Discovering Bahrain: A Country's Location And Significance

Bahrain is an island country in West Asia, situated on the Persian Gulf. It is an archipelago consisting of around 30 islands, including the largest, Bahrain Island, which makes up around 83% of the country's landmass. The country's name, 'Bahrain', means 'two seas' in Arabic. It is connected to Saudi Arabia by the King Fahd Causeway and is bordered by Qatar and Iran. Bahrain's capital and largest city is Manama.

Bahrain is an archipelago of islands in the Persian Gulf

Bahrain consists of Bahrain Island, which makes up around 83% of the country's landmass, and around 30 smaller islands. The two largest groups of islands are separated and extend about 30 miles from north to south and 10 miles from east to west. The smaller islands surrounding Bahrain Island, such as Al-Muharraq and Sitrah, are joined to the main island by causeways. The second group consists of the Hawar Islands, located near the coast of Qatar.

The total land area of Bahrain is slightly larger than that of Singapore, covering 760 square kilometres (or 290 square miles). Bahrain does not share a land boundary with any other country but has a 161-kilometre coastline. The highest point in the country is Al-Dukhan Hill, rising to 134 metres (440 feet) above sea level.

The name Bahrain is derived from the Arabic term "al-baḥrayn," meaning "two seas." This name is believed to refer to the bay east and west of the island, the seas north and south, or the salt and freshwater present above and below the ground.

The country is ruled by a constitutional monarchy

The Kingdom of Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy, ruled by the Al Khalifa family, who have been in power since the late 1700s. The current ruler, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has been Emir of Bahrain since 1999 and King since 2002.

Bahrain's government is a mix of hereditary and elected positions. The King is the hereditary head of state, and has broad powers, including the ability to ratify constitutional amendments, propose legislation, and veto laws. The Prime Minister is appointed by the King, and the Ministers are appointed by the King on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The parliament is a bicameral legislature, with the Council of Representatives elected by universal suffrage, and the Consultative Council (also called the Shura Council) appointed directly by the King. The Shura Council has the power to veto legislation, which has been a point of contention for opposition parties.

The country's first constitution was promulgated in 1973, but it was suspended in 1975 when the Amir disbanded the National Assembly after it attempted to end Al-Khalifa rule and expel the U.S. Navy from Bahrain.

In the late 1990s, Bahrain suffered from repeated incidents of political violence stemming from the disaffection of the Shia majority. In 1999, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa became Emir and instituted a series of democratic reforms, including the transformation of Bahrain from a hereditary emirate to a constitutional monarchy. As part of these reforms, a referendum was held in 2001 on the National Action Charter, which was overwhelmingly supported by the Bahraini people. The following year, Bahrain officially became a constitutional monarchy, with Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as King.

Bahrain's economy is largely dependent on oil

Bahrain is a small Arab state located in the Persian Gulf, comprising a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and 33 artificial islands. It is situated between Qatar and Saudi Arabia's northeastern coast and is connected to the latter by the King Fahd Causeway.

Bahrain's economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas, with petroleum being the country's most exported product. Oil revenues account for a significant portion of the government's income, contributing to around 60% of export receipts, 70% of government revenues, and 11% of GDP. While Bahrain has made efforts to diversify its economy, oil still plays a dominant role, with low energy prices impacting the country's budget deficits.

Bahrain has invested in the banking and tourism sectors, with the country's capital, Manama, being home to many large financial institutions. The country has also developed a successful finance industry, with Islamic banking benefiting from the regional boom driven by oil demand. Bahrain's other industries include aluminium production, petrochemicals, and manufacturing.

Despite its small size, Bahrain has a well-developed road network, modern communication infrastructure, and a busy port that offers direct shipping connections worldwide. The country has also invested in education and healthcare, providing free schooling to its citizens and making education compulsory for children between 6 and 14 years old.

It has a rich history, including the ancient Dilmun civilisation

Bahrain is widely believed to be the site of the ancient kingdom of Dilmun, a commercial centre that traded with ancient Sumer. The Dilmun civilisation was an important trading centre, controlling the Persian Gulf trade routes between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. It is also believed to have had commercial ties with ancient sites at Elam in Oman, Alba in Syria and Haittan in Turkey.

