

ISO 3166 code BH

Internet TLD .bh

Calling code 973

Bahrain ( i /bɑːˈreɪn/), officially Kingdom of Bahrain (Arabic: ‫مملكة البحرين‬, Mamlakat

al-Baḥrayn, literally: "Kingdom of the Two Seas"), is a small island country with
approximately 800,000 inhabitants (2009), located near the western shores of
the Persian Gulf and ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. While Bahrain is an
archipelago of thirty-three islands, the largest (Bahrain Island) is 55 km (34 mi) long
by 18 km (11 mi) wide.
Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain via the King Fahd
Causeway, which was officially opened on 25 November 1986. Qatar is to the
southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain. The planned Qatar Bahrain Causeway will link
Bahrain and Qatar as the longest fixed link in the world.
Bahrain is known for its oil and pearls. The country is the home of many popular
structures such as the Bahrain World Trade Center and the Bahrain Financial
Harbour, and also the home of many skyscrapers, including the proposed 1,022 m
(3,353 ft) high supertall Murjan Tower. The Qal’at al-Bahrain (The Ancient Harbour
and Capital of Dilmun) has been declared aUNESCO World Heritage Site.
[8]
 The Bahrain International Circuit is the race course where the popular Bahrain
Formula One Grand Prix takes place.

Contents
 [hide]

1 History
o 1.1 Pre-Islamic
o 1.2 Islamic conversion and Portuguese control
o 1.3 Origin of the Bani Utbah tribe
o 1.4 Rising power of Bani Utbah
o 1.5 Al Khalifa ascendancy to Bahrain and their treaties with
the British
o 1.6 Discovery of petroleum
2 Politics
3 Governorates
4 Economy
5 Geography
6 Climate
7 Demographics
8 Culture
o 8.1 Language and religion
o 8.2 Formula One and other motorsports events
o 8.3 Holidays
9 Military
10 Education
11 Tourism
12 See also
13 References
14 External links

History
Main article: History of Bahrain
Pre-Islamic
Asia in 600 AD, showing the Persian Empire in Sassanid era before the Arabconquest.

