Bahrain

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Coordinates: 26°4′N 50°30′E
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the country in West Asia. For other
uses, see Bahrain (disambiguation).

Kingdom of Bahrain
‫( مملكة البحرين‬Arabic)
Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn

Flag
 Coat of arms

Anthem: ‫بحريننا‬
Baḥraynunā
Our Bahrain
Duration: 50 seconds.0:50

Location of Bahrain (in green)

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

Official Arabic[1]
language
and
national
language

Ethnic gr 53.2% Arabs

oups 43.4% Asians
1.4% Africans
 (2020)[2] 1.1% North Americans
0.8% Europeans
0.1% Others
Religion 69.7% Islam (official)
(2021)[3][4] —55% Shia Islam
—45% Sunni Islam
14.1% Christianity
10.2% Hinduism
3.1% Buddhism
0.002% Jewish
0.9% Others
2% Unaffiliated
Demony Bahraini
m(s)
Governm Unitary Islamic parliame
ent ntary semi-constitutional
monarchy
• King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
• Crown Salman bin Hamad Al
Prince and Khalifa
Prime
Minister
Legislatu National Assembly
re
• Upper Consultative Council
house
• Lower Council of
house Representatives
Establishment
• Al Khalifa 1783
dynasty
• Declared 14 August 1971
Independe
nce[5]
• Independe 15 August 1971
nce
from Unit
ed
Kingdom[6]
• Admitted 21 September 1971
to
the United
Nations
• Kingdom 14 February 2002
of Bahrain
Area
• Total 786.8[7] km2 (303.8 sq mi)
(173rd)
• Water (%) negligible
Population
• 2021 1,463,265[8][9] (149th)
estimate
• 2020 cens 1,501,635[2]
us
• Density 1,864/km2 (4,827.7/sq mi
) (6th)
GDP (PP 2023 estimate
P)
• Total $95.973
billion[10] (101st)
• Per capita $60,715[10] (23rd)
GDP (no 2023 estimate
 minal)
• Total $44.994 billion[10] (97th)
• Per capita $28,464[10] (39th)
HDI (202 0.888[11]
2) very high (34th)
Currency Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Time UTC+3 (AST)
zone
Drives on right
Calling +973
code
ISO 3166 BH
code
Internet .bh
TLD
Website
bahrain.bh
a. Since 17 November 1967[12]

b. 46% are Bahraini citizens, 4.7% are

other Arabs.
Bahrain (/bɑːˈreɪn/ ⓘ bah-RAYN, /bæxˈreɪn/; Arabic:
‫البحرين‬, romanized: al-Baḥrayn, lit. 'Two Seas',
locally [æl bɑħˈreːn] ⓘ), officially the Kingdom of
Bahrain,[a] is an island country in West Asia. It is situated
on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a
small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an
additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain
Island which makes up around 83 percent of the
country's landmass. Bahrain is situated
between Qatar and the northeastern coast of Saudi
Arabia, to which it is connected by the King Fahd
Causeway. The population of Bahrain is 1,501,635 as of
May 14, 2023, based on elaborations of the United
Nations data, of whom 712,362 are Bahraini nationals.
[2]
Bahrain spans some 760 square kilometres
(290 sq mi),[13] and is the third-smallest nation in Asia
after the Maldives and Singapore.[14] The capital and
largest city is Manama.
According to archeologist Geoffrey Bibby, Bahrain is the
site of the ancient Dilmun civilization.[15] It has been
famed since antiquity for its pearl fisheries, which were
considered the best in the world into the 19th century.
[16]
Bahrain was one of the earliest areas to be influenced
by Islam, during the lifetime of Muhammad in 628 AD.
Following a period of Arab rule, Bahrain was ruled by
the Portuguese Empire from 1521 until 1602, when they
were expelled by Shah Abbas the Great of the Safavid
Iran. In 1783, the Bani Utbah and allied tribes captured
Bahrain from Nasr Al-Madhkur and it has since been
ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family, with Ahmed al
Fateh as Bahrain's first hakim.
In the late 1800s, following successive treaties with
the British, Bahrain became a protectorate of the United
Kingdom.[17] In 1971, it declared independence. Formerly
an emirate, Bahrain was declared a semi-constitutional
monarchy in 2002, and Article 2 of the newly
adopted constitution made Sharia a principal source for
legislation.
Bahrain developed the first post-oil economy in
the Persian Gulf,[18] the result of decades of investing in
the banking and tourism sectors;[19] many of the world's
largest financial institutions have a presence in the
country's capital. It is recognized by the World Bank as
a high-income economy. Bahrain is a member of
the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Arab
League, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and
the Gulf Cooperation Council.[20] Bahrain is a Dialogue
partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.[21][22]
Etymology
[edit]

Bahrain is the dual form of Arabic word Bahr (meaning

literally "sea"), so al-Bahrayn originally means literally
"the two seas". However, the name has been lexicalised
as a feminine proper noun and does not follow the
grammatical rules for duals; thus its form is
always Bahrayn and never Bahrān, the expected
nominative form. Endings are added to the word with no
changes, as in the name of the national
anthem Bahraynunā ("our Bahrain") or
the demonym Bahraynī. The medieval grammarian al-
Jawahari commented on this, saying that the more
formally correct term Bahrī (lit. "belonging to the sea")
would have been misunderstood and so was unused.[23]
It remains disputed which "two seas" the
name Bahrayn originally refers to.[24] The term appears
five times in the Quran, but does not refer to the modern
island—originally known to the Arabs as Awal.[24]
Today, Bahrain's "two seas" are generally taken to be
the bay east and west of the island,[25] the seas north and
south of the island,[26] or the salt and fresh water present
above and below the ground. In addition to wells, there
are areas of the sea north of Bahrain where fresh water
bubbles up in the middle of the saltwater as noted by
visitors since antiquity.[27] An alternative theory
concerning Bahrain's toponymy is offered by the al-Ahsa
region, which suggests that the two seas were the Great
Green Ocean (the Persian Gulf) and a peaceful lake on
the Arabian mainland.
Until the late Middle Ages, "Bahrain" referred to
the region of Eastern Arabia that included
Southern Iraq, Kuwait, Al-Hasa, Qatif, and Bahrain. The
region stretched from Basra in Iraq to the Strait of
Hormuz in Oman. This was Iqlīm al-Bahrayn's "Bahrayn
Province." The exact date at which the term "Bahrain"
began to refer solely to the Awal archipelago is unknown.
[28]
The entire coastal strip of Eastern Arabia was known
as "Bahrain" for a millennium.[29] The island and kingdom
were also commonly spelled Bahrein[16][30] into the 1950s.
History
[edit]
Main article: History of Bahrain
Antiquity
[edit]

Bahrain was home to Dilmun, an important Bronze

Age trade centre linking Mesopotamia and the Indus
Valley.[31] Bahrain was later ruled by
the Assyrians and Babylonians.[32]
From the sixth to third century BC, Bahrain was part of
the Achaemenid Empire. By about 250
BC, Parthia brought the Persian Gulf under its control
and extended its influence as far as Oman. The
Parthians established garrisons along the southern coast
of the Persian Gulf to control trade routes.[33]
During the classical era, Bahrain was referred to by
the ancient Greeks as Tylos, the centre of pearl trading,
when the Greek admiral Nearchus serving
under Alexander the Great landed on Bahrain.
[34]
Nearchus is believed to have been the first of
Alexander's commanders to visit the island, and he
found a verdant land that was part of a wide trading
network; he recorded: "That on the island of Tylos,
situated in the Persian Gulf, are large plantations of
cotton trees, from which are manufactured clothes
called sindones, of strongly differing degrees of value,
some being costly, others less expensive. The use of
these is not confined to India, but extends to
Arabia."[35] The Greek historian Theophrastus states that
much of Bahrain was covered by these cotton trees and
that Bahrain was famous for exporting walking canes
engraved with emblems that were customarily carried in
Babylon.[36] Alexander had planned to settle Greek
colonists in Bahrain, and although it is not clear that this
happened on the scale he envisaged, Bahrain became
very much part of the Hellenised world: the language of
the upper classes was Greek (although Aramaic was in
everyday use). Local coinage shows a seated Zeus, who
may have been worshipped there as a syncretised form
of the Arabian sun-god Shams.[37] Tylos was also the site
of Greek athletic contests.[38]
The Greek historian Strabo believed
the Phoenicians originated from Bahrain.
[39]
Herodotus also believed that the homeland of the
Phoenicians was Bahrain.[40][41] This theory was accepted
by the 19th-century German classicist Arnold
Heeren who said that: "In the Greek geographers, for
instance, we read of two islands, named Tyrus or Tylos,
and Aradus, which boasted that they were the mother
country of the Phoenicians, and exhibited relics of
Phoenician temples."[42] The people of Tyre, in particular,
have long maintained Persian Gulf origins, and the
similarity in the words "Tylos" and "Tyre" has been
commented upon.[43] However, there is little evidence of
any human settlement at all on Bahrain during the time
when such migration had supposedly taken place.[44]
 A 1745 Bellin map of the historical

