[328] The government of Bahrain also sponsors a UCI WorldTeam cycling team, Bahrain–Merida, which participated in the 2017 Tour de France. [171] As of 2012[update], Bahrain maintains a network of 25 embassies, 3 consulates and 4 permanent missions to the Arab League, United Nations and European Union respectively. [33], Alexander had planned to settle Greek colonists on 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), while Zeus was worshipped in the form of the Arabian sun-god Shams. Compared to many countries in the region, the prevalence of AIDS and HIV is relatively low. Legend also states that it was the location of the Garden of Eden. [267], In April 2014, Bahrain launched its National Space Science Agency. [79] However, ten years later they were forced to pay yearly tributes to Egypt despite seeking Persian and British protection. Bahrain is a small country located in the Persian Gulf. [157], The kingdom has a small but well equipped military called the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF), numbering around 13,000 personnel. [109], 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. The government promised to introduce reforms and avoid repeating the "painful events". According to historian Al-Juwayni, the stone was returned 22 years later in 951 under mysterious circumstances. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Bahrain, a nation comprising more than 30 islands in the Persian Gulf, has been at the center of major trade routes since antiquity. [270][271] Bahrain is the fourth most densely populated sovereign state in the world with a population density of 1,646 people per km2 in 2010. [92], Bahrain participated in the Second World War on the Allied side, joining on 10 September 1939. [328] 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. Notable holidays in the country are listed below: Coordinates: 26°01′39″N 50°33′00″E / 26.02750°N 50.55000°E / 26.02750; 50.55000, This article is about the country in Arab Peninsula. [143], 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. By 1999, Batelco had more than 100,000 mobile contracts. [287], Due to an influx of immigrants and guest workers from Asian countries, such as India, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, the overall percentage of Muslims in the country has declined in recent years. As for cultural sites, residents, visitors, and tourists can re-live history through Bahrain’s many historical sites. 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. [167], Bahrain participates in the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen against the Shia Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh,[168] who was deposed in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. The King Fahd Causeway, 15 miles (24 km) long, links Bahrain to Saudi Arabia. The capital and largest city is Manama. [259] A nationwide metro system is currently under construction and is due to be operational by 2023. It also caused some problems between the Bahraini and the Qatari governments. Muharraq has the country’s most successful football club, the Muharraq Club and is also famous for its souq, traditional music, and arts. [4] The 2010 census records that the Muslim proportion had fallen to 70.2% (the 2010 census did not differentiate between the non-Muslim religions). As of August 2013[update], the TRA has licensed 22 Internet Service Providers. The Bahrain airport remains open without interruption with enhanced screening measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Author of. Bahraini people are ethnically diverse. This was followed by the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2005. In 410, according to the Oriental Syriac Church synodal records, a bishop named Batai was excommunicated from the church in Bahrain. [292] They were traditional schools aimed at teaching children and youth the reading of the Qur'an. The 2012 festival featured concerts starring Andrea Bocelli, Julio Iglesias and other musicians.[252]. Bahrain will host the Saudi-financed Alarab News Channel, expected to launch in December 2012. The seas around Bahrain are very shallow, heating up quickly in the summer to produce very high humidity, especially at night. [155], 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. [267], In 2014, Bahraini scientists published 155 articles in internationally cataloged journals, according to Thomson Reuters' Web of Science (Science Citation Index Expanded). [267], Bahrain was one of 11 Arab states which counted a majority of female university graduates in science and engineering in 2014. [296] MCG is one of the oldest private institutes in the country. Gulf Daily News and Daily Tribune publish daily newspapers in English. The Muslim population is numbered 866,888 according to the 2010 census. [289], Education is compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 14. Other agreements in 1880 and 1892 sealed the protectorate status of Bahrain to the British. Description Legal. [227] These governorates are: The Central Governorate was abolished in September 2014, its territory divided between the Northern Governorate, Southern Governorate, and Capital Governorate. [107], Human rights conditions started to decline by 2007 when torture began to be employed again. [62] The Uyunids controlled Bahrain until 1235, when the archipelago was briefly occupied by the Persian ruler of Fars. The series has not returned since. 