Bahrain Island: A Desert Pearl In The Arabian Gulf

Bahrain Island is the largest island in the archipelago of Bahrain, making up about 83% of the country's land mass and hosting the majority of its population. It is situated in a bay on the southwestern coast of the Persian Gulf, with its northeast tip home to the Bahraini capital, Manama. The island is connected to adjacent islands and the mainland of Saudi Arabia by a series of causeways and bridges. Bahrain Island is widely believed to be the site of the ancient kingdom of Dilmun, a commercial centre that traded with ancient Sumer.

Bahrain Island's geography and climate

The Kingdom of Bahrain is an island country in West Asia, situated in the Gulf of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, off the north shore of the Arabian Peninsula. It is an archipelago consisting of Bahrain Island and 33 natural islands, with an additional 33 artificial islands. The country's total land area is about 694 square kilometres (268 sq mi), about four times the size of the District of Columbia. Bahrain Island accounts for about 78% of the kingdom's land area.

Bahrain is surrounded by several large petroleum fields and commands a strategic position amid the Persian Gulf's shipping lanes. The seabed adjacent to Bahrain is rocky and covered by extensive coral reefs, mainly off the island's northern part. Most of the island is low-lying and barren desert, with outcroppings of limestone forming low rolling hills, cliffs, and ravines. The limestone is covered by various densities of saline sand, capable of supporting only the hardiest desert vegetation, including thorn trees and scrub. A fertile strip of land, five kilometres wide, runs along the northern coast, where date, almond, fig, and pomegranate trees grow. The interior contains an escarpment that rises to 134 metres, forming Jabal al Dukhan (Mountain of Smoke), named for the mists that often surround its summit. Most of the country's oil wells are located near Jabal al Dukhan.

Bahrain has an arid climate with two distinct seasons: an extremely hot summer and a relatively mild winter. During summer, from April to October, temperatures average 40 °C and can reach 46 °C. The combination of intense heat and high humidity makes this season uncomfortable. A hot, dry southwest wind, known as the qaws, periodically blows sand clouds across the southern end of the island. In winter, from November to March, temperatures range from 10 °C to 20 °C, but humidity often rises above 90%. From December to March, prevailing winds from the northwest, known as the shamal, bring damp air over the islands.

Bahrain receives little precipitation, with an average annual rainfall of 72 millimetres, usually confined to the winter months. No permanent rivers or streams exist on the islands, and rainwater is rarely saved for irrigation or drinking. However, there are numerous natural springs in the northern part of Bahrain and on adjacent islands, which have attracted settlers since ancient times. Underground freshwater deposits extend beneath the Persian Gulf to the Saudi Arabian coast. Since the early 1980s, desalination plants have provided about 60% of daily water consumption needs.

Bahrain's history

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 is renowned for its groves of date palms and is widely believed to be the site of the ancient kingdom of Dilmun, a commercial centre that traded with ancient Sumer.

Bahrain has been ruled and influenced by various groups, including the Persians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Portuguese, Arabs, and the British. Today, it is officially known as the Kingdom of Bahrain and is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family.

Antiquity in Bahrain

Bahrain was home to the Dilmun civilisation during the Bronze Age, making it an important trade centre that linked Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. From the 6th to the 3rd century BC, Bahrain was part of the Persian Empire, governed by the Achaemenid dynasty from Iran. During the classical era, the ancient Greeks referred to Bahrain as Tylos, the hub of pearl trading.

Middle Ages in Bahrain

In 899 AD, the Qarmatians, a millenarian Ismaili Muslim faction, conquered Bahrain and ruled until 976 AD when they were defeated by the Abbasids. The Qarmatians sought to create a utopian society based on reason and the redistribution of property.

Early Modern Era

In 1521, the Portuguese Empire, in alliance with Hormuz, seized control of Bahrain. Their rule lasted for about 80 years, after which they were expelled by Abbas I of the Safavid dynasty of Persia in 1602. This shift in power gave impetus to Shia Islam.

19th Century and Later

In the early 19th century, Bahrain was invaded by the Omanis and the Al Sauds. In 1820, the Al Khalifa tribe was recognised by the United Kingdom as the rulers of Bahrain, marking the beginning of British influence in the region. Bahrain gained independence from Britain in 1971 and has since undergone various economic and social reforms.