Dilmun is referenced in Sumerian cuneiform clay tablets dated to the late third millennium BC, found in the temple of goddess Inanna, in the city of Uruk. The name is also used to describe a type of axe and one specific official, and there are lists of rations of wool issued to people connected with Dilmun. One of the earliest inscriptions mentioning Dilmun is that of King Ur-Nanshe of Lagash, found in a door socket: "The ships of Dilmun brought him wood as tribute from foreign lands."

From about 2050 BC, Dilmun seems to have had its heyday. Qal'at al-Bahrain was most likely the capital of Dilmun. From texts found at Isin, it becomes clear that Dilmun became an independent kingdom, free from Mesopotamian rule. At about this time, the largest royal burial mounds were erected. From about 1780 BC came several Akkadian-language inscriptions on stone vessels naming two kings of Dilmun, King Yagli-El and his father, Rimum. The inscriptions were found in huge tumuli, evidently the burial places of these kings.

From about 1720 BC, a decline is visible. Many settlements were no longer used, and the building of royal mounds ceased. From about 1650 BC, a ‘recovering’ period is detectable. New royal burial mounds were built, and there is evidence for increased building activity at Qal'at al-Bahrain. To this period belongs a further inscription, on a seal, found at Failaka and preserving a king's name: " [La]'ù-la Panipa, daughter of Sumu-lěl, the servant of Inzak of Akarum." Sumu-lěl was evidently a third king of Dilmun from around this period.

It seems that, at least from 1500 BC, Dilmun was under the rule of the Akkadian-speaking Mesopotamian Sealand Dynasty. After the reign of the Sealand-Dynasty King Ea-gamil, Dilmun came under the rule of the Babylonian Kassite dynasty. Dilmun was mentioned in two letters dated to the reign of Burna-Buriash II, recovered from Nippur during the Kassite dynasty of Babylon. These letters were from a provincial official named Ilī-ippašra, in Dilmun, to his friend, Enlil-kidinni, the governor of Nippur. Following the collapse of the Kassite dynasty in 1595 BC, Mesopotamian documents make no mention of Dilmun until Assyrian inscriptions dated from 1250 BC to 1050 BC, which proclaimed Assyrian kings to be rulers of Dilmun.

The name of Dilmun fell from use after the collapse of Babylon in 538 BC, with the area henceforth identified as Tylos during the Hellenistic period.

The country is home to a diverse range of plant and animal life

Bahrain is home to a wide range of flora and fauna. The archipelago's wildlife is characterised by its flora and fauna. The country's climate is very hot in the summer and mild in the winter, with an average temperature of 38°C in August and 20°C in January. The terrain is mostly arid, with agriculture only possible on 8% of the land.

The country has recorded 196 species of higher plants, 17 species of terrestrial mammals, 14 species of reptiles, 1 species of amphibian, and 54 species of fish. Bahrain is also home to many migratory birds, with more than 330 species recorded in the archipelago. The Hawar Islands, in particular, are an important bird habitat, providing feeding and breeding grounds for a variety of migratory seabirds.

The country's national bird is the bulbul, and its national animal is the Arabian oryx. The national flower is the Deena.

The north and west of the main island feature date palms, citrus trees, and alfalfa. This irrigated region supports many plant species that are absent in the arid conditions elsewhere. The Tree of Life, a 400-year-old Prosopis cineraria tree, is a notable feature of the landscape.

The coastal soils are home to salt-tolerant plants, such as the dwarf shrub Zygophyllum qatarense. Further inland, perennial plants adapt to arid conditions by being dwarf or prostrate, having deep root systems, and reducing their leaf surface area.

The largest terrestrial mammal in Bahrain is the sand gazelle, which is found on the privately owned island of Umm an Nasan, as well as on Bahrain Island and the Hawar Islands. Other mammals include the Arabian hare, the desert hedgehog, the long-eared hedgehog, and the Indian grey mongoose.

Bahrain has recorded about 340 species of birds, most of which are migrants travelling south in autumn and north in spring. The Hawar Islands, with their varied habitats, attract many of these birds, including sandpipers, curlews, and plovers. The islands are also an important breeding ground for the Socotra cormorant, with the largest colony of these birds found on South Suwad Island.

The Hawar Islands have been designated as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area by BirdLife International. In addition, they are home to the largest aggregation of dugongs outside of Australia.

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