Exploring Bahrain And Rawalpindi: A Size Comparison

Bahrain and Rawalpindi are vastly different in terms of size. Bahrain is an island country in West Asia with a land area of 760 square kilometres (290 sq mi), while Rawalpindi is a city in the Pakistani province of Punjab. As the third-largest city in Punjab, Rawalpindi is a major metropolitan and commercial centre with a population of over 2 million. In contrast, Bahrain's population is around 1.5 million, with most people living in the northern part of the main island. While Rawalpindi is a bustling city, Bahrain is known for its subtropical climate, desert vegetation, and popular tourist attractions such as the Tree of Life and the Mountain of Smoke.

Bahrain's land area

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. The country's land area is about 780 square kilometres (300 square miles), slightly larger than Singapore.

Bahrain Island makes up around 83% of the country's landmass. The remaining islands include Al-Muḥarraq, Sitra, Nabī Ṣāliḥ, Al-Muḥammadiyyah (Umm al-Ṣabbān), Umm al-Naʿsān, and Jiddah. The smallest islands are rocky and low-lying, rising only a few feet above sea level. In contrast, Bahrain Island is more varied in appearance, with a central rocky and barren region, southern and western sandy lowlands, and northern and northwestern coasts featuring a narrow belt of date palms and vegetable gardens.

Rawalpindi's population

Rawalpindi, the fourth most populous city in Pakistan, had an estimated population of 2,430,390 in 2024. This is a 2.23% increase from the previous year. In 1950, the population of Rawalpindi was 233,207. The population of the Rawalpindi District was 5,402,380 in 2017, with 2,736,180 males and 2,665,089 females. In the same year, 2,396,672 people (44.36%) lived in rural areas, while 3,005,708 (55.64%) lived in urban areas.

Rawalpindi is the third-largest city in the Pakistani province of Punjab. It is located in the northernmost part of the province and is adjacent to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. The two cities are often referred to as "twin cities" due to their strong social and economic links. The population of Rawalpindi is 84% Punjabi, 9% Pashtun, and 7% from other ethnic groups.

Rawalpindi has seen an influx of Muhajir, Pashtun, and Kashmiri settlers following Pakistan's independence in 1947. The city's Hindu and Sikh population, which previously constituted 33.72% and 17.32% of the total population, respectively, migrated en masse to India after the partition.

Bahrain's population

Education is compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 14 and is free for Bahraini citizens in government schools. The country has a universal healthcare system, which is free for citizens and subsidised for non-citizens.

Bahrain's economy

Bahrain is a small country, but it has a highly diversified economy. It is the most diversified economy in the GCC region, with particular strengths in the financial services, ICT, manufacturing, logistics, and tourism sectors.

Bahrain has a liberalised, free economy with a pro-innovation business policy framework. It offers 100% foreign ownership in most of its thriving non-oil sectors. Bahrain's economy is growing, and the country offers exciting investment opportunities within a supportive business environment. The Bahrain Economic Development Board is the first point of call for entities wanting to establish their business in Bahrain.

Bahrain's nominal GDP was USD 46.0 billion in 2023, with a GDP per capita of USD 28,698, compared to the global average of USD 10,589. Bahrain's economy recorded average annual growth of 2.8% in the decade to 2022. Services accounted for 55% of overall GDP in 2021, with manufacturing at 20%, other industrial activity at 25%, and agriculture at 0%.

Bahrain's top exports include refined and crude petroleum, raw aluminium, and iron ore. In 2017, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Oman, and China were its top export partners. Bahrain's top import partners in the same year were China, the UAE, the USA, Australia, and Japan.

Bahrain has a mixed economy, with government control of many basic industries. Petroleum and natural gas are the country's only significant natural resources, and oil still comprises 85% of Bahraini budget revenues. Bahrain was one of the first states in the Gulf to discover oil and to build a refinery.

Since the end of the 20th century, Bahrain has invested heavily in the banking and tourism sectors, but the country remains heavily dependent on oil and gas. Bahrain has developed one of the first post-oil economies in the Persian Gulf, and many of the world's largest financial institutions have a presence in the country's capital. It is recognised by the World Bank as a high-income economy.

Bahrain's public debt in 2020 is $44.5 billion, or 130% of GDP, and it is expected to rise to 155% of GDP in 2026, according to IMF estimates. The military expenditure is the main reason for this increase in debt.

Bahrain has a well-developed road network, particularly in Manama. The country also has a modern port, an international airport, and a nationwide metro system currently under construction.

Rawalpindi's history

Rawalpindi, located in the Pakistani province of Punjab, is the fourth most populous city in Pakistan and the third-largest Punjabi-speaking city in the world. The region around Rawalpindi has been inhabited for thousands of years and is known for its ancient heritage. The neighbouring city of Taxila, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is thought to have been home to one of the early universities or educational centres of South Asia.

Rawalpindi remained a small town of little importance until the 18th century. In 1765, the ruling Gakhars were defeated and the city came under Sukerchakia Misl rule. During the Sikh era, Rawalpindi became an important centre for trade and, due to its strategic location within Punjab, it was established as the headquarters of the Rawalpindi Division of British Punjab. The city's Babu Mohallah neighbourhood was once home to a community of Jewish traders who had fled Persia in the 1830s.

In 1849, Punjab was conquered by the East India Company and, in the late 19th century, Rawalpindi became the largest garrison town of the British Indian Army's Northern command. Following the partition of British India in 1947, the city became home to the headquarters of the Pakistan Army. In 1951, the Rawalpindi Conspiracy took place, in which leftist army officers conspired to depose the first elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, Liaquat Ali Khan. Rawalpindi later became the site of Ali Khan's assassination.

In 1959, Rawalpindi became the interim capital of Pakistan, until the construction of the purpose-built capital city of Islamabad in 1961. Rawalpindi remains socially and economically intertwined with Islamabad and serves as a hub for tourists visiting Rohtas Fort, Azad Kashmir, Taxila and Gilgit-Baltistan.

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