Exploring Bahrain's Surprising Breadth: Miles-Wide Measurements

Bahrain is a small Arab state situated in the Persian Gulf, consisting of Bahrain Island and about 30 smaller islands. The country's total area is about 780 square kilometres (290-300 sq mi), with Bahrain Island accounting for about 78% of the kingdom's land area. The island is about 50 kilometres (30 mi) long and 16 kilometres (10 mi) wide at its widest point. The highest point of elevation in Bahrain is Al-Dukhān Hill (440 ft/134 m).

Bahrain's size and location

Bahrain is a small Arab state situated in the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf. It is an archipelago consisting of Bahrain Island and about 30 smaller islands, with a total area of 760 square kilometres (290 sq mi) or 694 square kilometres (268 sq mi). The country is slightly larger than Singapore and more than three times the size of Washington, D.C.

Bahrain Island, which is about 50 kilometres (30 mi) long and 16 kilometres (10 mi) wide, accounts for about 78% of the kingdom's land area. The island is surrounded by several of the Middle East's large petroleum fields and commands a strategic position amid the Persian Gulf's shipping lanes.

Bahrain is located in an inlet of the Persian Gulf known as the Gulf of Bahrain. Saudi Arabia lies to the west across the Gulf of Bahrain, while the Qatar peninsula lies to the east. The King Fahd Causeway, which is 24 kilometres (15 mi) long, links Bahrain to Saudi Arabia. The country's capital, Manama, is located on the northeastern tip of Bahrain Island.

The state consists of two separate groups of islands, which together extend about 48 kilometres (30 mi) from north to south and 16 kilometres (10 mi) from east to west. The island of Bahrain is surrounded by smaller islands, including Al-Muḥarraq and Sitrah, which are joined to Bahrain Island by causeways. Other islands in the group include Nabī Ṣāliḥ, Al-Muḥammadiyyah (Umm al-Ṣabbān), Umm al-Naʿsān, and Jiddah. The second group consists of the Ḥawār Islands, which are situated near the coast of Qatar.

Bahrain has a flat and arid archipelago in the Persian Gulf. The country consists of a low desert plain rising gently to a low central escarpment. The highest point is the 134-metre (440 ft) Mountain of Smoke (Jabal ad Dukhan). Bahrain's coastline is 161 kilometres (100 mi) long, and the country also claims a territorial sea of 22 kilometres (12 nmi) and a contiguous zone of 44 kilometres (24 nmi).

The country's population

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. Bahrain is the fourth most densely populated sovereign state in the world with a population density of 1,646 people per square kilometre in 2010. The population density in the country is 2,115 per square kilometre (5,477 people per square mile). The median age in Bahrain is 33.2 years.

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. However, the royal family and most Bahraini elites are Sunni. Christians in Bahrain make up about 14.5% of the population. There is a native Christian community in Bahrain, and the country also has a native Jewish community numbering 36-50 people.

Arabic is the official language of Bahrain, though English is widely used. Balochi is the second most widely spoken language in Bahrain. Among the Bahraini and non-Bahraini population, many people speak Persian or Urdu.

The climate in Bahrain

Summers in Bahrain are very hot, with temperatures frequently exceeding 32°C (90°F) from May to October, and often reaching 35°C (95°F) or higher. Summer nights are sultry and humid. Winters are cooler and more pleasant, with mean temperatures from December to March dipping to around 21°C (70°F).

Rainfall is confined to the winter months and averages only around 75mm per year, although this can vary. Rain falls on average on only about 10 days of the year, and sunshine is abundant year-round. The predominant wind is the damp, northwesterly shamāl, and the qaws is a less frequent hot, dry south wind that brings sand, dust, and low humidity.

Bahrain's economy

Bahrain is a small Arab state situated in a bay on the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf. It is an archipelago consisting of Bahrain Island and about 30 smaller islands. Its name is derived from the Arabic term al-baḥrayn, meaning "two seas".

Bahrain has a mixed economy based largely on natural gas and petroleum production and refining. However, the country has developed one of the first post-oil economies in the Persian Gulf through decades of investment in the banking and tourism sectors. Many of the world's largest financial institutions have a presence in the country's capital, Manama. Bahrain is recognised by the World Bank as a high-income economy.

In 2023, Bahrain's nominal GDP was USD 46.0 billion, with a GDP per capita of USD 28,698—compared to the global average of USD 10,589. The economy recorded an average annual growth of 2.8% in the decade to 2022. Services accounted for 55% of overall GDP, manufacturing 20%, other industrial activity 25%, and agriculture 0%.

Bahrain's business freedom is quantitatively measured by considering various aspects of the legal and regulatory framework of the country's labour market. The country's monetary freedom combines a measure of inflation with an assessment of government activities that distort prices. Bahrain's trade freedom is a composite measure of the extent of tariff and non-tariff barriers that affect imports and exports of goods and services.

The country's political system

The Kingdom of Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy, with a semi-constitutional monarchy framework in place since 2002. The country's head of state is the king, and the head of government is the prime minister. The current ruler is King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who ascended the throne in 1999, changing his title from emir to king in 2002. The prime minister is Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who succeeded his uncle, Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, in 2020.

Bahrain's parliament is a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Council of Representatives, whose members are elected by universal suffrage, and the Shura Council (also called the Consultative Council), whose members are appointed directly by the king. The Shura Council can veto legislation passed by the Council of Representatives. The parliament's role is limited, however, as the king appoints the government and has wide-ranging executive powers, including chairing the Higher Judicial Council and dissolving the elected lower house.

Bahrain gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1971, with Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa as its first ruler. In 1973, the country held its first parliamentary elections, and a constitution was enacted. However, the National Assembly was dissolved in 1975, and the country was governed under emergency laws until 2002.

Bahrain has been ruled by the Al Khalifa family since the late 1700s. The Al Khalifa are a native Arab dynasty that recognises the islands' strategic importance, opening Bahrain's port facilities to foreign naval fleets. The country's political system has been marked by tensions between the Shia majority and the Sunni rulers, with the Shia population facing discrimination and being underrepresented in government institutions. This divide has led to civil disobedience and protests, most notably during the Arab Spring in 2011.

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