region of Bahrain Map showing the

locations of the ancient burial mounds. There are an
estimated 350,000 burial mounds.
The name Tylos is thought to be a Hellenisation of the
Semitic Tilmun (from Dilmun).[45] The term Tylos was
commonly used for the islands
until Ptolemy's Geographia when the inhabitants are
referred to as Thilouanoi.[46] Some place names in
Bahrain go back to the Tylos era; for instance the name
of Arad, a residential suburb of Muharraq, is believed to
originate from "Arados", the ancient Greek name for
Muharraq.[34]
In the 3rd century, Ardashir I, the first ruler of
the Sassanid dynasty, marched on Oman and Bahrain,
where he defeated Sanatruq the ruler of Bahrain.[47]
Bahrain was also the site of worship of an ox deity
called Awal (Arabic: ‫ )اوال‬Worshipers built a large statue
to Awal in Muharraq, although it has now been lost. For
many centuries after Tylos, Bahrain was known as Awal.
By the 5th century, Bahrain became a centre
for Nestorian Christianity, with the village Samahij[48] as
the seat of bishops. In 410, according to the Oriental
Syriac Church synodal records, a bishop named Batai
was excommunicated from the church in Bahrain.[49] As a
sect, the Nestorians were often persecuted as heretics
by the Byzantine Empire, but Bahrain was outside the
Empire's control, offering some safety. The names of
several Muharraq villages today reflect Bahrain's
Christian legacy, with Al Dair meaning "the monastery".
Bahrain's pre-Islamic population consisted of Christian
Arabs (mostly Abd al-Qays), Persians
(Zoroastrians), Jews,[50] and Aramaic-speaking
agriculturalists.[51][52][53] According to Robert Bertram
Serjeant, the Baharna may be
the Arabised "descendants of converts from the original
population of Christians (Aramaeans), Jews and
Persians inhabiting the island and cultivated coastal
provinces of Eastern Arabia at the time of the Muslim
conquest".[51][54] The sedentary people of pre-Islamic
Bahrain were Aramaic speakers and to some degree
Persian speakers, while Syriac functioned as a liturgical
language.[52]
Arrival of Islam
[edit]
Main article: List of expeditions of Muhammad
 Facsimile of a letter sent
by Muhammad to Munzir ibn-Sawa al-Tamimi, governor
of Bahrain, in AD 628
Muhammad's first interaction with the people of Bahrain
was the Al Kudr Invasion. Muhammad ordered a surprise
attack on the Banu Salim tribe for plotting to attack
Medina. He had received news that some tribes were
assembling an army in Bahrain and preparing to attack
the mainland, but the tribesmen retreated when they
learned Muhammad was leading an army to do battle
with them.[55][56]

The Persian Empire in the Sassanid

era on the eve of the Arab conquest, c. 600 AD.
Traditional Islamic accounts state that Al-Ala'a Al-
Hadrami was sent as an envoy during the Expedition of
Zayd ibn Harithah (Hisma)[57][58] to the Bahrain
region by Muhammad in AD 628 and that Munzir ibn
Sawa Al Tamimi, the local ruler, responded to his
mission and converted the entire area.[59][60]
Middle Ages
[edit]
In the year 899, the Qarmatians,
a millenarian Ismaili Muslim sect, seized Bahrain,
seeking to create a utopian society based on reason and
redistribution of property among initiates. Thereafter, the
Qarmatians demanded tribute from the caliph
in Baghdad, and in 930 sacked Mecca, bringing the
sacred Black Stone back to their base in Ahsa, in
medieval Bahrain, for ransom. According to historian Al-
Juwayni, the stone was returned 22 years later in 951
under mysterious circumstances. Wrapped in a sack, it
was thrown into the Great Mosque of Kufa in Iraq,
accompanied by a note saying "By command we took it,
and by command, we have brought it back." The theft
and removal of the Black Stone caused it to break into
seven pieces.[61][62][63]
Following their defeat in the year 976 by the Abbasids,
[64]
the Qarmatians were overthrown by the Arab Uyunid
dynasty of al-Hasa, who took over the entire Bahrain
region in 1076.[65] The Uyunids controlled Bahrain until
1235, when the archipelago was briefly occupied by the
Persian ruler of Fars. In 1253,
the Bedouin Usfurids brought down the Uyunid dynasty,
thereby gaining control over eastern Arabia, including
the islands of Bahrain. In 1330, the archipelago became
a tributary state of the rulers of Hormuz,[28] though locally
the islands were controlled by the
Shi'ite Jarwanid dynasty of Qatif.[66] In the mid-15th
century, the archipelago came under the rule of
the Jabrids, a Bedouin dynasty also based in Al-
Ahsa that ruled most of eastern Arabia.[67]
Portuguese and early modern era
[edit]
Main articles: Bani Utbah invasion of Bahrain, History of
Bahrain (1783–1971), and Qatari–Bahraini War

The Portuguese Fort of Barém, built

by the Portuguese Empire while it ruled Bahrain from
1521 to 1602.
In 1521, the Portuguese Empire allied with Hormuz and
seized Bahrain from the Jabrid ruler Muqrin ibn Zamil,
who was killed during the takeover. Portuguese rule
lasted for around 80 years, during which time they
depended mainly on Sunni Persian governors.[28] The
Portuguese were expelled from the islands in 1602
by Abbas I of the Safavid Iran,[68] which gave impetus
to Shia Islam.[69] For the next two centuries, Persian
rulers retained control of the archipelago, interrupted by
the 1717 and 1738 invasions of the Ibadis of Oman.
[70]
During most of this period, they resorted to governing
Bahrain indirectly, either through the city of Bushehr or
through immigrant Sunni Arab clans. The latter were
tribes returning to the Arabian side of the Persian Gulf
from Persian territories in the north who were known
as Huwala.[28][71][72] In 1753, the Huwala clan of Nasr Al-
Madhkur invaded Bahrain on behalf of the
Iranian Zand leader Karim Khan Zand and restored
direct Iranian rule.[72]
In 1783, Al-Madhkur lost the islands of Bahrain following
his defeat by the Bani Utbah clan and allied tribes at the
1782 Battle of Zubarah. Bahrain was not new territory to
the Bani Utbah; they had been a presence there since
the 17th century.[73] During that time, they started
purchasing date palm gardens in Bahrain; a document
shows that 81 years before the arrival of the Al Khalifa,
one of the sheikhs of the Al Bin Ali tribe (an offshoot of
the Bani Utbah) had bought a palm garden from Mariam
bint Ahmed Al Sanadi in Sitra island.[74]

Purple – Portuguese in the Persian

Gulf in the 16th and 17th centuries (modern boundaries
shown). Main cities, ports and routes.
The Al Bin Ali were the dominant group controlling the
town of Zubarah on the Qatar peninsula,[75][76] originally
the centre of power of the Bani Utbah. After the Bani
Utbah gained control of Bahrain, the Al Bin Ali had a
practically independent status there as a self-governing
tribe. They used a flag with four red and three white
stripes, called the Al-Sulami flag[77] in Bahrain,
Qatar, Kuwait, and the Eastern province of the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia. Later, different Arab family clans and
tribes from Qatar moved to Bahrain to settle after the fall
of Nasr Al-Madhkur of Bushehr. These families included
the House of Khalifa, Al-Ma'awdah, Al-Buainain, Al-
Fadhil, Al-Kuwari, Al-Mannai, Al-Noaimi, Al-Rumaihi, Al-
Sulaiti, Al-Sadah, Al-Thawadi and other families and
tribes.[78]
The House of Khalifa moved from Qatar to Bahrain in
1799. Originally, their ancestors were expelled
from Umm Qasr in central Arabia by the Ottomans due to
their predatory habits of preying on caravans
in Basra and trading ships in Shatt al-Arab waterway
until Turks expelled them to Kuwait in 1716, where they
remained until 1766.[79]
Around the 1760s, the Al Jalahma and House of Khalifa,
both belonging to the Utub Federation, migrated
to Zubarah in modern-day Qatar, leaving Al Sabah as
the sole proprietors of Kuwait.[80]
19th century and later
[edit]

In the early 19th century, Bahrain was invaded by both

the Omanis and the Al Sauds. In 1802 it was governed
by a 12-year-old child, when the Omani ruler Sayyid
Sultan installed his son, Salim, as governor in the Arad
Fort.[81] In 1816, the British political resident in the Persian
Gulf, William Bruce, received a letter from the Sheikh of
Bahrain who was concerned about a rumour that Britain
would support an attack on the island by the Imam of
Muscat. He sailed to Bahrain to reassure the Sheikh that
this was not the case and drew up an informal
agreement assuring the Sheikh that Britain would remain
a neutral party.[82]

This photograph shows the

coronation of Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as the Hakim of
Bahrain in February 1933.
In 1820, the Al Khalifa tribe were recognised by the
United Kingdom as the rulers ("Al-Hakim" in Arabic) of
Bahrain after signing a treaty relationship.[83] However,
ten years later they were forced to pay yearly tributes to
Egypt despite seeking Persian and British protection.[84]

Map of Bahrain in 1825.

In 1860, the Al Khalifas used the same tactic when the
British tried to overpower Bahrain. Writing letters to the
Persians and Ottomans, Al Khalifas agreed to place
Bahrain under the latter's protection in March due to
offering better conditions. Eventually, the Government of
British India overpowered Bahrain when the Persians
refused to protect it. Colonel Pelly signed a new treaty
with Al Khalifas placing Bahrain under British rule and
protection.[84]