Bahrain is the Arabic term for "two seas", referring to the freshwater springs that are
found within the salty seas surrounding it. Bahrain has been inhabited since ancient
times. Its strategic location in the Persian Gulf has brought rule and influence from
theAssyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and the Arabs, under whom the island
became Islamic. Bahrain may have been associated with Dilmun which is mentioned
by Mesopotamian civilizations.[9]
During its history it was called by different names such as Awal, then Mishmahig,
when it was a part of the Persian Empire. From the 6th to 3rd century BC, Bahrain
was included in Persian Empire by Achaemenian dynasty.[10] From the 3rd century
BC to the arrival of Islam in the 7th century AD, Bahrain was controlled by two other
Iranian dynasties of Parthians and Sassanids. By about 250 BC, the Parthian
dynasty brought the Persian Gulf under its control and extended its influence as far
as Oman.
Because they needed to control the Persian Gulf trade route, the Parthians
established garrisons in the southern coast of Persian Gulf. [11] In the 3rd century AD,
the Sassanids succeeded the Parthians and held the area until the rise of Islam four
centuries later. Ardashir, the first ruler of the Iranian Sassanian dynasty marched
forward on Oman and Bahrain, and defeated Sanatruq.[9] At this time, Bahrain
incorporated the southern Sassanid province covering the Persian Gulf's southern
shore plus the archipelago of Bahrain.[12]
The southern province of the Sassanid Empire was subdivided into the three
districts of Haggar (now al-Hafuf province, Saudi Arabia), Batan Ardashir (now al-
Qatif province, Saudi Arabia), and Mishmahig (which in Middle-
Persian/Pahlavi means "ewe-fish").[9] Until Bahrain adopted Islam in 629 AD, it was a
center of Nestorian Christianity.[9] Early Islamic sources describe it as being
inhabited by members of the Abdul Qays, Tamim, and Bakr tribes, worshiping
the idol Awal.
Islamic conversion and Portuguese control
In 899 AD, a millenarian Ismaili sect, the Qarmatians, seized the country and sought
to create a utopian society based on reason and the distribution of all property
evenly among the initiates. The Qarmatians caused disruption throughout the
Islamic world; they collected tribute from the caliph in Baghdad, and in 930 AD
sacked Mecca and Medina, bringing the sacred Black Stone back to their base
in Ahsa, in medieval Bahrain where it was held to ransom. According to the
historian Al-Juwayni, the Stone was returned twenty-two years later, in 951, under
mysterious circumstances; wrapped in a sack, it was thrown into the Friday mosque
of Kufa accompanied by a note saying "By command we took it, and by command
we have brought it back." The Black Stone's abduction and removal caused further
damage, breaking the stone into seven pieces.[9][13][14]
The Qarmatians were defeated in 976 AD by the Abbasids.[15] 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.[16] They controlled the Bahrain islands until 1235,
when the islands were briefly occupied by the ruler of Fars. In 1253,
the Bedouin Usfurids brought down the Uyunid dynasty and gained control over
eastern Arabia, including the islands of Bahrain. In 1330, the islands became
tributary to the rulers of Hormuz,[17] though locally the islands were controlled by the
Shi'ite Jarwanid dynasty of Qatif.[18]
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 Islands (now the Bahrain Islands). The region stretched
from Basrah[disambiguation needed] to the Strait of Hormuz in Oman. 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. [19] 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.
The Portuguese invaded Bahrain in 1521 in alliance with Hormuz, seizing it from the
Jabrid ruler Migrin ibn Zamil, who was killed in battle. Portuguese rule lasted for
nearly 80 years, during which they depended mostly on Sunni Persian governors.
[20]
 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.
[21]
 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 Bushehr or through immigrant Sunni Arab clans, such as
the Huwala, who where returning to Arabian side of the Gulf from the Persian
territories in the north, namely Lar[disambiguation needed] and Bushehr (whence the name,
Hawilah, "the returnees").[20][22][23] During this period, the islands suffered two serious
invasions by the Ibadhis of Oman in 1717 and 1738.[24][25] In 1753, the Huwala clan
of Al Madhkur invaded Bahrain on behalf of the Iranians, restoring direct Iranian rule.
[26]

Origin of the Bani Utbah tribe

This article is part of the series on:

History of Bahrain
Ancient Bahrain
Dilmun
Tylos and Mishmahig
Awal
Historical region
Islam in Bahrain
Al-Ala'a Al-Hadrami
Qarmatians
Usfurid dynasty
Jarwanid dynasty
Jabrid dynasty
Portuguese occupation
Muqrin ibn Zamil
Antonio Correia
Safavid hegemony (1602-1717)
1717 Oman invasion of Bahrain
Al Khalifa and
the British Protectorate
1783 Al Khalifa invasion of Bahrain
Perpetual Truce of Peace
 and Friendship (1861)
First Oil Well (1932)
20th Century Bahrain
National Union Committee
March 1965 Intifada
State Security Law era
1981 coup d'état attempt
Uprising 1994-2000
2000s in Bahrain
Topical
Military history of Bahrain
Timeline of Bahrain history

