Exploring Bahrain: Its Unique Culture And Rich History

Bahrain is a small Arab state situated in the Persian Gulf, consisting of Bahrain Island and around 30 smaller islands. It is renowned for its multiculturalism, thriving economy, rich history, and archaeological sites. Bahrain has a predominantly Muslim population, with a mix of Shia and Sunni citizens. The country is also known for its ethnic diversity, with native Bahrainis and foreign-born inhabitants from countries like Iran, India, and the United States. Bahrain has a subtropical climate, desert vegetation, and is famous for its date palms and camels. It is also known for its Formula One racing events and for being one of the earliest adopters of Islam.

Pearls and pearl diving

Bahrain is famous for its pearls and has a rich history of pearl diving. Known as 'Natural Arabian Gulf Pearls', these pearls are famous for their high lustre and range in colour from white to light yellow. They are also known for their purity, brilliance and stunning beauty. This is thought to be due to the oyster beds being located near underwater sweet water springs.

Pearl diving in Bahrain was first mentioned in Assyrian texts dating back to 2000 BC, referring to "fish eyes" from Dilmun (the ancient polity encompassing Bahrain). Pliny, the renowned Roman author, naturalist and philosopher, also mentioned Bahrain (as Tylos, its Greek name) and its abundance of pearls. The golden age of pearling is stated to have been between the 1850s and 1930, when pearls were more precious than diamonds. During this time, jewellers such as Jacques Cartier visited the country to select natural pearls for their jewellery.

The pearling economy reached its peak in 1911-1912, after which a series of events, including wars, price crashes, the arrival of cheap cultivated pearls, and the Wall Street Crash, led to its decline. By the 1930s, the industry had collapsed, and most divers switched to the newly founded oil sector. Today, the trading of cultured pearls in Bahrain is prohibited, and only a few pearl divers remain.

The Bahrain Pearling Path is a serial cultural heritage site recognised by UNESCO. It consists of three oyster beds in the northern waters of Bahrain, a segment of the coast, and the seafront Bu Mahir fort in the southern tip of Muharraq Island, as well as 17 buildings in the historical section of Muharraq. Visitors can follow a 3.5km pathway, known as 'The Path', which includes various buildings that were involved in the pearling economy, such as the residences and majlises of pearl merchants, traders and divers.

Multiculturalism

Bahrain is known for its cosmopolitanism and ethnic diversity. Bahraini citizens belong to at least 8–9 different ethnic groups, with around half of the population being Arabs. The rest are foreign-born, mostly from Iran, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Britain, and the United States.

The state religion of Bahrain is Islam, with around 70% of the population being Shia Muslims and 30% Sunni Muslims. However, the country is tolerant towards other religions, with Catholic and Orthodox churches, Hindu temples, and a Jewish synagogue present on the island.

Arabic is the official language of Bahrain, but English is widely spoken and is taught as a compulsory second language in schools. Persian is also common, especially among the Persian Shia community, who maintain a distinct culture and language that has greatly influenced Bahraini culture. Other languages spoken in Bahrain include Urdu, Hindi, and Tagalog.

Bahrain's cultural diversity is reflected in its thriving art and food scene, offering a distinctive multicultural experience to both locals and tourists.

Ancient history

Bahrain is an archipelago of over 30 islands in the Persian Gulf, strategically located between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. It has been inhabited for over 5,000 years and is known for its ancient history, having been a central location for the Dilmun civilisation, which traded with Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilisation. Bahrain was also a key link between other ancient civilisations, including the Phoenicians in the Levant, Mesopotamia in ancient Iraq, and the Nile Valley in Ancient Egypt.

Bahrain was known in ancient times as 'the Land of Immortality' or 'the Great Paradise' due to its freshwater springs and palm tree fields. It was first inhabited by the Dilmun, who traded with ancient Sumer and whose kingdom is thought to have flourished between 2200 and 1600 BC. The Dilmun are referenced in Sumerian clay tablets from the end of the fourth millennium BC, found in the temple of the goddess Inanna in the city of Uruk. The Dilmun are also mentioned in letters from the 14th century BC, recovered from Nippur, and in Assyrian inscriptions from 1250 BC.

Bahrain was later ruled by the Persians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Portuguese, Arabs, and the British, among others. It was referred to by the ancient Greeks as Tylos, a centre of pearl trading. Tylos was very much part of the Hellenised world: the language of the upper classes was Greek, and local coinage featured a seated Zeus, who may have been worshipped as a syncretised form of the Arabian sun god Shams.

Bahrain was one of the earliest adopters of Islam, converting as early as 628 AD, four years before the death of the Prophet Mohammed. The Al-Khamis Mosque, founded in 692 AD, was Bahrain's first mosque and is one of the oldest and most important mosques in the world.

Oil

BAPCO operates a 267,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery, with storage facilities for 14 million barrels, a marketing terminal, and a marine terminal. The company's products are exported to the Middle East, India, the Far East, Southeast Asia, and Africa. While Bahrain's oil and gas industry is minor compared to its neighbours, it has traditionally made up more than 70% of the nation's GDP. Most of the country's oil and gas production comes from its onshore Bahrain field and offshore Abu Safah field, with the latter contributing the majority of output.

Bahrain's oil reserves are limited compared to the vast oil fields of neighbouring countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In 2018, Bahrain made a significant discovery in its offshore Khalij al-Bahrain reservoir, boosting expected reserves by 80 billion barrels. As of 2023, Bahrain's oil reserves were estimated at 124.6 million barrels, with a production capacity of 205,000 barrels per day.

While oil has been a key driver of Bahrain's economy, the country has been diversifying its economy since the 1970s, developing non-hydrocarbon sectors such as Islamic banking, tourism, and construction. The government has also set ambitious sustainability goals, aiming to generate 20% of the country's energy from renewable sources by 2035 and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.

Motorsport

Bahrain is known for being a hub for motorsports in the Middle East. In 2004, the country hosted the first-ever Grand Prix in the Middle East, putting the region on the map for large sporting events. The Bahrain International Circuit, located in the Sakhir desert, is an ultramodern motorsport venue that was also the first track in the region to host the Formula 1 World Championship. The circuit has five different track layouts and hosts over 400 events annually, including international, regional, and local racing series. The Bahrain 1 Racing team, owned by the Personal Representative of His Majesty the King Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, won the 2019 NHRA World Championship for Pro Mod cars.

Bahrain's motorsport scene includes various clubs and organisations, such as the Bahrain Motor Federation, which oversees marshalling for motorsports events, as well as the Bahrain Drag Racing Club, Bahrain Circuit Racing Club, Bahrain Motorcycle Club, and Bahrain Karting Club. The country also has a National Race Day, featuring top local talent in highly competitive series.

The Bahrain International Circuit is not just about racing, though. It is also a contemporary sports and entertainment venue, hosting various events and offering track experiences for both experienced and beginner drivers. The circuit has delivered some of the most iconic moments in modern Formula 1 racing, contributing to Bahrain's reputation as a motorsports destination.

Frequently asked questions