Manama Harbour, c. 1870

Following the Qatari–Bahraini War in 1868, British
representatives signed another agreement with the Al
Khalifas. It specified that the ruler could not dispose of
any of his territories except to the United Kingdom and
could not enter into relationships with any foreign
government without British consent.[85][86] In return the
British promised to protect Bahrain from all aggression
by sea and to lend support in case of land attack.[86] More
importantly the British promised to support the rule of the
Al Khalifa in Bahrain, securing its unstable position as
rulers of the country. Other agreements in 1880 and
1892 sealed the protectorate status of Bahrain to the
British.[86]
Unrest amongst the people of Bahrain began when
Britain officially established complete dominance over
the territory in 1892. The first revolt and widespread
uprising took place in March 1895 against Sheikh Issa
bin Ali, then ruler of Bahrain.[87] Sheikh Issa was the first
of the Al Khalifa to rule without Persian relations. Sir
Arnold Wilson, Britain's representative in the Persian
Gulf and author of The Persian Gulf, arrived in Bahrain
from Muscat at this time.[87] The uprising developed
further with some protesters killed by British forces.[87]
Before the development of the petroleum industry, the
island was largely devoted to pearl fisheries and, as late
as the 19th century, was considered to be the finest in
the world.[16] In 1903, German explorer Hermann
Burchardt visited Bahrain and took many photographs of
historical sites, including the old Qaṣr es-Sheikh, photos
now stored at the Ethnological Museum of Berlin.
[88]
Before the First World War, there were about 400
vessels hunting pearls and an annual export of more
than £30,000.[30]
In 1911, a group of Bahraini merchants demanded
restrictions on the British influence in the country. The
group's leaders were subsequently arrested and exiled
to India. In 1923, the British introduced administrative
reforms and replaced Sheikh Issa bin Ali with his son.
Some clerical opponents and families, such as Al Dosari,
left or were exiled to Saudi Arabia.[89] Three years later
the British placed the country under the de facto rule
of Charles Belgrave who operated as an adviser to the
ruler until 1957.[90][91] Belgrave brought a number of
reforms such as establishment of the country's first
modern school in 1919 and the abolition of slavery in
1937.[92] At the same time, the pearl diving industry
developed at a rapid pace.
In 1927, Rezā Shāh, then Shah of Iran, demanded
sovereignty over Bahrain in a letter to the League of
Nations, a move that prompted Belgrave to undertake
harsh measures including encouraging conflicts
between Shia and Sunni Muslims to bring down the
uprisings and limit the Iranian influence.[93] Belgrave even
went further by suggesting to rename the Persian Gulf to
the "Arabian Gulf"; however, the proposal was refused
by the British government.[90] Britain's interest in Bahrain's
development was motivated by concerns over Saudi and
Iranian ambitions in the region.

A photograph of the First Oil Well in

Bahrain, with oil first being extracted in 1931
The Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), a subsidiary
of the Standard Oil Company of California (Socal),
[94]
discovered oil in 1932.[95]
In the early 1930s, Bahrain Airport was
developed. Imperial Airways flew there, including
the Handley Page HP42 aircraft. Later in the same
decade, the Bahrain Maritime Airport was established,
for flying boats and seaplanes.[96]
Bahrain participated in the Second World War on
the Allied side, joining on 10 September 1939. On 19
October 1940, four Italian SM.82s bombers bombed
Bahrain alongside Dhahran oilfields in Saudi Arabia,
[97]
targeting Allied-operated oil refineries.[98] Although
minimal damage was caused in both locations, the attack
forced the Allies to upgrade Bahrain's defences, an
action which further stretched Allied military resources.[98]

Overview of Manama, 1953.

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.
[99]
In 1948, following rising hostilities and looting,[100] most
members of Bahrain's Jewish community abandoned
their properties and evacuated to Bombay, later settling
in Israel (Pardes Hanna-Karkur) and the United
Kingdom. As of 2008, 37 Jews remained in the country.
[100]
In the 1950s, the National Union Committee, formed
by reformists following sectarian clashes, demanded an
elected popular assembly, removal of Belgrave and
carried out a number of protests and general strikes. In
1965 a month-long uprising broke out after hundreds of
workers at the Bahrain Petroleum Company were laid
off.[101]
Independence
[edit]
See also: Bahrain Province

Manama souq in 1965

On 15 August 1971,[102][103] though the Shah of Iran was
claiming historical sovereignty over Bahrain, he
accepted a referendum held by the United Nations and
eventually Bahrain declared independence and signed a
new treaty of friendship with the United Kingdom.
Bahrain joined the United Nations and the Arab
League later in the year.[104] The oil boom of the 1970s
benefited Bahrain greatly, although the subsequent
downturn hurt the economy. The country had already
begun diversification of its economy and benefited
further from the Lebanese Civil War in the 1970s and
1980s, when Bahrain replaced Beirut as the Middle
East's financial hub after Lebanon's large banking sector
was driven out of the country by the war.[105]
In 1981, following the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, the
Bahraini Shia population orchestrated a failed
coup attempt under the auspices of a front organisation,
the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain. The coup
would have installed a Shia cleric exiled in Iran, Hujjatu l-
Islām Hādī al-Mudarrisī, as supreme leader heading
a theocratic government.[106] In December 1994, a group
of youths threw stones at female runners for running
bare-legged during an international marathon. The
resulting clash with police soon grew into civil unrest.[107]
[108]

A popular uprising occurred between 1994 and 2000 in

which leftists, liberals and Islamists joined forces.[109] The
event resulted in approximately forty deaths and ended
after Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa became the Emir of
Bahrain in 1999.[110] He instituted elections for parliament,
gave women the right to vote, and released all political
prisoners.[111] A referendum on 14–15 February 2001
massively supported the National Action Charter.[112] As
part of the adoption of the National Action Charter on 14
February 2002, Bahrain changed its formal name from
the State (dawla) of Bahrain to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
[113]
At the same time, the title of the Head of State,
Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, was changed from Emir to
King.[114]
After the September 11 attacks, the country participated
in military action against the Taliban in October 2001 by
deploying a frigate in the Arabian Sea for rescue and
humanitarian operations.[115] As a result, in November of
that year, US president George W. Bush's administration
designated Bahrain as a "major non-NATO ally".
[115]
Bahrain opposed the invasion of Iraq and had
offered Saddam Hussein asylum in the days before the
invasion.[115] Relations improved with
neighbouring Qatar after the border dispute over
the Hawar Islands was resolved by the International
Court of Justice in The Hague in 2001.[116] Following the
political liberalisation of the country, Bahrain negotiated
a free trade agreement with the United States in 2004.[117]
In 2005, Qal'at al-Bahrain, a fort and archaeological
complex was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site.
2011 Bahraini protests
[edit]
Main articles: 2011 Bahraini uprising, Saudi-led
intervention in Bahrain, and Arab Spring
Inspired by the regional Arab Spring, Bahrain's Shia
majority started large protests against its Sunni rulers in
early 2011.[118][119] The government initially
allowed protests following a pre-dawn raid on protesters
camped in Pearl Roundabout.[120] A month later it
requested security assistance from Saudi Arabia and
other Gulf Cooperation Council countries and declared a
three-month state of emergency.[121] The government then
launched a crackdown on the opposition that included
conducting thousands of arrests and systematic torture.
[122][123][124]
Almost daily clashes between protesters and
security forces led to dozens of deaths.[125] Protests,
sometimes staged by opposition parties, were ongoing.
[126][127][128]
More than 80 civilians and 13 policemen have
been killed as of March 2014.[129] According to Physicians
for Human Rights, 34 of these deaths were related to
government usage of tear gas originally manufactured by
U.S.-based Federal Laboratories.[130][131] The lack of
coverage by Arab media in the Persian Gulf,[132] as
compared to other Arab Spring uprisings, has sparked
several controversies. Iran is alleged by United States
and others to have a hand in the arming of Bahraini
militants.[133]
Post-Arab Spring years
[edit]

The Saudi-led Intervention of Bahrain issued swift

suppression of widespread government protests through
military assistance from Saudi Arabia and the United
Arab Emirates.
The 2011 Bahraini uprising, inspired by the Arab Spring,
ended in a bloody crackdown against the mainly Shiite
demonstrators who had demanded an elected
government, threatening the Sunni monarchy's grip on
power.
In 2012, the Bahrain Pearling Trail, consisting of three
oyster beds, was designated as a World Heritage Site,
inscribing it as "Pearling, Testimony of an Island
Economy".
On 9 April 2020, Bahrain launched a committee to
paying private-sector employees for a three-month
period in order to ease the financial pain caused by
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bahrain assailed the movement as an Iranian plot, and
banned opposition parties, put civilians in front of military
courts and jailed dozens of peaceful political opponents,
eliciting harsh international criticism.[134]
"Ten years after Bahrain's popular uprising, systemic
injustice has intensified and political repression targeting
dissidents, human rights defenders, clerics and
independent civil society have effectively shut any space
for the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of
expression or peaceful activism", Amnesty
International said in a statement.[135]
Bahrain remains militarily and financially dependent on
Saudi Arabia and the UAE,[134] though this is changing
with the economic reforms being implemented by the
government.[136]
Geography
[edit]
Main article: Geography of Bahrain
 Topography
Bahrain is a generally flat and arid archipelago in the
Persian Gulf. It consists of a low desert plain rising gently
to a low central escarpment with the highest point the
134 m (440 ft) Mountain of Smoke (Jabal ad Dukhan).[137]
[138]
Bahrain had a total area of 665 km2 (257 sq mi) but
due to land reclamation, the area increased to
780 km2 (300 sq mi), which is slightly larger
than Anglesey.[138]
Often described as an archipelago of 33 islands,
[139]
extensive land reclamation projects have changed
this; by August 2008 the number of islands and island
groups had increased to 84.[140] Bahrain does not share a
land boundary with another country but does have a
161 km (100 mi) coastline. The country also claims a
further 22 km (12 nmi) of territorial sea and a 44 km
(24 nmi) contiguous zone. Bahrain's largest islands
are Bahrain Island, the Hawar Islands, Muharraq
Island, Umm an Nasan, and Sitra. Bahrain has mild
winters and very hot, humid summers. The country's
natural resources include large quantities of oil and
natural gas as well as fish in the offshore waters. Arable
land constitutes only 2.82%[6] of the total area.
About 92% of Bahrain is desert with periodic droughts
and dust storms, the main natural hazards for Bahrainis.
[141]
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-utilisation of the Dammam
Aquifer, the principal aquifer in Bahrain, has led to
its salinisation by adjacent brackish and saline water
bodies. A hydrochemical study identified the locations of
the sources of aquifer salinisation and delineated their
areas of influence. The investigation indicates that the
aquifer water quality is significantly modified as
groundwater flows from the northwestern parts of
Bahrain, where the aquifer receives its water by lateral
underflow from eastern Saudi Arabia to the southern and
southeastern parts. Four types of salinisation of the
aquifer are identified: brackish-water up-flow from the
underlying brackish-water zones in north-central,
western, and eastern regions; seawater intrusion in the
eastern region; intrusion of sabkha water in the
southwestern region; and irrigation return flow in a local
area in the western region. Four alternatives for the
management of groundwater quality that are available to
the water authorities in Bahrain are discussed and their
priority areas are proposed, based on the type and
extent of each salinisation source, in addition to
groundwater use in that area.[142]
Climate
[edit]
Main article: Climate of Bahrain