The Al Bin Ali tribe are the original descendants of Bani Utbah tribe being that they
are the only tribe to carry the last name Al-Utbi in their Ownership's documents of
Palm gardens in Bahrain as early as the year 1699–1111 Hijri. [27] They are
specifically descendants of their great grand father Ali Al-Utbi who is a descendant
of their great grand father Utbah hence the name Bani Utbah which means sons of
Utbah. Utbah is the great grandfather of the Bani Utbah which is a section of Khafaf
from Bani Sulaim bin Mansoor from Mudhar from Adnan. The plural word for Al-Utbi
is Utub and the name of the tribe is Bani Utbah.
In 1783, Nasr Al-Madhkur lost the islands of Bahrain to Bani Utbah tribe to which
Shaikh Isa Bin Tarif, Chief of Al Bin Ali belongs. Shaikh Isa Bin Tarif was a
descendant of the original uttoobee conquerors of Bahrain [28] This took place after
the defeat of Nasr Al-Madhkur to the Bani Utbah in the battle of Zubarahthat took
place in the year 1782 between the Al Bin Ali from the Bani Utbah tribe and the army
of Nasr Al-Madhkur, ruler of Bahrain and Bushire. Zubarah was originally the center
of power of the Bani Utbah in which the Al Bin Ali Tribe in
Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and U.A.E derives from. The Al Bin Ali were
the Arabs that were occupying Zubarah,[29] they were the original dominant group of
Zubarah.[30]
The islands of Bahrain were not new to the Bani Utbah, they were always connected
to this island, whether by settling in it during summer season or by purchasing date
palm gardens. The Al Bin Ali were a politically important group that moved
backwards and forwards between Qatar and Bahrain. [30] The Bani Utbah had been
present in the banks of Bahrain in the 17th century. [31] During that time, they started
purchasing date palm gardens in Bahrain. One of the documents which belongs to
Shaikh Salama Bin Saif Al Utbi, one of the Shaikh's of the Al Bin Ali, backs this
statement about the presence of the Bani Utbah in Bahrain in the 17th century. It
states that Mariam Bint Ahmed Al Sindi, a shia women has sold a Palm Garden in
the Island Of Sitra at Bahrain to Shaikh Salama Bin Saif Al Utbi dating to the year
1699–1111 Hijri before the arrival of Al-Khalifa to Bahrain by more than 90 years. [32]
Rising power of Bani Utbah
After the Bani Utbah gained power in 1783, the Al Bin Ali had a practically
independent status in Bahrain as a self governed tribe. They used a flag with four
red and three white stripes, called the Al-Sulami flag[33]in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and
Eastern province in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was raised on their ships during
wartime and in the pearl season and on special occasions such as weddings and
during Eid and in the "Ardha of war".[34] Al Bin Ali were known for their courage,
persistence, and abundant wealth.[35]
Later, different Arab family clans and tribes mostly from Qatar moved to Bahrain to
settle there since the Persian sovereignty there had come to an end with the fall of
the Zand Dynasty of Persia. These families and tribes included the Al Khalifa, Al-
Ma'awdah, Al-Fadhil, Al-Mannai, Al-Noaimi, Al-Sulaiti, Al-Sadah, Al-Thawadi, and
other families and tribes.
Most of these tribes settled in Muharraq, the capital of Bahrain and the center of
power at that time since the Al Bin Ali lived there. There is still a neighborhood in
Muharraq city named Al Bin Ali. It is the oldest and biggest neighborhood in
Muharraq, members of this tribe lived in this area for more than three centuries. [citation
needed]