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. Following their 976 defeat by the Abbasids,[61] the Qarmatians were overthrown by the Arab Uyunid dynasty of al-Hasa, who took over the entire Bahrain region in 1076. Sort out the facts about Asia in this quiz. Millions of migratory birds pass through the Persian Gulf region in the winter and autumn months. A causeway stretching over 2.8 km (2 mi), connect Manama with Muharraq Island, and another bridge joins Sitra to the main island. [172] Bahrain also hosts 36 embassies. [149] It gave a new prominence to clerics within the political system, with the most senior Shia religious leader, Sheikh Isa Qassim, playing a vital role. In 2013, Bahrain topped the Arab world for internet penetration (90% of the population), trailed by the United Arab Emirates (86%) and Qatar (85%). [241] In 2016 Bahrain used 8.6 global hectares of biocapacity per person - their ecological footprint of consumption. [213] However, no women were elected to office in that year's polls. [320][321], The music style in Bahrain is similar to that of its neighbors. Until the late Middle Ages, "Bahrain" referred to the region of Eastern Arabia that included Southern Iraq, Kuwait, Al-Hasa, Qatif, and Bahrain. Economic developments and population growth have outstripped the available artesian water in the country, and some three-fifths of the water used now comes from seawater desalinization plants powered by natural gas. Sunni Arabs have traditionally lived in areas such as Zallaq, Muharraq, Riffa and Hawar islands. [330][331], Brave Combat Federation is a Bahrain-based Mixed Martial Arts promotion which has hosted events in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and India. [115] The government then launched a crackdown on the opposition that included conducting thousands of arrests and systematic torture. Bahrain was home to Dilmun, an important Bronze Age trade centre linking Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. Please select which sections you would like to print: Corrections? [267], 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. You will also find static directories available at all major entrances of the mall on the first and second floors. [322] Ali Bahar was one of the most famous singers in Bahrain. [218] In 2008, Houda Nonoo was appointed ambassador to the United States making her the first Jewish ambassador of any Arab country. In 2008, the jobless figure was at 4%,[242] with women over represented at 85% of the total. [267], In 2012, the government devoted 2.6% of GDP to education, one of the lowest ratios in the Arab world. [12] The only sovereign states with larger population densities are city states. [240], Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. It will be based at a planned "Media City". Basketball, rugby and horse racing are also widely popular in the country. Akhbar Al Khaleej (أخبار الخليج) and Al Ayam (الأيام) are examples of major Arabic newspapers published daily. The country's natural resources include large quantities of oil and natural gas as well as fish in the offshore waters. [224] These municipalities were administered from Manama under a central municipal council whose members are appointed by the king.[225]. [219] In 2011, Alice Samaan, a Christian woman, was appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom.[220]. [155], In 2006, Lateefa Al Gaood became the first female MP after winning by default. Rainfall is confined to the winter months and averages only 3 inches (75 mm) per year, but this may vary from almost nothing to double that amount. Guelma 37. [260] In 2002, under pressure from international bodies, Bahrain implemented its telecommunications law which included the establishment of an independent Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). Ain Defla 27. Algeria City Names Algeria City Codes. Help. First mentioned in Islamic chronicles about ad 1345, it was taken by the Portuguese (1521) and by the Persians (1602). [25][67][68] 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. Iran is alleged by United States and others to have a hand in the arming of Bahraini militants. [82], Unrest amongst the people of Bahrain began when Britain officially established complete dominance over the territory in 1892. [248], 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 centerpiece. Biskra 33. In the Council of Representatives, 40 members are elected by absolute majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve four-year terms. Bahrain is the first nation other than United States of America to host International Mixed Martial Arts Federation World Championships of Amateur MMA. Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, 2000. [141] Bahrain's national bird is the bulbul while its national animal is the Arabian oryx. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. By June 2012, Bahrain had 961,000 internet users. There were 3,164 km (1,966 mi) of roadways in 2002, of which 2,433 km (1,512 mi) were paved. [334], 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. The Huwala are descendants of Sunni Iranians; some of them are Sunni Persians,[273][274] while others Sunni Arabs. [2] Nepali is also widely spoken in the Nepalese workers and Gurkha Soldiers community. The quasi-governmental women's group, the Supreme Council for Women, trained female candidates to take part in the 2006 general election. [267], 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). [226] The most recent was in 2010. In 1253, the Bedouin Usfurids brought down the Uyunid dynasty, thereby gaining control over eastern Arabia, including the islands of Bahrain. [159][160], The BDF is primarily equipped with United States 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. As a tourist destination, Bahrain received over eight million visitors in 2008. This was Iqlīm al-Bahrayn's "Bahrayn Province". Investment in research and development remained very low in 2013. The lack of comprehensive data on research and development poses a challenge for policy-makers, as data inform evidence-based policy-making. [131], Bahrain is a generally flat and arid archipelago in the Persian Gulf. [230], 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. [253] Bahrain's national carrier, Gulf Air operates and bases itself in the BIA. Women accounted for 66% of graduates in natural sciences, 28% of those in engineering and 77% of those in health and welfare. [169], The permanent British Royal Navy base at Mina Salman, HMS Jufair, was officially opened in April 2018. [222], The first municipality in Bahrain was the 8-member Manama municipality which was established in July 1919. [110] As a result, in November of that year, US president George W. Bush's administration designated Bahrain as a "major non-NATO ally". 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. Bahrain hosted the opening Grand Prix of the 2006 season on 12 March of that year. [222], Bahraini journalists risk prosecution for offenses which include "undermining" the government and religion. 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