Bahrain is the eleventh most water

stressed country in the world.
The Zagros Mountains across the Persian Gulf in Iran
cause low-level winds to be directed toward Bahrain.
Dust storms from Iraq and Saudi Arabia transported by
northwesterly winds, locally called shamal wind, cause
reduced visibility in the months of June and July.[143]
Summers are very hot. The seas around Bahrain are
very shallow, heating up quickly in the summer to
produce very high humidity, especially at night. Summer
temperatures may reach up to 40 °C (104 °F) under the
right conditions.[144] Rainfall in Bahrain is minimal and
irregular. Precipitation mostly occurs in winter, with an
average of 70.8 millimetres or 2.8 inches of rainfall
recorded annually. The country experienced widespread
flooding in April 2024 after heavy rainfall affected the
Gulf region.
Biodiversity
[edit]
Main articles: Wildlife of Bahrain and List of birds of
Bahrain

Greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus

roseus) are native to Bahrain.
More than 330 species of birds were recorded in the
Bahrain archipelago, 26 species of which breed in the
country. Millions of migratory birds pass through the
Persian Gulf region in the winter and autumn months.
[145]
One globally endangered species, Chlamydotis
undulata, is a regular migrant in the autumn.[145] The
many islands and shallow seas of Bahrain are globally
important for the breeding of the Socotra cormorant; up
to 100,000 pairs of these birds were recorded over the
Hawar Islands.[145] Bahrain's national bird is
the bulbul while its national animal is the Arabian oryx.
And the national flower of Bahrain is the beloved Deena.
Only 18 species of mammals are found in Bahrain,
animals such as gazelles, desert rabbits
and hedgehogs are common in the wild but the Arabian
oryx was hunted to extinction on the island.[145] Twenty-
five species of amphibians and reptiles were recorded as
well as 21 species of butterflies and 307 species of flora.
[145]
The marine biotopes are diverse and include
extensive sea grass beds and mudflats, patchy coral
reefs as well as offshore islands. Sea grass beds are
important foraging grounds for some threatened species
such as dugongs and the green turtle.[146] In 2003,
Bahrain banned the capture of sea cows, marine
turtles and dolphins within its territorial waters.[145]
The Hawar Islands Protected Area provides valuable
feeding and breeding grounds for a variety of migratory
seabirds, it is an internationally recognised site for bird
migration. The breeding colony of Socotra cormorant on
Hawar Islands is the largest in the world, and the
dugongs foraging around the archipelago form the
second-largest dugong aggregation after Australia.[146]
Bahrain has five designated protected areas, four of
which are marine environments.[145] They are:
 Hawar Islands
 Mashtan Island, off the coast of Bahrain.
 Arad bay, in Muharraq.
 Tubli Bay
 Al Areen Wildlife Park, which is a zoo and a breeding
centre for endangered animals, is the only protected
 area on land and also the only protected area which is
managed on a day-to-day basis.[145]
Bahrain emits a lot of carbon dioxide per
person compared to other countries, primarily due to it
just being a small country.[147]
Government and politics
[edit]
Main article: Politics of Bahrain

Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the

King of Bahrain
Bahrain under the Al Khalifa is a semi-constitutional
monarchy headed by the king, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al
Khalifa. King Hamad enjoys wide executive powers
which include appointing the prime minister and
his ministers, commanding the army, chairing the Higher
Judicial Council, appointing the parliament's upper
house and dissolving its elected lower house.[148] The
head of government is the prime minister. In 2010, about
half of the cabinet was composed of the Al Khalifa family.
[149]
Bahrain has a bicameral National Assembly (al-Majlis al-
Watani) consisting of the Shura Council (Majlis Al-Shura)
with 40 seats and the Council of Representatives (Majlis
Al-Nuwab) with 40 seats. The forty members of the
Shura are appointed by the king. In the Council of
Representatives, 40 members are elected by absolute
majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve
four-year terms.[150] The appointed council "exercises a de
facto veto" over the elected, because draft acts must be
approved so they may pass into law. After approval, the
king may ratify and issue the act or return it within six
months to the National Assembly where it may only pass
into law if approved by two-thirds of both councils.[148]
In 1973, the country held its first parliamentary elections;
however, two years later, the late emir dissolved the
parliament and suspended the constitution after
parliament rejected the State Security Law.[101] The period
between 2002 and 2010 saw three parliamentary
elections. The first, held in 2002 was boycotted by the
opposition, Al Wefaq, which won a majority in
the second in 2006 and third in 2010.[151] A 2011 by-
election was held to replace 18 members of Al Wefaq
who resigned in protest against government crackdown.
[152][153]
According to the V-Dem Democracy
indices Bahrain is 2023 the 4th least electoral
democratic country in the Middle East.[154]
The opening up of politics saw big gains for
both Shīa and Sunnī Islamists in elections, which gave
them a parliamentary platform to pursue their policies.
 It gave a new prominence to clerics within the political
[155]

system, with the most senior Shia religious leader,

Sheikh Isa Qassim, playing a vital role.[156] This was
especially evident when in 2005 the government called
off the Shia branch of the "Family law" after over 100,000
Shia took to the streets. Islamists opposed the law
because "neither elected MPs nor the government has
the authority to change the law because these
institutions could misinterpret the word of God". The law
was supported by women activists who said they were
"suffering in silence". They managed to organise a rally
attended by 500 participants.[157][158][159] Ghada Jamsheer, a
leading woman activist[160] said the government was using
the law as a "bargaining tool with opposition Islamic
groups".[161]
Analysts of democratisation in the Middle East cite the
Islamists' references to respect human rights in their
justification for these programmes as evidence that these
groups can serve as a progressive force in the region.
[162]
Some Islamist parties have been particularly critical of
the government's readiness to sign international treaties
such as the United Nations' International Convention on
Civil and Political Rights. At a parliamentary session in
June 2006 to discuss ratification of the convention,
Sheikh Adel Mouwda, the former leader of
a 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".[163]
Military
[edit]
Main article: Bahrain Defence Force
See also: Peninsula Shield Force and Naval Support
Activity Bahrain

RBNS Sabha of the Royal Bahraini Navy

An F-16 of the Royal Bahraini Air Force

The kingdom has a small but professional and well-
equipped military called the Bahrain Defence Force
(BDF), numbering around 8,200 personnel, including
6,000 in the Royal Bahraini Army, 700 in the Royal
Bahraini Naval Force, and 1,500 in the Royal Bahraini
Air Force. The BDF command structure also includes
the Bahrain Royal Guard, which is the size of one
battalion and has its own armored vehicles and artillery.
The Bahrain National Guard is separate from the BDF,
though it is tasked with assisting it in defense from
external threats, and it has about 2,000 personnel.[164]
[165]
The supreme commander of the Bahraini military is
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the deputy supreme
commander is the Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad bin
Isa Al Khalifa.[166][167] The Commander-in-Chief of the BDF
has been Field Marshal Khalid bin Ahmed Al
Khalifa since 2008.[168]
The BDF is primarily equipped with United States-made-
equipment, such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-5
Freedom Fighter, UH-60 Blackhawk, M60A3 tanks, and
the ex-USS Jack Williams, an Oliver Hazard Perry class
frigate renamed the RBNS Sabha.[165][169][170] On 7 August
2020, it was announced in a ceremony held at
the HMNB Portsmouth Naval Base in the UK, that HMS
Clyde had been transferred to the Royal Bahrain Naval
Force, with the ship renamed as RBNS Al-Zubara.[171]
[172]
On 18 January 2024 the Bahraini Navy received a
second Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, the
former USS Robert G. Bradley, which was renamed
RBNS Khalid bin Ali.[173][174] Bahrain was the first country in
the Gulf to operate the F-16. Sometime in 2024 the
Royal Bahraini Air Force expects to receive 16 aircraft of
the modernized F-16 Block 70 variant,[175] in addition to its
current 20 F-16C/D and 12 F-5E/F fighters. The Royal
Bahraini Army has 180 M60A3 main battle tanks, with
100 in active service and 80 in storage.[165]
The Government of Bahrain has close relations with the
United States, having signed a cooperative agreement
with the United States Military and has provided the
United States a base in Juffair since the early 1990s,
although a US naval presence existed since 1948.
[176]
This is the home of the headquarters for
Commander, United States Naval Forces Central
Command (COMUSNAVCENT) / United States Fifth
Fleet (COMFIFTHFLT),[177] and around 6,000 United
States military personnel.[178]
Bahrain participates in the Saudi Arabian-led intervention
in Yemen against the Shia Houthis and forces loyal to
former President Ali Abdullah Saleh,[179] who was
deposed in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.[180]
The permanent British Royal Navy base at Mina
Salman, HMS Jufair, was officially opened in April 2018.
[181]