Al Khalifa ascendancy to Bahrain and their treaties with the

British
Fourteen years later after gaining power of Bani Utbah, the Al Khalifa family moved
to Bahrain in 1797 as settlers in Jaww, and later moved to Riffa. They were originally
from Kuwait but had left it in 1766. According to a tradition preserved by the Al-
Sabah family, the reason why the ancestors of their section and those of the Al-
Khalifa section came to Kuwait was that they had been expelled by the Turks from
Umm Qasr upon Khor Zubair, an earlier seat from which they had been accustomed
to prey as brigands upon the caravans of Basra and as pirates upon the shipping of
the Shatt Al Arab.[36]
In the early 19th centuriy, Bahrain was invaded by both the Omanis and the Al
Sauds, and in 1802 it was governed by a twelve year old child, when the Omani
ruler Sayyid Sultan installed his son, Salim, as Governor in the Arad Fort.[37]
In 1820, the Al Khalifa rule to Bahrain became active, but it was buttressed when it
entered into a treaty relationship with Britain, which was by then the dominant
military power in the Persian Gulf. This treaty granted the Al Khalifa the title of
Rulers of Bahrain. It was the first of several treaties including the 1861 Perpetual
Truce of Peace and Friendship, which was further revised in 1892 and 1951. In the
19th century, the Al-Khalifas controlled the main archipelago of Bahrain, the Hawar
Islands and the section of the Qatar peninsula around Zubarah called the Zubarah
Bloc. The Al Bin Ali played a part in helping the Al Khalifa to retain possession of
their new territory in the early days.[35]Between 1869 and 1872 Midhat Pasha brought
the islands nominally under the authority of the Ottoman Empire with coordination
with the British and Ottoman ships starting appearing in the area.
This treaty was similar to those entered into by the British Government with the other
Persian Gulf principalities. It specified that the ruler could not dispose of any of his
territory except to the United Kingdom and could not enter into relationships with any
foreign government without British consent. In return the British promised to protect
Bahrain from all aggression by sea and to lend support in case of land attack. More
importantly the British promised to support the rule of the Al Khalifa in Bahrain,
securing its unstable position as rulers of the country. According to SOAS academic,
Nelida Fuccaro:
From this perspective state building under the Al Khalifa shayks should not be
considered exclusively as the result of Britain's informal empire in the Persian Gulf.
In fact, it was a long process of strategic negotiation with different sections of the
local population in order to establish a pre-eminence of their particularly artistic
Sunni/Bedouin tradition of family rule.
—[38]
Peace and trade brought a new prosperity. Bahrain was no longer dependent upon
pearling, and by the mid-19th century it became the pre-eminent trading centre in
the Persian Gulf, overtaking rivals Basra, Kuwait, and finally in the 1870s, Muscat.
[39]
 At the same time, Bahrain's socio-economic development began to diverge from
the rest of the Persian Gulf: it transformed itself from a tribal trading centre in to a
modern state.[40] This process was spurred by the attraction of large numbers of
Persian, Huwala, and Indian merchant families who set up businesses on the island,
making it the hub of a web of trade routes across the Persian Gulf, Persia and the
Indian sub-continent. A contemporary account of Manama in 1862 found:
Mixed with the indigenous population [of Manamah] are numerous strangers and
settlers, some of whom have been established here for many generations back,
attracted from other lands by the profits of either commerce or the pearl fishery, and
still retaining more or less the physiognomy and garb of their native countries. Thus
the gay-coloured dress of the southern Persian, the saffron-stained vest of Oman,
the white robe of Nejed, and the striped gown of Bagdad, are often to be seen
mingling with the light garments of Bahreyn, its blue and red turban, its white silk-
fringed cloth worn Banian fashion round the waist, and its frock-like overall; while a
small but unmistakable colony of Indians, merchants by profession, and mainly from
Guzerat, Cutch, and their vicinity, keep up here all their peculiarities of costume and
manner, and live among the motley crowd, ‘among them, but not of them’.
—WG Palgrave, Narrative of a Year's Journey through Central and Eastern Arabia
(1862–3), [41]
Palgrave's description of Manama's coffee houses in the mid-19th century portrays
them as cosmopolitan venues in contrast to what he describes as the ‘closely knit
and bigoted universe of central Arabia’.[41] Palgrave describes a people with an open
– even urbane – outlook: "Of religious controversy I have never heard one word. In
short, instead of Zelators and fanatics, camel-drivers and Bedouins, we have at
Bahrain [Manama] something like ‘men of the world, who know the world like men’ a
great relief to the mind; certainly it was so to mine." [41]
The great trading families that emerged during this period have been compared to
the Borgias and Medicis[41] and their great wealth – long before the oil wealth the
region would later be renowned for – gave them extensive power, and among the
most prominent were the Persian Al Safar family, who held the position of Native
Agents of Britain in 19th Century.[41] The Al Safar enjoyed an 'exceptionally
close'[41] relationship with the Al Khalifa clan from 1869, although the al-Khalifa never
intermarried with them – it has been speculated that this could be related to political
reasons (to limit the Safars’ influence with the ruling family) and possibly for religious
reasons (because the Safars were Shia).
Bahrain's trade with India saw the cultural influence of the subcontinent grow
dramatically, with styles of dress, cuisine, and education all showing a marked
Indian influence. According to Exeter University's James Onley "In these and
countless other ways, eastern Arabia's ports and people were as much a part of the
Indian Ocean world as they were a part of the Arab world." [41]
Bahrain underwent a period of major social reform between 1926 and 1957, under
the de facto rule of Charles Belgrave, the British advisor to Shaikh Hamad ibn Isa Al-
Khalifa (1872-1942). The country's first modern school was established in 1919, with
the opening of the Al-Hiddaya Boys School, while the Arab Persian Gulf's first girls'
school opened in 1928. The American Mission Hospital, established by the Dutch
Reform Church, began work in 1903. Other reforms include the abolition of slavery,
while the pearl diving industry developed at a rapid pace.
These reforms were often opposed vigorously by powerful groups within Bahrain
including sections within the ruling family, tribal forces, the religious authorities and
merchants. In order to counter conservatives, the British removed the Emir, Isa bin
Ali Al Khalifa, replacing him with his son in 1923. Some Sunni tribes such as the al
Dossari were forcibly removed from Bahrain and sent to mainland Arabia, while
clerical opponents of social reforms were exiled to Saudi and Iran, and the heads of
some merchant and notable families were likewise exiled. The Britain's interest in
pushing Bahrain's development was motivated by concerns about Saudi-Wahabbi
and Iranian ambitions.
Discovery of petroleum
Oil was discovered in 1932 and brought rapid modernization to Bahrain. This
discovery made relations with the United Kingdom closer, as evidenced by the
British establishing more bases there. British influence would continue to grow as
the country developed, culminating with the appointment of Charles Belgrave as an
advisor;[41] Belgrave established modern education systems in Bahrain. [41] After
World War II, increasing anti-British sentiment spread throughout the Arab World
and led to riots in Bahrain. 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, and free professionals.
In 1948, following rising hostilities and looting, [42] most members of Bahrain's Jewish
community abandoned their properties and evacuated toBombay, later settling
in Israel (Pardes Hanna-Karkur) and the United Kingdom. As of 2008, 37 Jews
remained in the country.[42] 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.
In 1970, Iran laid claim to Bahrain and the other Persian Gulf islands. However, in
an agreement with the United Kingdom it agreed "not to pursue" its claims on
Bahrain if its other claims were realized. The following plebiscite saw Bahrainis
confirm their Arab identity and independence from Britain. Bahrain to this day
remains a member of the Arab League and Cooperation Council for the Arab States
of the Gulf. Bahrain formally declared its independence on the 15th of August, 1971,
[3][43]
 marked by the signing of a friendship treaty with the British that terminated
previous agreements between the two sides on the same day. [3][4]
The oil boom of the 1970s greatly benefited Bahrain, but its downturn hurt. 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 asLebanon's large banking sector was driven out of the
country by the war.[44] 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. 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.[45] In 1994, a wave of rioting by
disaffected Shīa Islamists was sparked by women's participation in a sporting event.
During the mid-1990s, the Kingdom was badly affected by sporadic violence
between the government and the cleric-led opposition in which over forty people
were killed.[46] 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. These moves were described by Amnesty
International as representing an "historic period of human rights". [47] The country was
declared a kingdom in 2002. It formerly was considered a State and officially called
a "Kingdom".[clarification needed]