The country's government and politics

Bahrain is a semi-constitutional monarchy, with a bicameral legislature. The country is ruled by a Sunni king, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, whose family holds the main political and military posts. The king enjoys wide executive powers, including the ability to appoint the prime minister and his ministers, command the army, and chair the Higher Judicial Council. The head of government is the prime minister, Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who also serves as Deputy Commander of the Bahrain Defence Force.

The parliament consists of the Council of Representatives, with 40 members elected by absolute majority vote, and the Consultative Council (also called the Shura Council), with 40 members appointed directly by the king.

Bahrain held its first parliamentary elections in 1973, but the emir dissolved the parliament and suspended the constitution in 1975. The country became a semi-constitutional monarchy in 2002, and the first elections under this system were boycotted by the opposition. The most recent parliamentary elections were held in 2010.

Bahrain's politics have been marked by tension between the Shia majority and the Sunni rulers, which has sometimes boiled over into civil disobedience. The government has been criticised for violating the human rights of dissidents, political opposition figures, and the Shia majority.

Economy and industry

Bahrain's economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas, with petroleum being the country's most exported product. However, Bahrain has the smallest hydrocarbon reserves of any Persian Gulf state, and so the country has made efforts to diversify its economy. In 1975, the Kingdom of Bahrain instituted an industrial program to move away from oil and natural gas products. Since the late 20th century, Bahrain has invested heavily in the banking and tourism sectors.

Bahrain's finance industry is very successful, with the country being 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 has benefited from the regional boom driven by the demand for oil. Aluminium is the second most exported product, followed by finance and construction materials.

Bahrain's other industries include petrochemicals and plastics, engineering and aluminium, food and pharmacological, wearing apparel and textiles, and small and medium industries. Bahrain has also established itself as a regional financial and business centre, with many large financial structures in the country's capital, Manama.

Bahrain's currency, the Bahraini Dinar, is the second-highest-valued currency unit in the world. Bahrain was recognised by the World Bank as a high-income economy. Bahrain's gross domestic product grew by 2.45% in 2023, with the non-oil sector showing a robust increase of 4.48%, indicating the country's successful efforts towards economic diversification.

Bahrain's development as a major financial centre has been the most widely heralded aspect of its diversification effort. Bahrain's central bank issued 15 new licenses in 2001, and the country now has more than 100 offshore banking units and representative offices, as well as 65 American firms. Bahrain's international airport is one of the busiest in the Persian Gulf, serving 22 carriers.

Bahrain has a well-developed regulatory framework for the industry, and international financial institutions operate in the country, both offshore and onshore, without impediments. Taxation and import laws apply equally to Bahraini and foreign-owned companies, and foreign investors must comply with the same requirements and legislation as local firms.

Bahrain has also benefited from the oil boom since 2001, with economic growth of 5.5%. The success of ventures such as the Bahrain Grand Prix has raised the Kingdom's international profile, and combined with the boom in Islamic banking, has encouraged major airlines to resume services to the country.

Demographics and culture

Bahrain Island is the largest island in the archipelago of Bahrain, accounting for around 83% of the country's landmass. The country's population is concentrated in its two principal cities, Manama and Al Muharraq, with roughly half of the population being non-nationals, mostly from South and Southeast Asia. The population is ethnically diverse, with Shia Bahrainis divided into two main ethnic groups: Baharna and Ajam. Sunni Bahrainis are mainly divided into Arabs and Huwala. The official language of Bahrain is Arabic, although English is widely used and is a compulsory second language in schools.

Bahrain has a universal healthcare system, with government-provided healthcare being free for Bahraini citizens and subsidised for non-citizens. The country's education system is compulsory for children aged 6-14, and free for citizens in government schools. The country's literacy rate is high, with 91% of females over 15 years old being literate.

Islam is the official religion of Bahrain, forming around 74% of the population. However, the country is religiously diverse, with Christians making up about 14.5% of the population, and a small Jewish community of around 37 citizens. The country is known for its tolerance of other faiths, with intermarriages between Bahrainis and expatriates being common.

Bahrain has a rich cultural history, with the island being the site of the ancient kingdom of Dilmun, a commercial centre that traded with ancient Sumer. The country has a thriving art scene, with the modern art movement emerging in the 1950s. Literature also retains a strong tradition, with most traditional writers and poets writing in the classical Arabic style.

The country has a growing tourism industry, with over 11 million visitors in 2019, attracted by the country's combination of modern Arab culture and archaeological legacy. Popular historical tourist attractions include Qalat Al Bahrain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Bahrain National Museum, which houses artefacts dating back thousands of years.

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