Foreign relations
[edit]
Main article: Foreign relations of Bahrain

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa meets

former U.S. President Donald Trump, May 2017
Bahrain has established bilateral relations with 190
countries worldwide.[182] As of 2012, Bahrain maintains a
network of 25 embassies, three consulates and four
permanent missions to the Arab League, United Nations
and European Union respectively.[183] Bahrain also hosts
36 embassies. The United States designated Bahrain
a major non-NATO ally in 2001.[184] 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 by supporting the two state
solution.[185] Bahrain is also one of the founding members
of the Gulf Cooperation Council.[186] Relations with Iran
tend to be tense as a result of a failed coup in 1981
which Bahrain blames Iran for and occasional claims of
Iranian sovereignty over Bahrain by ultra-
conservative elements in the Iranian public.[187][188] In 2016,
following the storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran,
both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain cut diplomatic relations
with Iran. Bahrain and Israel established bilateral
relations in 2020 under the Bahrain–Israel normalization
agreement.[189]
Bahrain is the 81st most peaceful country in the world,
according to the 2024 Global Peace Index.[190]
Human rights
[edit]
Main article: Human rights in Bahrain
 Bahraini protests against the ruling Al
Khalifa family in 2011
The period between 1975 and 1999 known as the “State
Security Law Era”, saw wide range of human rights
violations including arbitrary arrests, detention without
trial, torture and forced exile.[191][192] After Emir (now King)
Hamad Al Khalifa succeeded his father Isa Al Khalifa in
1999, he introduced wide reforms and human rights
improved significantly.[193] These moves were described
by Amnesty International as representing a "historic
period of human rights".[111]
Consensual male and female homosexual relations
between adults over the age of 21 are legal in Bahrain
and the only Muslim Gulf country where it is legal since
1976.[194]
 Protesters at the Pearl Roundabout just
before it was demolished.
Human rights conditions started to decline by 2007
when torture began to be employed again.[195] In
2011, Human Rights Watch described the country's
human rights situation as "dismal".[196] Due to this,
Bahrain lost some of the high International rankings it
had gained before.[197][198][199][200][201]
In 2011, Bahrain was criticised for its crackdown on
the Arab spring uprising. In September, a government-
appointed commission confirmed reports of grave human
rights violations, including systematic torture. The
government promised to introduce reforms and avoid
repeating the "painful events".[202] However, reports by
human rights organisations Amnesty International and
Human Rights Watch issued in April 2012 said the same
violations were still happening.[203][204]
Amnesty International's 2015 report on the country
points to the continued suppression of dissent, restricted
freedom of expression, unjust imprisonment, and
frequent torture and other ill-treatment of its citizens.
[205]
As of October 2014, Bahrain is ruled by an
"authoritarian regime" and is rated as "Not Free" by the
U.S.-based non-governmental Freedom House.
[206]
Freedom House continues to label Bahrain as "not
free" in its 2021 report.[207] On 7 July 2016, the European
Parliament adopted, with a large majority, a resolution
condemning human rights abuses performed by Bahraini
authorities, and strongly called for an end to the ongoing
repression against the country's human rights defenders,
political opposition and civil society.[208]

Several people held a sit-in in

solidarity with human rights activist Nabeel Rajab
In August 2017, United States Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson spoke against the discrimination of Shias in
Bahrain, saying, "Members of the Shia community there
continue to report ongoing discrimination in government
employment, education, and the justice system," and
that "Bahrain must stop discriminating against the Shia
communities." He also stated that "In Bahrain, the
government continue to question, detain and arrest Shia
clerics, community members and opposition
politicians."[209][210] However, in September 2017, the U.S.
State Department has approved arms sales packages
worth more than $3.8 billion to Bahrain including F-16
jets, upgrades, missiles and patrol boats.[211][212] In its latest
report the Amnesty International accused both, US and
the UK governments, of turning a blind eye to horrific
abuses of human rights by the ruling Bahraini regime.
[213]
On 31 January 2018, Amnesty International reported
that the Bahraini government expelled four of its citizens
after having revoked their nationality in 2012; turning
them into stateless people.[214] On 21 February 2018,
human rights activist Nabeel Rajab was sentenced to a
further five years in jail for tweets and documentation of
human rights violations.[215] On behalf of the ruling family,
Bahraini police have received training on how to deal
with public protests from the British government.[216][unreliable
source?][217]

Women's rights
[edit]
Main article: Women's rights in Bahrain
Women in Bahrain acquired voting rights and the right to
stand in national elections in the 2002 election.
[218]
However, no women were elected to office in that
year's polls.[219] 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.[220] Nada
Haffadh became the country's first female cabinet
minister on her appointment as Minister of Health in
2004. The quasi-governmental women's group,
the Supreme Council for Women, trained female
candidates to take part in the 2006 general election.
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 President of the United Nations General
Assembly, only the third woman in history to head the
world body.[221] Female activist Ghada Jamsheer said
"The government used women's rights as a decorative
tool on the international level." She referred to the
reforms as "artificial and marginal" and accused the
government of "hinder[ing] non-governmental women
societies".[161]
In 2006, Lateefa Al Gaood became the first female MP
after winning by default.[222] The number rose to four after
the 2011 by-elections.[223] In 2008, Houda Nonoo was
appointed ambassador to the United States making her
the first Jewish ambassador of any Arab country.[224] In
2011, Alice Samaan, a Christian woman, was appointed
ambassador to the United Kingdom.[225]
Media
[edit]

The predominant forms of media in Bahrain consists of

weekly and daily newspapers, television, and radio.
Newspapers are widely available in multiple languages
such as Arabic, English, Malayalam, etc. to support the
varied population. Akhbar Al Khaleej (‫ )أخبار الخليج‬and Al
Ayam (‫ )األيام‬are examples of major Arabic newspapers
published daily. Gulf Daily News and Daily
Tribune publish daily newspapers in English. Gulf
Madhyamam is a newspaper published in Malayalam.
The country's television network operates five networks,
all of which are by the Information Affairs Authority.
Radio, much like the television network, is mostly state-
run and usually in Arabic. Radio Bahrain is a long-
running English language radio station, and Your FM is a
radio station serving the large expatriate population from
the Indian subcontinent living in the country.
By June 2012, Bahrain had 961,000 internet users.
[226]
The platform "provides a welcome free space for
journalists, although one that is increasingly monitored",
according to Reporters Without Borders. Rigorous
filtering targets political, human rights, religious material
and content deemed obscene. Bloggers and
other netizens were among those detained during
protests in 2011.[227]
Bahraini journalists risk prosecution for offences that
include "undermining" the government and religion. Self-
censorship is widespread. Journalists were targeted by
officials during anti-government protests in 2011. Three
editors from the opposition daily Al-Wasat were sacked
and later fined for publishing "false" news. Several
foreign correspondents were expelled.[227] An independent
commission, set up to look into the unrest, found that
state media coverage was at times inflammatory. It said
opposition groups suffered from lack of access to
mainstream media and recommended that the
government "consider relaxing censorship".
Assessments by Reporters sans frontières have
consistently found Bahrain to be one of the most world's
most restrictive regimes.[228]
Governorates
[edit]
Main article: Governorates of Bahrain
Bahrain is divided into four governorates:[229]
Map Current Governorates

1 – Capital Governorate

2 – Muharraq Governorate

3 – Northern Governorate

4 – Southern Governorate

Economy
[edit]
Main article: Economy of Bahrain
This section needs to be updated. Please
help update this article to reflect recent
events or newly available
information. (November 2020)
 GDP per capita development
in Bahrain
According to a January 2006 report by the United
Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western
Asia, Bahrain has the fastest-growing economy in the
Arab world.[230] Bahrain also has the freest economy in
the Middle East and is twelfth-freest overall in the world
based on the 2011 Index of Economic Freedom,
published by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall
Street Journal.[231]
In 2008, Bahrain was named the world's fastest-growing
financial centre by the City of London's Global Financial
Centres Index.[232][233] Bahrain's banking and financial
services sector, particularly Islamic banking, have
benefited from the regional boom driven by demand for
oil.[234] Petroleum production and processing is Bahrain's
most exported product, accounting for 60% of export
receipts, 70% of government revenues, and 11%
of GDP.[6] Aluminium production is the second-most
exported product, followed by finance and construction
materials.[6]
 Manama skyline as viewed

from Juffair A view of the Grand Avenue

section of the Avenues The view from

outside one of the entrance gates at the Avenues
Economic conditions have fluctuated with the changing
price 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 a number of multinational firms and
construction proceeds on several major industrial
projects. A large share of exports consists of petroleum
products made from imported crude oil, which accounted
for 51% of the country's imports in 2007.[141] In October
2008, the Bahraini government introduced a long-term
economic vision for Bahrain known as 'Vision 2030'
which aims to transform Bahrain into a diversified and
sustainable economy.
In recent years, the government has undertaken several
economic reforms in order to improve its financial
dependency and also to boost its image as an island
tourist destination that is compact, has short travel times
and provides a much more authentic Arab experience
than the regional economic and tourism powerhouse of
Dubai.[235] The Avenues is one such example of the
recent developments. It is a waterfront facing shopping
mall that was opened in October 2019.[236] Bahrain
depends heavily on food imports to feed its growing
population; it relies heavily on meat imports from
Australia and also imports 75% of its total fruit
consumption needs.[237][238]
Since only 2.9% of the country's land
is arable, agriculture contributes to 0.5% of Bahrain's
GDP.[238] In 2004, Bahrain signed the Bahrain–US Free
Trade Agreement, which will reduce certain trade
barriers between the two nations.[239] In 2011, due to the
combination of the Great Recession and the 2011
Bahraini uprising, its GDP growth rate decreased to
1.3%, which was the lowest growth rate since 1994.
[240]
The country's public debt in 2020 is $44.5 billion, or
130% of GDP. It is expected to rise to 155 per cent of
GDP in 2026, according to IMF estimates. The military
expenditure is the main reason for this increase in debt.
[241]
Access to biocapacity in Bahrain is much lower than the
world average. In 2016, Bahrain had 0.52 global
hectares [242] of biocapacity per person within its territory,
much less than the world average of 1.6 global hectares
per person.[243]
In 2016, Bahrain used 8.6 global hectares of biocapacity
per person – their ecological footprint of consumption.
This means they use 16.5 times as much biocapacity as
Bahrain contains. As a result, Bahrain is running a
biocapacity deficit.[242]
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 at 4%,[244] with women overrepresented
at 85% of the total.[245] In 2007 Bahrain became the first
Arab country to institute unemployment benefits as part
of a series of labour reforms instigated under Minister of
Labour, Majeed Al Alawi.[246]
As of Q4 2022, total employment in Bahrain[247] stood at
746,145 workers. This included both Bahraini and Non-
Bahraini workers. These employment levels represented
a full recovery of employment since the downturn caused
by the COVID pandemic.[248]
Tourism
[edit]
Main article: Tourism in Bahrain
 The cities of Muharraq (foreground)