Politics
Bahrain
 This article is part of the series:

Politics and government of

Bahrain

 Constitution
 King
 Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa
 Prime Minister
 Khalifa Bin Salman Al
Khalifa
 National Assembly
 Consultative Council
 Council of Representatives
 Political parties
 Elections: 1973, 2002, 2006, 2010
 Governorates
 Human rights
 Women's political rights
 Foreign relations

Other countries · Atlas

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Main article: Politics of Bahrain

See also: Bahraini parliamentary election, 2006 and Human rights in Bahrain
The Bahrain Royal Flight (Boeing 747SP).

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-five members, where 80% of its
members are from the royal family. Bahrain has a bicameral legislature with a lower
house, the Chamber of Deputies, elected by universal suffrage and an upper house,
the Shura Council, appointed by the king. Both houses have forty members. The first
round of voting in the 2006 parliamentary election took place on 25 November 2006,
and in the second round Islamists hailed a huge election victory. [48]
The opening up of politics has seen big gains for both Shīa and Sunnī Islamists in
elections, which have given them a parliamentary platform to pursue their policies.
This has meant parties launching campaigns to impose bans on female mannequins
displaying lingerie in shop windows,[49] and the hanging of underwear on washing
lines.[50]
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.
[51]
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. This why we
have eyes from the American Embassy watching us during our sessions, to ensure
things are swinging their way".[52]
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.[53]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".[54] 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. 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.
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. 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, theSupreme Council for
Women, trained female candidates to take part in the 2006 general election. When
Bahrain was elected to head theUnited 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, [55] only the third woman in history
to head the world body.[56] The king recently created the Supreme Judicial
Council[57] to regulate the country's courts and institutionalize the separation of the
administrative and judicial branches of government; [58] 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.[59] 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.[60] 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. [61]

Governorates
For further information, see Decree-Law establishing
governoratesPDF (732 KB) from the Bahrain official website.
Bahrain is split into five governorates. These governorates are:

Map Governorates

1. Capital Governorate

2. Central Governorate

3. Muharraq
Governorate

4. Northern Governorate

5. Southern Governorate

Economy
Main article: Economy of Bahrain
Sunset at the King Fahd Causeway.

