Exploring Bahrain: Understanding Its Administrative Divisions

Bahrain is an island country in West Asia situated in the Persian Gulf. It is officially known as the Kingdom of Bahrain and is made up of a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and 33 artificial islands. The country is divided into four governorates: the Capital Governorate, Muharraq Governorate, Northern Governorate, and Southern Governorate. The capital and largest city is Manama, located in the Capital Governorate.

Muharraq and its population of 176,583

Muharraq is the third-largest city in Bahrain and was the country's capital until 1932 when it was replaced by Manama. The city is located on Muharraq Island, which is joined to Bahrain Island by a causeway. Bahrain International Airport is also located on Muharraq Island. The population of Muharraq in 2012 was 176,583.

Muharraq has long been a centre of religiosity and traditional arts and music. It is home to Bahrain's most successful football club and the famous Siyadi House. The city is also known for its souq (traditional market). Muharraq was originally part of Dilmun, a Semitic-speaking Bronze Age polity. Later, it became the city of Arwad on the island of Tylos (as Bahrain was referred to in antiquity). By the 5th century AD, Muharraq had become a major centre of Nestorian Christianity. The names of several of Muharraq's villages today reflect this Christian legacy, with Al-Dair meaning 'the monastery' and Qalali meaning a 'monk's cloisters'.

Muharraq is one of four governorates in Bahrain, the others being the Capital Governorate, Northern Governorate, and Southern Governorate.

Hamad Town and its population of 133,550

Hamad Town is a commuter city in northern Bahrain, around 18km from the capital, Manama. It was established in 1984 as a 'housing town', with the Bahraini government building council houses for those who could not afford the increasing house prices in other parts of the country. The town's population has grown from 16,682 in 2001 to around 133,550 today.

The city is culturally diverse, with a mixed Shia-Sunni population from a range of socio-economic backgrounds. No single ethnic or religious group makes up the majority of inhabitants, making Hamad Town a true epitome of Bahraini multiculturalism.

Hamad Town is known for its 22 roundabouts, which serve as the arterial roads within the town and play a crucial role in facilitating transportation and communication. The town is also home to a large shopping centre called Sooq Waqif, which contains many shops and provides some employment in Hamad Town itself.

The Bahraini government has paid great attention to the education sector in Hamad Town, providing a sufficient number of schools for the town's population. The University of Bahrain's main campus is located near Hamad Town, in Sukheer.

Hamad Town is part of the Northern Governorate, one of five governorates of Bahrain. However, governorates are forbidden from passing their own laws and must abide by all national laws of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Bahrain's media and tight official control

Bahrain is a small archipelago in the Persian Gulf, comprising 50 natural islands and 33 artificial islands. The country is officially known as the Kingdom of Bahrain and is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family, with King Hamad bin Salman Al-Khalifa at the helm.

Bahrain's media ecosystem has been primarily shaped by the security interests of the ruling family and its formal and informal protectors, initially the British, and following independence in 1971, Saudi Arabia and the United States. The media in Bahrain has been tightly controlled by the state, with all radio and television broadcasts being state-controlled by the Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC). The BRTC operates under the Ministry of Information Affairs, with its board of directors appointed by the Cabinet.

The country's first newspaper, Jaridat al-Bahrain, and radio station, Bahrain Broadcasting Station, were opened in 1939 and 1940, respectively, and were used as vehicles for British war propaganda during World War II. However, both outlets were closed by the end of the war. The media landscape in Bahrain remained stagnant until the 1950s, when more critical media outlets began to emerge, only to be shut down by 1956 due to their nationalist leanings, which provoked the Al-Khalifa regime and their British protectors.

After independence, the Bahraini government attempted to liberalize the media sector, and from 1976 to 1989, 12 daily, weekly, and monthly newspapers and magazines were created. This period also saw the launch of Bahrain's first daily newspapers, Al-Ayam, Akhbar Al-Khaleej, and the English-language Gulf Daily News. However, the relative media pluralization was short-lived, as the government soon reverted to tight control and censorship.

Today, Bahrain's media landscape is heavily regulated by a strict legal framework that imposes heavy fines and potential prison sentences for journalists who contravene the Press Law. The country's constitution guarantees freedom of the press, but this is heavily caveated, and criticism of the king, the regime, Islam, and other Arab and Muslim countries is prohibited. The media in Bahrain is used as a tool for distributing state propaganda and public relations, and the government has adapted to new technologies to instrumentalize them as tools of surveillance and control.

The Bahraini government has been criticized by media watchdog Freedom House for using legislation to detain or jail critical journalists and online activists. The government has also been accused of blocking and shutting down websites, including human rights websites, blogs, and online forums, and employing summons, prosecutions, and threats to control social media content. Self-censorship is widespread, as people fear repercussions for expressing critical opinions of the government and its policies.