and Manama (background) Manama

seen from Muharraq
As a tourist destination, Bahrain received over eleven
million visitors in 2019.[249] Most of these are from the
surrounding Arab states, although an increasing number
hail from outside the region due to growing awareness of
the kingdom's heritage and partly due to its higher profile
as a result of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The kingdom combines modern Arab culture and the
archaeological legacy of five thousand years of
civilisation. The island is home to forts including Qalat Al
Bahrain which has been listed by UNESCO as a World
Heritage Site. The Bahrain National Museum has
artefacts from the country's history dating back to the
island's first human inhabitants some 9000 years ago
and the Beit Al Quran (Arabic: ‫بيت القرآن‬, meaning: the
House of Qur'an) is a museum that holds Islamic
artefacts of the Qur'an. Some of the popular historical
tourist attractions in the kingdom are the Al Khamis
Mosque, which is one of the oldest mosques in the
region, the Arad fort in Muharraq, Barbar temple, which
is an ancient temple from the Dilmunite period of
Bahrain, as well as the A'ali Burial Mounds and
the Saar temple.[250] The Tree of Life, a 400-year-old tree
that grows in the Sakhir desert with no nearby water, is
also a popular tourist attraction.[251]

The Tree of Life, a 9.75 meter

high Prosopis cineraria tree that is over 400 years old
Bird watching (primarily in the Hawar Islands), scuba
diving, and horse riding are popular tourist activities in
Bahrain. Many tourists from nearby Saudi Arabia and
across the region visit Manama primarily for
the shopping malls in the capital Manama, such as
the Bahrain City Centre and Seef Mall in the Seef district
of Manama. The Manama Souq and Gold Souq in the
old district of Manama are also popular with tourists.[252]
In January 2019 the state-run Bahrain News Agency
announced the summer 2019 opening of an underwater
theme park covering about 100,000 square meters with a
sunken Boeing 747 as the site's centrepiece. The project
is a partnership between the Supreme Council for
Environment, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority
(BTEA), and private investors. Bahrain hopes scuba
divers from around the world will visit the underwater
park, which will also include artificial coral reefs, a copy
of a Bahraini pearl merchant's house, and sculptures.
[253]
The park is intended to become the world's largest
eco-friendly underwater theme park.[254]
Since 2005, Bahrain hosts an annual festival in March,
titled Spring of Culture, which features internationally
renowned musicians and artists performing in concerts.
[255]
Manama was named the Arab Capital of Culture for
2012 and Capital of Arab Tourism for 2013 by the Arab
League and Asian Tourism for 2014 with the Gulf Capital
of Tourism for 2016 by The Gulf Cooperation Council.
The 2012 festival featured concerts starring Andrea
Bocelli, Julio Iglesias and other musicians.[256]
Value Added Tax (VAT)
[edit]

The Kingdom of Bahrain introduced the Value Added

Tax with effect from 1 January 2019.[257] This is a
multipoint tax on the sale of goods and services in
Kingdom of Bahrain. This has been managed by the
government through the national bureau of revenue. The
ultimate burden of this tax is passed on the consumer.
To start with the maximum rate of VAT was 5% which is
increased to 10% with effect from 1 January 2022.[258] The
government of Bahrain is assuring compliance through
high penalties on defaults and tighter audits. This first of
its kind VAT has invited qualified chartered accounting
firms mainly from India to advise on VAT matters. Firms
like KPMG, KeyPoint, Assure Consulting and APMH
have set up offices looking at the need for consulting in
this domain of VAT.
Infrastructure
[edit]
Main article: Transport in Bahrain

The new terminal of the Bahrain

International Airport
Bahrain has one main international airport, the Bahrain
International Airport (BAH) which is located on the island
of Muharraq, in the north-east. The airport handled
almost 100,000 flights and more than 9.5 million
passengers in 2019.[259] On January 28, 2021, Bahrain
opened its new airport terminal as part of its economic
vision 2030.[260] The new airport terminal is capable of
handling 14 million passengers and is a big boost to the
country's aviation sector.[260] Bahrain's national
carrier, Gulf Air operates and bases itself in the BIA.

The King Fahd Causeway as seen

from space
Bahrain has a well-developed road network, particularly
in Manama. The discovery of oil in the early 1930s
accelerated the creation of multiple roads
and highways in Bahrain, connecting several isolated
villages, such as Budaiya, to Manama.[261]
To the east, a bridge
connected Manama to Muharraq since 1929, a new
causeway was built in 1941 which replaced the old
wooden bridge.[261] Currently there are three modern
bridges connecting the two locations.[262] Transits
between the two islands peaked after the construction of
the Bahrain International Airport in 1932.[261] Ring
roads and highways were later built to connect Manama
to the villages of the Northern Governorate and towards
towns in central and southern Bahrain.
The four main islands and all the towns and villages are
linked by well-constructed roads. There were 3,164 km
(1,966 mi) of roadways in 2002, of which 2,433 km
(1,512 mi) were paved. A causeway stretching over
2.8 km (2 mi), connect Manama with Muharraq Island,
and another bridge joins Sitra to the main island.
The King Fahd Causeway, measuring 24 km (15 mi),
links Bahrain with the Saudi Arabian mainland via the
island of Umm an-Nasan. It was completed in December
1986, and financed by Saudi Arabia. In 2008, there were
17,743,495 passengers transiting through the causeway.
[263]
A second causeway, which will have both road and
rail connection, between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
called 'King Hamad Causeway' is currently being
discussed and is in the planning phase.[264]
Bahrain's port of Mina Salman is the main seaport of the
country and consists of 15 berths.[265] In 2001, Bahrain
had a merchant fleet of eight ships of 1,000 GT or over,
totaling 270,784 GT.[266] Private vehicles and taxis are the
primary means of transportation in the city.
[267]
A nationwide metro system is currently under
construction and is due to be operational by 2025.
Telecommunications
[edit]
Main articles: Telecommunications in
Bahrain and Internet in Bahrain
The telecommunications sector in Bahrain officially
started in 1981 with the establishment of Bahrain's first
telecommunications company, Batelco and until 2004,
it monopolised the sector. In 1981, there were more than
45,000 telephones in use in the country. By 1999,
Batelco had more than 100,000 mobile contracts.[268] In
2002, under pressure from international bodies, Bahrain
implemented its telecommunications law which included
the establishment of an
independent Telecommunications Regulatory
Authority (TRA).[268] In 2004, Zain (a rebranded version
of MTC Vodafone) started operations in Bahrain and in
2010 VIVA (owned by STC Group) became the third
company to provide mobile services.[269]
Bahrain has been connected to the internet since 1995
with the country's domain suffix is '.bh'. The country's
connectivity score (a statistic which measures both
Internet access and fixed and mobile telephone lines) is
210.4 per cent per person, while the regional average
in Arab States of the Persian Gulf is 135.37 per cent.
[270]
The number of Bahraini internet users has risen from
40,000 in 2000[271] to 250,000 in 2008,[272] or from 5.95 to
33 per cent of the population. As of August 2013, the
TRA has licensed 22 Internet Service Providers.[273]
Science and technology
[edit]
Policy framework
[edit]

The Bahraini Economic Vision 2030 published in 2008

does not indicate how the stated goal of shifting from an
economy built on oil wealth to a productive, globally
competitive economy will be attained. Bahrain has
already diversified its exports to some extent, out of
necessity. It has the smallest hydrocarbon reserves of
any Persian Gulf state, producing 48,000 barrels per day
from its one onshore field.[274] The bulk of the country's
revenue comes from its share in the offshore field
administered by Saudi Arabia. The gas reserve in
Bahrain is expected to last for less than 27 years, leaving
the country with few sources of capital to pursue the
development of new industries. Investment in research
and development remained very low in 2013.[275]
Apart from the Ministry of Education and the Higher
Education Council, the two main hives of activity in
science, technology, and innovation are the University of
Bahrain (established in 1986) and the Bahrain Centre for
Strategic, International, and Energy Studies. The latter
was founded in 2009 to undertake research with a focus
on strategic security and energy issues to encourage
new thinking and influence policymaking.[275]
New infrastructure for science and education
[edit]

Bahrain hopes to build a science culture within the

kingdom and to encourage technological innovation,
among other goals. In 2013, the Bahrain Science Centre
was launched as an interactive educational facility
targeting 6- to 18-year-olds. The topics covered by
current exhibitions include junior engineering, human
health, the five senses, Earth sciences and biodiversity.
[275]

In April 2014, Bahrain launched its National Space

Science Agency. The agency has been working to ratify
international space-related agreements such as
the Outer Space Treaty, the Rescue Agreement,
the Space Liability Convention, the Registration
Convention and the Moon Agreement. The agency plans
to establish infrastructure for the observation of both
outer space and the Earth.[275]
In November 2008, an agreement was signed to
establish a Regional Centre for Information and
Communication Technology in Manama under the
auspices of UNESCO. The aim is to establish a
knowledge hub for the six-member states of the Gulf
Cooperation Council. In March 2012, the centre hosted
two high-level workshops on ICTs and education. In
2013, Bahrain topped the Arab world for internet
penetration (90% of the population), trailed by the United
Arab Emirates (86%) and Qatar (85%). Just half of
Bahrainis and Qataris (53%) and two-thirds of those in
the United Arab Emirates (64%) had access in 2009.[275]
Investment in education and research
[edit]