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.[62] Bahrain also has the freest economy in the Middle
East according to the 2011 Index of Economic Freedom published by the Heritage
Foundation/Wall Street Journal, and is tenth freest overall in the world.[63]
In 2008, Bahrain was named the world's fastest growing financial center by the City
of London's Global Financial Centres Index.[62][62] Bahrain's banking and financial
services sector, particularly Islamic banking, have benefited from the regional boom.
[62]
 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 Persian 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. In 2004,
Bahrain signed the US-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement, which will reduce certain
barriers to trade between the two nations.[64]
Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and
underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. In 2008, the
jobless figure was a 4%,[65] but women are over represented at 85% of the total.
[66]
 Bahrain in 2007 became the first Arab country to institute unemployment
benefits as part of a series of labour reforms instigated under Minister of Labour,
Dr. Majeed Al Alawi.[67]

Geography
Main article: Geography of Bahrain

Desert landscape in 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. The
highest point is the 134 m (440 ft) Jabal ad Dukhan. Bahrain has a total area of
665 km2 (257 sq mi), 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 (301 sq mi)).
As an archipelago of thirty-three islands, Bahrain does not share a land boundary
with another country but does have a 161 km (100 mi) coastline and claims a further
22 km (12 nmi) ofterritorial sea and a 44 km (24 nmi) contiguous zone. Bahrain's
largest islands are Bahrain Island,Muharraq Island, Umm an Nasan, and Sitrah.
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%[1] 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, coastal
degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from
oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, distribution stations,
and illegal land reclamation at places such as Tubli Bay. The agricultural and
domestic sectors' over-utilization of the Dammam Aquifer, the principal aquiferin
Bahrain, has led to its salinization by adjacent brackish and saline water bodies.[citation
needed]

Climate
Main articles: Geography of Bahrain and Climate of Bahrain
Bahrain is an island located east of the mainland of Saudi Arabia. Jabal ad
Dukhan is the highest point in Bahrain with hills up to 134 m (440 ft) above sea level.
The Zagros Mountains in Iraq cause low level winds to be directed to the Bahrain
Island. The dust bowls from Iraq and Saudi Arabia make fine dust particles easily
transported by northwesterly winds which cause reduced visibility in the months of
June and July.
The summer is very hot since the Persian Gulf waters provide low levels of moisture
supply. Seas around Bahrain are very shallow, heat up quickly in the summer, and
produce high humidity, especially in the summer nights. In those periods, summer
temperatures may reach more than 40 °C (104 °F). Rainfall in Bahrain is minimal
and irregular. Rainfalls mostly occur in winter, recorded maximum of 71.8 mm (2.83
in).[68]
[hide]Climate data for Manama
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
20.0 21.2 24.7 29.2 34.1 36.4 37.9 38.0 36.5
Average high °C (°F)
(68) (70.2) (76.5) (84.6) (93.4) (97.5) (100.2) (100.4) (97.7)
14.1 14.9 17.8 21.5 26.0 28.8 30.4 30.5 28.6
Average low °C (°F)
(57.4) (58.8) (64) (70.7) (78.8) (83.8) (86.7) (86.9) (83.5)
14.6 16.0 13.9 10.0 1.1 0 0 0 0
Precipitation mm (inches)
(0.575) (0.63) (0.547) (0.394) (0.043) (0) (0) (0) (0)
Avg. precipitation days 2.0 1.9 1.9 1.4 0.2 0 0 0 0
Source: World Meteorological Organisation (UN)  [69]

Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Bahrain
See also: Ethnic, Cultural and Religious Groups of Bahrain
Religion in Bahrain
religion percent[1]
Islam    81.2%
Christianity    9%
Other    9.8%

