Bahrain's Unique Diversity: Answers From The Island Kingdom

Bahrain is an island nation in the Middle East, in the Persian Gulf. It is known for its ancient heritage and modern marvels, with vibrant souks, bustling cityscapes, serene desert landscapes, and azure waters. Bahrain offers a captivating blend of tradition and modernity, with a rich history and culture. From its fascinating landmarks to its environmental issues, Bahrain is a small but mighty kingdom with a unique blend of attractions.

Capital of Bahrain

Manama is the capital of Bahrain, as well as its largest city. It is located in the northeast of Bahrain Island, in the Persian Gulf. The city is part of the Capital Governorate, one of five Governorates of Bahrain.

Manama has a diverse population of approximately 297,502 people as of 2012. It has long been an important trading centre in the Persian Gulf, with a traditional economy based on pearling, fishing, boatbuilding, and import trade.

The city was first mentioned in Islamic chronicles around 1345 CE. It has been held, with brief interruptions, by the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty since 1783. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Bahrain and Manama were under Portuguese and Persian control, and then under British hegemony. Manama became the capital of independent Bahrain in 1971.

Bahrain's oil wealth has helped spur the fast growth of Manama, and in the 1990s, a diversification effort led to expansion in other industries, transforming the city into a significant financial hub in the Middle East. It is now the focal point of the Bahraini economy, with a focus on financial services, heavy industry, banking, and tourism.

Bahrain's location

Bahrain is an island country in the Persian Gulf, situated between Qatar and the northeastern coast of Saudi Arabia. It is connected to Saudi Arabia by the King Fahd Causeway. Bahrain is officially known as the Kingdom of Bahrain and its capital and largest city is Manama.

The country is an archipelago consisting of Bahrain Island, which makes up around 83% of the country's landmass, and around 50 natural islands, as well as 33 artificial islands. Bahrain's total land area is slightly larger than that of Singapore. The main island is surrounded by smaller islands, including Al-Muharraq and Sitrah, which are joined to Bahrain Island by causeways. The Hawar Islands, situated near the coast of Qatar, are believed to hold petroleum and natural gas reserves.

Bahrain is located in one of the world's chief oil-producing regions but has only small stores of petroleum. The country's economy has long relied on processing crude oil from neighbouring countries, as well as the financial, commercial services, and tourism sectors.

Bahrain's currency

The currency of Bahrain is the Bahraini dinar. As of October 2, 2024, 1 Bahraini dinar (BHD) is equivalent to 2.652683 US dollars (USD), and 1 USD is equivalent to 0.376976819 BHD.

The Bahraini dinar is also known as the dinar, which is the currency of several other countries in the Middle East, including Kuwait and Iraq. The dinar is further subdivided into 1,000 fils; however, due to the low value of the fil, it is no longer in circulation.

The Bahraini dinar was introduced in 1965, replacing the Gulf rupee as the country's currency. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Central Bank of Bahrain, which was established in 1973.

The Bahraini dinar is pegged to the International Monetary Fund's special drawing rights standard, which is based on a basket of international currencies including the US dollar, the euro, the Chinese yuan, the Japanese yen, and the pound sterling. This means that the value of the Bahraini dinar is linked to the value of these other currencies and will fluctuate with changes in their values.

Percentage of population living in urban areas

The percentage of the population living in urban areas in Bahrain is high compared to other countries. In 2023, the urban population of Bahrain was around 89.87%, which was the highest in the observed period. This percentage increased in 2024, with one source stating that 100% of Bahrain's population of 1,607,049 people live in urban areas. This is a stark contrast to the country's urban population in 1960, which was 110,000.

The high percentage of people living in urban areas in Bahrain can be attributed to the country's small total land area. Bahrain is a small island nation with a total land area of 760 square kilometres (293 square miles). The population density in Bahrain is 2115 people per square kilometre.

The urban population of Bahrain has been steadily increasing over the years, with the World Bank reporting the following figures:

• 1,321,226 in 2022
• 1,311,407 in 2021
• 1,322,423 in 2020
• 1,335,714 in 2019

It is important to note that the definition of "urban" can vary between countries, and international comparisons may not always be consistent. Urban population typically refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices and is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.

Date of oil discovery

Oil was first discovered in Bahrain on 16 October 1931, when it spurted from the First Oil Well in the Arabian side of the Persian Gulf. The well was located below Jebel Dukhan and was discovered and operated by the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO), which was established in 1929 in Canada by the Standard Oil Company of California.

On the morning of 2 June 1932, the well began to blow heads of oil, with an initial flow rate of 9,600 barrels per day. By the 1970s, the well was producing 70,000 barrels per day, and it eventually stabilized at around 35,000.

In April 2018, the Bahraini government announced its biggest oil discovery since the 1930s: an extensive reservoir off Bahrain's west coast, estimated to contain 80 billion barrels of tight oil. This discovery eclipsed Bahrain's proven reserves, which stood at 3 trillion cubic feet.

Bahrain's crude oil production has averaged 200,000 barrels per day in recent months, with the majority of this oil coming from the offshore Abu Safah field, jointly owned with Saudi Arabia. Bahrain also produces more than 40,000 barrels per day from its onshore Bahrain field.

Frequently asked questions