In 2012, the government devoted 2.6% of GDP to

education, one of the lowest ratios in the Arab world.
This ratio was on a par with investment in education in
Lebanon and higher only than that in Qatar (2.4% in
2008) and Sudan (2.2% in 2009).[275] Bahrain was ranked
67th in the Global Innovation Index in 2023.[276]
Bahrain invests little in research and development. In
2009 and 2013, this investment reportedly amounted to
0.04% of GDP, although the data were incomplete,
covering only the higher education sector. The lack of
comprehensive data on research and development
poses a challenge for policymakers, as data inform
evidence-based policymaking.[275]
The available data for researchers in 2013 cover only the
higher education sector. Here, the number of
researchers is equivalent to 50 per million inhabitants,
compared to a global average for all employment sectors
of 1,083 per million.[275]
The University of Bahrain had over 20,000 students in
2014, 65% of whom are women, and around 900 faculty
members, 40% of whom are women. From 1986 to 2014,
university staff published 5,500 papers and books. The
university spent about US$11 million per year on
research in 2014, which was conducted by a contingent
of 172 men and 128 women. Women thus made up 43%
of researchers at the University of Bahrain in 2014.[275]
Bahrain was one of 11 Arab states which counted a
majority of female university graduates in science and
engineering in 2014. Women accounted for 66% of
graduates in natural sciences, 28% of those in
engineering and 77% of those in health and welfare. It is
harder to judge the contribution of women to research,
as the data for 2013 only cover the higher education
sector.[275]
Trends in research output
[edit]

In 2014, Bahraini scientists published 155 articles in

internationally catalogued journals, according to
Thomson Reuters' Web of Science (Science Citation
Index Expanded). This corresponds to 15 articles per
million inhabitants, compared to a global average of 176
per million inhabitants in 2013. Scientific output has risen
slowly from 93 articles in 2005 and remains modest. By
2014, only Mauritania and Palestine had a smaller output
in this database among Arab states.[277][275]
Between 2008 and 2014, Bahraini scientists collaborated
most with their peers from Saudi Arabia (137 articles),
followed by Egypt (101), the United Kingdom (93), the
United States (89) and Tunisia (75).[275]
Demographics
[edit]
Main article: Demographics of Bahrain

Bahrainis observing public prayers in

Manama Manama Souq on Bahrain

National Day
In 2010, Bahrain's population grew to 1.2 million, of
which 568,399 were Bahraini and 666,172 were non-
nationals.[278] It had risen from 1.05 million (517,368 non-
nationals) in 2007, the year when Bahrain's population
crossed the one million mark.[279] Though a majority of the
population is Middle Eastern, a sizeable number of
people from South Asia live in the country. In 2008,
approximately 290,000 Indian nationals lived in Bahrain,
making them the single largest expatriate community in
the country, the majority of which hail from the south
Indian state of Kerala.[280][281] Bahrain is the fourth most
densely populated sovereign state in the world with a
population density of 1,646 people per km2 in 2010.
[278]
The only sovereign states with larger population
densities are city states. Much of this population is
concentrated in the north of the country with
the Southern Governorate being the least densely
populated part.[278] The north of the country is so
urbanized that it is considered by some to be one
large metropolitan area.[282]
Ethnic groups
[edit]
Main articles: Bahrani people and Ethnic, cultural and
religious groups of Bahrain
Bahraini people are ethnically diverse. Shia Bahrainis
are divided into two main ethnic
groups: Baharna and Ajam. The Shia Bahrainis
are Baharna (Arab), and the Ajam are Persian Shias.
Shia Persians form large communities in Manama and
Muharraq. A small minority of Shia Bahrainis are ethnic
Hasawis from Al-Hasa.
Sunni Bahrainis are mainly divided into two main ethnic
groups: Arabs (al Arab) and Huwala. Sunni Arabs are the
most influential ethnic group in Bahrain. They hold most
government positions and the Bahraini monarchy are
Sunni Arabs. Sunni Arabs have traditionally lived in
areas such as Zallaq, Muharraq, Riffa and Hawar
islands. The Huwala are descendants of Sunni Iranians;
some of them are Sunni Persians,[283][284] while others
Sunni Arabs.[285][286] There are also Sunnis of Baloch origin.
Most African Bahrainis come from East Africa and have
traditionally lived in Muharraq Island and Riffa.[287]
Religion
[edit]
Main article: Freedom of religion in Bahrain
Religion in Bahrain (2020) by Pew Research[4]
 Islam (69.7%)
Christianity (14.1%)
Hinduism (10.2%)
Buddhism (3.1%)
Jewish (0.002%)
Other (0.9%)
Unaffiliated (2%)
The state religion of Bahrain is Islam and most Bahrainis
are Muslim. The majority of Bahraini Muslims are Shia
Muslims according to official data as of 2021.[288] It is one
of three countries in the Middle East in which Shiites
were the majority, the other two nations
being Iraq and Iran.[289] Public surveys are rare in Bahrain,
but the US department of state's report on religious
freedom in Bahrain estimated that Shias constituted
approximately 55% of Bahrain's citizen population in
2018.[290] The royal family and most Bahrani elites are
Sunni.[291] The country's two Muslim communities are
united on some issues, but disagree sharply on others.
[291]
Shia have often complained of being politically
repressed and economically marginalized in Bahrain; as
a result, most of the protestors in the Bahraini uprising of
2011 were Shia.[292][293][294]
 National Evangelical Church,

Manama The Shrinathji temple in

Manama
Christians in Bahrain make up about 14.5% of the
population.[278] There is a native Christian community in
Bahrain. Non-Muslim Bahraini residents numbered
367,683 per the 2010 census, most of whom are
Christians.[295] Expatriate Christians make up the majority
of Christians in Bahrain, while native Christian Bahrainis
(who hold Bahraini citizenship) make up a smaller
community. Native Christians who hold Bahraini
citizenship number approximately 1,000 persons.
[295]
Alees Samaan, a former Bahraini ambassador to
the United Kingdom is a native Christian. Bahrain also
has a native Jewish community numbering thirty-seven
Bahraini citizens.[296] Various sources cite Bahrain's native
Jewish community as being from 36 to 50 people.
[297]
According to Bahraini writer Nancy Khedouri, the
Jewish community of Bahrain is one of the youngest in
the world, having its origins in the migration of a few
families to the island from then-Iraq and then-Iran in the
late 1880s.[298] Houda Nonoo, former ambassador to
the United States, is Jewish. There is also a Hindu
community on the island. They constitute the third largest
religious group. The Shrinathji temple located in old
Manama is the oldest Hindu temple in the GCC and the
Arab world. It is over 200 years old and was built by the
Thattai Hindu community in 1817.[299]
According to the 2001 census, 81.2% of Bahrain's
population was Muslim, 10% were Christian, and 9.8%
practised Hinduism or other religions.[6] The 2010 census
records that the Muslim proportion had fallen to 70.2%
(the 2010 census did not differentiate between the non-
Muslim religions).[278]
Languages
[edit]

Arabic is the official language of Bahrain, though English

is widely used.[300] Bahrani Arabic is the most widely
spoken dialect of the Arabic language, though it differs
widely from standard Arabic, like all Arabic dialects.
Arabic plays an important role in political life, as,
according to article 57 (c) of Bahrain's constitution, an
MP must be fluent in Arabic to stand for parliament.[301] In
addition, Balochi is the second largest and widely
spoken language in Bahrain. The Baloch are fluent in
Arabic and Balochi. Among the Bahraini and non-
Bahraini population, many people speak Persian, the
official language of Iran, or Urdu, an official language in
Pakistan and a regional language in India.[300] Nepali is
also widely spoken in the Nepalese workers and Gurkha
Soldiers community. Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bangla a
nd Hindi are spoken among significant Indian
communities.[300] All commercial institutions and road
signs are bilingual, displaying both English and Arabic.[302]
Education
[edit]
Main article: Education in Bahrain
See also: List of universities in Bahrain

Female students at the University of

Bahrain dressed in traditional garb
Education is compulsory for children between the ages
of 6 and 14.[303] Education is free for Bahraini citizens
in public schools, with the Bahraini Ministry of
Education providing free textbooks. Coeducation is not
used in public schools, with boys and girls segregated
into separate schools.[304]
At the beginning of the 20th century, Qur'anic schools
(Kuttab) were the only form of education in Bahrain.
[305]
They were traditional schools aimed at teaching
children and youth the reading of the Qur'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 the Al-Hidaya Al-Khalifia School
for boys opened in Muharraq.[305] 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.[305] As of 2011, there are a total
of 126,981 students studying in public schools.[306]
In 2004, King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa introduced the
"King Hamad Schools of Future" project that uses
Information Communication Technology to support K–12
education in Bahrain.[307] The project's objective is to
connect all schools within the kingdom with the Internet.
[308]
In addition to British intermediate schools, the island
is served by the Bahrain 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 United
Kingdom's A-Levels.
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 was established for
standard undergraduate and graduate study, and
the King Abdulaziz University College of Health
Sciences, operating under the direction of the Ministry of
Health,
trains physicians, nurses, pharmacists and paramedics.
The 2001 National Action Charter paved the way for the
formation of private universities such as the Ahlia
University in Manama and University College of
Bahrain in Saar. The Royal University for Women
(RUW), established in 2005, was the first private,
purpose-built, international university in Bahrain
dedicated solely to educating women. The University of
London External has appointed MCG (Management
Consultancy Group) as the regional representative office
in Bahrain for distance learning programmes.[309] MCG is
one of the oldest private institutes in the country.
Institutes have also opened which educate South Asian
students, such as the Pakistan Urdu School,
Bahrain and the Indian School, Bahrain. A few prominent
institutions are the American University of
Bahrain established in 2019,[310] the Bahrain Institute of
Banking and Finance, the Ernst & Young Training
Institute, and the Birla Institute of Technology
International Centre. In 2004, the Royal College of
Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) set up a constituent medical
university in the country. In addition to the Arabian Gulf
University, AMA International University and the College
of Health Sciences, these are the only medical schools in
Bahrain.
Health
[edit]
Main articles: Health in Bahrain and Healthcare in
Bahrain