In 2008, Bahrain's population stood at 1.05 million, out of which more than 517,000
were non-nationals.[70] Though majority of the population is ethnically Arab, a sizable
number of people from South Asia live in the country. In 2008, approximately
290,000 Indian nationalslived in Bahrain, making them the single largest expatriate
community in the country.[71]
The official religion of Bahrain is Islam, which the majority of the population
practices. However, due to an influx of immigrants and guest workers from non-
Muslim countries, such as India, Philippines and Sri Lanka,[72] the overall percentage
of Muslims in the country has declined in recent years. According to the 2001
census, 81.2% of Bahrain's population was Muslim, 9% were Christian, and 9.8%
practiced Hinduism and other religions.[1] There are no official figures for the
proportion of Shia and Sunni among the Muslims of Bahrain. Unofficial sources,
such as the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, estimate it to be
approximately 33% Sunni and 66%Shia.[72][73]
A Financial Times article published on 31 May 1983 found that "Bahrain is
a polyglot state, both religiously and racially. 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:
Community Description
Afro-Arabs Descendants of black African slaves from East Africa
Ajam Ethnic Persians from Shia and Sunni faith
Baharna Shia Arabs divided between those indigenous to the islands
Bahraini Jews A small Jewish community; and a miscellaneous grouping
Indians who traded with Bahrain and settled before the age of
Banyan (Bania)
oil[74] (formerly known as the Hunood or Banyan, Arabic:‫)البونيان‬
Sunni Arab Bedouin tribes allied to the Al-Khalifa including
Tribals
the Utoob tribes, Dawasir, Al Nuaim, Al Mannai etc.
Descendants of Sunni Arabs who migrated to Persia and returned later on,
Howala
although some of them are originallyPersians [75][76]
Non-tribal urban Sunni Arabs from Najd in central Arabia. These are
Najdis (also
families whose ancestors were pearl divers, traders, etc. An example is
calledHadhar)
the Al Gosaibi family.
Culture
Main articles: Culture of Bahrain and Music of Bahrain
Bahrain is sometimes described as "Middle East lite" because it combines modern
infrastructure with a Persian Gulf identity and, unlike other countries in the region, its
prosperity is not solely a reflection of the size of its oil wealth, but is also related to
the creation of an indigenous middle class. 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 churches, Hindu temples, Sikh Gurdwaraand a
Jewish synagogue can be found alongside mosques. 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. The new
political space for Shia and Sunni Islamists has meant that they are now more able
to pursue programmes that often seek to directly confront this pluralism, yet political
reforms have encouraged an opposite trend for society to become more self critical
with more willingness to examine previous social taboos. It is now common to find
public seminars on once unheard of subjects such as marital problems and
sex[77] and child abuse.[78]
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.[79] Ali Bahar is the most famous singer in Bahrain. He
performs his music with his Band Al-Ekhwa (The Brothers).
Language and religion
See also: Freedom of religion in Bahrain
Arabic is the official language of Bahrain though English is widely used. Bahrani
Arabic is the most native spoken language. Bahrain's primary religion is Islam.
Formula One and other motorsports events
Bahrain has a Formula One race-track, hosting the first Gulf Air Grand Prix on 4
April 2004, the first for an Arab country. This was followed by the Bahrain Grand
Prix in 2005. 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 13, 14th and 15th [80]
In 2006, Bahrain also hosted its inaugural Australian V8 Supercar event dubbed the
"Desert 400".[citation needed] The V8s will return every November to the Sakhir circuit.
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[citation needed] to try and raise the profile of the sport in
the Middle East.
Holidays
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. Other non-regular holidays are listed below:
Local
English name
Date (Arabic) Description
name
New Year's ‫رأس السنة‬ The Gregorian New Year's Day, celebrated by
1 January
Day ‫الميالدية‬ most parts of the world.
1 May Labour Day ‫يوم العمال‬  
National Day, Accession Day for the late
16 December National Day ‫اليوم الوطني‬
Amir Sh. Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa
17 December Accession Day ‫يوم الجلوس‬  
Islamic New ‫رأس السنة‬ Islamic New Year (also known as: Hijri New
1st Muharram
Year ‫الهجرية‬ Year).
9th, Commemorates the martyrdom of Imam
Day of  Ashura ‫عاشوراء‬
10thMuharram Hussein.
Prophet
12th Rabiul Commemorates Prophet Muhammad's birthday,
Muhammad's ‫المولد النبوي‬
Awwal celebrated in most parts of the Muslim world.
birthday
1st, 2nd,
Little Feast ‫عيد الفطر‬ Commemorates end of Ramadan.
3rdShawwal
9th Zulhijjah Arafat Day ‫يوم عرفة‬  
Commemorates Ibrahim's willingness to
10th, 11th, Feast of the
‫ عيد األضحى‬sacrifice his son. Also known as the Big
12thZulhijjah Sacrifice
Feast (celebrated from the 10th to 13th).
Military
Main article: Military of Bahrain
See also: Bahrain Royal Medical Services, Royal Bahraini Army, Royal Bahraini Air
Force, and Royal Bahrain Naval Force
Royal Bahraini Navy RBNS Sabha.