The country's economy and diversification

Bahrain's economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas, with petroleum being the country's most exported product, accounting for 60% of export receipts, 70% of government revenues, and 11% of GDP. However, Bahrain has also invested heavily in the banking and tourism sectors, with the country's capital, Manama, being home to many large financial institutions. Bahrain's finance industry is very successful, and the country was named the world's fastest-growing financial centre by the City of London's Global Financial Centres Index in 2008. Bahrain's banking and financial services sector, particularly Islamic banking, have benefited from the regional boom driven by the demand for oil.

Aluminum is the second-largest exported product, followed by finance and construction materials. Bahrain's development as a major financial centre has been the most widely heralded aspect of its diversification efforts, with international financial institutions operating in the country both offshore and onshore without impediments. Bahrain's central bank issued 15 new licenses in 2001, and the country has at times received significant budgetary support and project grants from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.

Bahrain has a liberalised environment, advanced infrastructure, and industries open for opportunity. The country offers 100% foreign ownership in most of its thriving non-oil-based sectors, ease of doing business with minimum hurdles, and serves as a gateway to the GCC's $2.1 trillion trade market. Bahrain's economy is the most diversified in the GCC region, with particular strengths in the financial services, ICT, manufacturing, logistics, and tourism sectors.

Bahrain has what it takes for businesses to flourish, with a forward-thinking government that works closely with businesses to enhance the business-friendly ecosystem through policy reform. The country has a strategic location at the heart of the Gulf, creating the optimal environment for businesses to grow. Bahrain's success in embracing economic liberalisation is due to its need to diversify its economy away from its limited oil supplies. Unlike its Persian Gulf neighbours, Bahrain has little oil wealth, so the economy has expanded into banking, heavy industries, retail, and tourism.

Bahrain has initiated a series of labour reforms to bring the labour market into line with international standards and intends to expand its high-tech industries, invest in research and development, and strengthen its competitive edge within the global economy. The country has a well-developed road network, particularly in Manama, and a modern, busy port that offers direct and frequent cargo shipping connections to the US, Europe, and the Far East. Bahrain's international airport is one of the busiest in the Persian Gulf, serving 22 carriers.

Bahrain's manufacturing sector is the second-largest contributor to non-oil GDP, behind financial services. Some of the kingdom's key industrial players have expanded their production capacity in recent years, significantly bolstering heavy industry and downstream potential, most notably in the aluminium segment. Bahrain is targeting specific segments to propel manufacturing sector growth, including downstream aluminium and petrochemicals production, renewable energy components, pharmaceuticals, micro-electronic goods, food, and fast-moving consumer goods.

The country has a strong logistics infrastructure integrated with a network of industrial zones and free zones, where foreign and local investors enjoy a range of regionally competitive incentives. This has helped make Bahrain home to an ever-growing network of manufacturing and distribution multinationals and supported the government's diversification drive. Bahrain's urgency in embracing economic liberalisation is due to its need to diversify its economy away from its limited oil supplies.

Bahrain has benefited from the oil boom since 2001, with economic growth of 5.5%. It has succeeded in attracting investment from other Persian Gulf states, partly because it used the revenues of the 1970s-early 1980s boom to invest in infrastructure development and other projects to improve the standard of living. Bahrain has a talented population, a free economy, and the lowest establishment costs in the region, making it primed to be home to new ventures.

Bahrain's history and ancient past

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 some 30 smaller islands. Its name is derived from the Arabic term al-baḥrayn, meaning “two seas.”

Bahrain has a rich history and ancient past, with its strategic location in the Persian Gulf bringing rule and influence from the Persians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Portuguese, Arabs, and British. Here is an overview of Bahrain's history and ancient past:

Ancient Times to the 19th Century

Bahrain is widely believed to be the site of the ancient kingdom of Dilmun, which was a commercial centre that traded with ancient Sumer. Dilmun appears in Sumerian cuneiform clay tablets dated to the end of the fourth millennium BC. From the 6th to the 3rd century BC, Bahrain was part of the Achaemenid Empire, followed by rule from various Iranian dynasties, including the Parthians and Sassanids. During the classical era, Bahrain was known as Tylos to the ancient Greeks and was renowned for its pearl trade. In the 3rd century AD, Bahrain was invaded by the Sassanids, who established their rule until the arrival of Islam in the 7th century AD.

Islamic Rule and European Influence

Bahrain embraced Islam in 629 AD during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad. From the 7th century until the early 16th century, the name Bahrain referred to a wider region stretching from Basrah to the Strait of Hormuz. During this period, various dynasties and tribes ruled Bahrain, including the Uyunids, Usfurids, and Jabrids. In 1521, the Portuguese Empire, in alliance with Hormuz, seized Bahrain and ruled for about 80 years until they were expelled by Shah Abbas I of Safavid Iran in 1602.

Modern Era

In the late 1800s, Bahrain became a protectorate of the United Kingdom after signing successive treaties with the British. This marked a period of European influence and growing international trade relations. In 1868, following the Qatari-Bahraini War, the British further solidified their control over Bahrain through agreements with the Al Khalifa rulers, who have ruled Bahrain since the late 18th century. Bahrain gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1971 and has since developed economically, with a focus on the banking, tourism, and petroleum sectors.

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