Ambulance in International Hospital

of Bahrain
Bahrain has a universal health care system, dating back
to 1960.[311] Government-provided health care is free to
Bahraini citizens and heavily subsidised for non-
Bahrainis. Healthcare expenditure accounted for 4.5% of
Bahrain's GDP, according to the World Health
Organization. Bahraini physicians and nurses form a
majority of the country's workforce in the health sector,
unlike neighbouring Gulf states.[312] The first hospital in
Bahrain was the American Mission Hospital, which
opened in 1893 as a dispensary.[313] The first public
hospital, and also tertiary hospital, to open in Bahrain
was the Salmaniya Medical Complex, in
the Salmaniya district of Manama, in 1957.[314] Private
hospitals are also present throughout the country, such
as the International Hospital of Bahrain.
The life expectancy in Bahrain is 73 for males and 76 for
females. Compared to many countries in the region, the
prevalence of AIDS and HIV is relatively low.
[315]
Malaria and tuberculosis (TB) do not constitute major
problems in Bahrain as neither disease is indigenous to
the country. As a result, cases of malaria and TB have
declined in recent decades with cases of contractions
amongst Bahraini nationals becoming rare.[315] The
Ministry of Health sponsors regular vaccination
campaigns against TB and other diseases such
as hepatitis B.[315][316]
Currently, Bahrain has an obesity epidemic as 28.9% of
all males and 38.2% of all females are classified as
obese.[317] Bahrain also has one of the highest prevalence
of diabetes in the world (5th place). More than 15% of
the Bahraini population are affected by the disease, and
they account for 5% of deaths in the country.
[318]
Cardiovascular diseases account for 32% of all
deaths in Bahrain, being the number one cause of death
in the country (the second being cancer).[319] Sickle-cell
anaemia and thalassaemia are prevalent in the country,
with a study concluding that 18% of Bahrainis are
carriers of sickle-cell anaemia while 24% are carriers of
thalassaemia.[320]
Culture
[edit]
Main article: Culture of Bahrain

The Isa ibn Ali Al Khalifa house is an

example of traditional architecture in Bahrain.
Islam is the main religion, and Bahrainis are known for
their tolerance towards the practice of other faiths.
[321]
Intermarriages between Bahrainis and expatriates are
not uncommon—there are many Filipino Bahrainis like
Filipino child actress Mona Marbella Al-Alawi.[322]
Rules regarding female attire are generally relaxed
compared to regional neighbours; the traditional attire of
women usually include the hijab or the abaya.
[138]
Although the traditional male attire is the thobe, which
also includes traditional headdresses such as
the keffiyeh, ghutra and agal, Western clothing is
common in the country.[138]
Although Bahrain legalized homosexuality in 1976, many
homosexuals have since been arrested, often for
violating broadly written laws against public immorality
and public indecency.[323][324][325]
Art
[edit]
Main article: Bahraini art

An artisan making pottery using the

traditional mud and water mixture on a revolving wheel.
The modern art movement in the country officially
emerged in the 1950s, culminating in the establishment
of an art society. Expressionism and surrealism, as well
as calligraphic art are the popular forms of art in the
country. Abstract expressionism has gained popularity in
recent decades.[326] Pottery-making and textile-weaving
are also popular products that were widely made in
Bahraini villages.[326] Arabic calligraphy grew in popularity
as the Bahraini government was an active patron
in Islamic art, culminating in the establishment of an
Islamic museum, Beit Al Quran.[326] The Bahrain national
museum houses a permanent contemporary
art exhibition.[327] The annual Spring of Culture [328] festival
run by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and
Antiquities[329] has become a popular event promoting
performance arts in the Kingdom. The architecture of
Bahrain is similar to that of its neighbours in the Persian
Gulf. The wind tower, which generates natural ventilation
in a house, is a common sight on old buildings,
particularly in the old districts of Manama and Muharraq.
[330]

Literature
[edit]
Main article: Literature of Bahrain

National Library of Bahrain at Isa

Cultural Centre
Literature retains a strong tradition in the country; most
traditional writers and poets write in the classical
Arabic style. In recent years, the number of younger
poets influenced by western literature are rising, most
writing in free verse and often including political or
personal content.[331] Ali Al Shargawi, a decorated
longtime poet, was described in 2011 by Al Shorfa as the
literary icon of Bahrain.[332]
In literature, Bahrain was the site of the ancient land
of Dilmun mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Legend
also states that it was the location of the Garden of
Eden.[333][334]
Media
[edit]
Main article: Media of Bahrain
Music
[edit]
Main article: Music of Bahrain
The music style in Bahrain is similar to that of its
neighbours. The Khaliji style of music, which is folk
music, is popular in the country. The sawt style of music,
which involves a complex form of urban music,
performed by an Oud (plucked lute),
a violin and mirwas (a drum), is also popular in Bahrain.
[335]
Ali Bahar was one of the most famous singers in
Bahrain. He performed his music with his Band Al-
Ekhwa (The Brothers). Bahrain was also the site of the
first recording studio amongst the Persian Gulf states.[335]
Entertainment
[edit]
See also: Category:Entertainment in Bahrain
With regards to cultural and tourism activities, the
Ministry of Culture[336] organizes a number of annual
festivals. such as the Spring of Culture in March and
April, the Bahrain Summer Festival and Ta'a Al-Shabab
from August to September, and the Bahrain International
Music Festival in October which features musical and
theatrical performances, lectures, and much more.
As for cultural sites, residents, visitors, and tourists can
re-live history through Bahrain's many historical sites.
Sports
[edit]
Main article: Sport in Bahrain

Mixed Martial Arts hosted by BRAVE

Combat Federation event in Bahrain
Bahrain is the first nation other than United States of
America to host International Mixed Martial Arts
Federation World Championships of Amateur MMA in
partnership with Brave Combat Federation.[337] Bahrain
have recorded an influx in global athletes visiting the
nation for Mixed Martial Arts training during 2017.
[338]
Brave Combat Federation is a Bahrain-based Mixed
Martial Arts promotion that has hosted events in 30
nations which is a record for hosting events in most
number of nations by an MMA promotion.[339] Bahrain
MMA Federation (BMMAF) has been set up under the
patronage of Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa and the
jurisdiction of the Sports Minister, Sheikh Nasser bin
Hamad Al Khalifa.[340] The development of MMA in the
nation is convened through KHK MMA, which
owns Brave Combat Federation which is the largest
Mixed Martial Arts promotion in the Middle East.
[341]
Bahrain will be hosting Amateur World
Championships 2017 in association with International
Mixed Martial Arts Federation. Bahrain will be the first
Asian and Arab country to host the amateur MMA
championship.[342] Bahrain is also home to
KHK MMA Fight Team, that facilitates training for some
of the prominent talent in Mixed Martial Arts in the world
who compete in BRAVE Combat Federation, PFL,
and UFC.[343]
In 2018, Cricket was introduced in Bahrain under the
initiative of KHK Sports and Exelon.[344] Bahrain Premier
League 2018 comprised six franchise squads of 13
resident cricketers competing in the T20 format. The
teams were SRam MRam Falcons, Kalaam Knight-
Riders, Intex Lions, Bahrain Super Giants, Four Square
Challengers and Awan Warriors.[345]
 The Bahrain national football team
playing Australia on June 10, 2009, in a World Cup
qualifier
Football is also a popular sport in Bahrain.[346] Bahrain's
national football team has competed multiple times at
the Asian Cup, Arab Nations Cup and played in the FIFA
World Cup qualifiers, though it has never qualified for the
World Cup.[347] Bahrain's national football team won
the West Asian Football Federation cup and the Arabian
Gulf Cup in 2019.[348][349] Both the cups came under the
helm of Helio Sousa who is the manager of the nation's
national football team. Bahrain has its own top-
tier domestic professional football league, the Bahraini
Premier League. On 3 August 2020, the Kingdom of
Bahrain bought a minority stake in the Paris F.C., a team
that plays in France's second tier. Bahrain's entry into
the soccer club spurred criticism that the country is trying
to whitewash its human rights record and this is another
way of buying influence in Europe.[350]
Basketball, rugby and horse racing are also widely
popular in the country.[346] The government of Bahrain
also sponsors a UCI WorldTeam cycling team, Bahrain
Victorius, which participated in the 2017 Tour de France.
[351][352]
 The podium ceremony at the 2007
Bahrain Grand Prix
Bahrain has a Formula One race track, which hosted the
inaugural Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix on 4 April 2004,
the first in an Arab country. This was followed by the
Bahrain Grand Prix in 2005. Bahrain hosted the opening
Grand Prix of the 2006 season on 12 March of that year.
Both the above races were won by Fernando
Alonso of Renault. The race has since been hosted
annually, except for 2011 when it was cancelled due
to ongoing anti-government protests.[353] The 2012 race
occurred despite concerns of the safety of the teams and
the ongoing protests in the country.[354] The decision to
hold the race despite ongoing protests and
violence[355] has been described as "controversial" by Al
Jazeera English,[356] CNN,[357] AFP[358] and Sky News.
[359]
The Independent named it "one of the most
controversial in the history of the sport".[360]
In 2006, Bahrain also hosted its inaugural Australian V8
Supercar event dubbed the "Desert 400". The V8s
returned every November to the Sakhir circuit until 2010,
in which it was the second event of the series. The series
has not returned since. The Bahrain International
Circuit also features a full-length dragstrip where the
Bahrain Drag Racing Club has organised invitational
events featuring some of Europe's top drag racing teams
to try to raise the profile of the sport in the Middle East.[361]
On June 10 2024 the Bahrain Olympic Academy
received the Athena honorary distinction for its role in
aiding and supporting advancement of sports in its
region. The honorary medal was presented to his
highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa by Isidoros
Kouvelos, President of IOA.[362][363]