The kingdom has a small but well equipped military called the Bahrain Defense
Force (BDF). The BDF is primarily equipped with United States equipment, such
as F16 Fighting Falcon, F5 Freedom Fighter, UH60 Blackhawk, M60A3 tanks, and
the ex-USS  Jack Williams, an Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate renamed
the RBNS  Sabha. The Government of Bahrain has a cooperative agreement with
the United States Military and has provided the United States a base in Juffair since
the early 1990s. This is the home of the headquarters for Commander, United
States Naval Forces Central Command (COMUSNAVCENT) / United States Fifth
Fleet (COMFIFTHFLT), and about 1500 United States and coalition military
personnel.[81]

Education
Main article: Education in Bahrain
See also: Boy Scouts of Bahrain

Students at the University of Bahrain, wearing the traditional garb.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Qur'anic schools (Kuttab) were the only form of
education in Bahrain. They were traditional schools aimed at teaching children and
youth the reading of theQur'an. After World War I, Bahrain became open to western
influences, and a demand for modern educational institutions appeared. 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 ibn Isa Al Khalifa introduced a project that uses Information
Communication Technology (ICT) to support K–12 education in Bahrain. 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 theBahrain School (BS). The BS is
a United States Department of Defense school that provides a K-12 curriculum
including International Baccalaureate offerings. There are also private schools that
offer either the IB Diploma Programme or UK A-Levels.
In 2007, St. Christopher's School Bahrain became the first school in Bahrain to offer
a choice of IB or A-Levels for students. Numerous international educational
institutions and schools have established links to Bahrain. A few prominent
institutions are DePaul University,Bentley College, Ernst & Young Training
Institute, NYIT and Birla Institute of Technology International Centre (See also: List
of universities in Bahrain). Schooling is paid for by the government. Primary and
secondary attendance is high, although it is not compulsory.
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 theKing Abdulaziz University College of
Health Sciences; operating under the direction of the Ministry of Health,
trains physicians, nurses,pharmacists, and paramedics. The national action charter,
passed in 2001, paved the way for the formation of private universities. The first few
private universities were Ahlia University situated in Manama and University College
of Bahrain, Saar. In 2005, The Royal University for Women (RUW) was established.
RUW is the first private, purpose-built, international University in the Kingdom of
Bahrain dedicated solely to educating women. 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.
Institutes have also been opened which educate Asian students, such as
the Pakistan Urdu School, Bahrain, the Indian School, Bahrain.
Tourism
Main article: Tourism in Bahrain

A 123 m (404 ft) high fountain off the coast ofManama. The mechanism is contained in a barge,
anchored to the seabed.

Bahrain is a tourist destination with over eight 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 due to a growing awareness of the kingdom's
heritage and its higher profile with regards to the Bahrain International F1
Circuit[citation needed]. The Lonely Planet describes Bahrain as "an excellent introduction
to the Persian Gulf",[82] because of its authentic Arab heritage and reputation as
liberal and modern.
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
Bahrainwhich has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The Bahrain
National Museumhas artifacts from the country's history dating back to the island's
first human inhabitatants 9000 years ago.