Just half of Bahrainis and Qataris (53%) and two-thirds of those in the United Arab Emirates (64%) had access in 2009. [92], Bahrain participated in the Second World War on the Allied side, joining on 10 September 1939. [20][page needed], It remains disputed which "two seas" the name Bahrayn originally refers to. It will be based at a planned "Media City". [48][51] The sedentary people of pre-Islamic Bahrain were Aramaic speakers and to some degree Persian speakers, while Syriac functioned as a liturgical language. Later in the same decade the Bahrain Maritime Airport was established, for flying-boats and seaplanes. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared an Islamic constitutional monarchy in 2002. Bahrain hopes scuba divers from around the world will visit the underwater park, which will also include artificial coral reefs, a copy of a Bahraini pearl merchant's house, and sculptures. Akhbar Al Khaleej (أخبار الخليج) and Al Ayam (الأيام) are examples of major Arabic newspapers published daily. [268], Bahrain was one of 11 Arab states which counted a majority of female university graduates in science and engineering in 2014. [36] Herodotus also believed that the homeland of the Phoenicians was Bahrain. [146] The 2011 by-election was held to replace 18 members of Al Wefaq who resigned in protest against government crackdown. Bahrain developed the first post-oil economy in the Persian Gulf,[18] the result of decades of investing in the banking and tourism sectors;[19] many of the world's largest financial institutions have a presence in the country's capital. [281] Although the majority of the country's citizens are Shia, the royal family and most Bahrani elites are Sunni. The medieval grammarian al-Jawaharicommented on this saying that the more f… [311][312][313], The modern art movement in the country officially emerged in the 1950s, culminating in the establishment of an art society. Expressionism and surrealism, as well as calligraphic art are the popular forms of art in the country. [26] The island and kingdom were also commonly spelled Bahrein[15][27] into the 1950s. [344], On August 3, 2020, the Kingdom of Bahrain bought a minority stake in the Paris F.C., a team that plays in France’s second tier. Some clerical opponents and families such as al Dossari left or were exiled to Saudi Arabia and Iran. The architecture of Bahrain is similar to that of its neighbours in the Persian Gulf. Alees Samaan, a former Bahraini ambassador to the United Kingdom is a native Christian. The country had already begun diversification of its economy and benefited further from the Lebanese Civil War in the 1970s and 1980s, when Bahrain replaced Beirut as the Middle East's financial hub after Lebanon's large banking sector was driven out of the country by the war. He also stated that "In Bahrain, the government continue to question, detain and arrest Shia clerics, community members and opposition politicians. [66] During most of this period, they resorted to governing Bahrain indirectly, either through the city of Bushehr or through immigrant Sunni Arab clans. Foi adoptado em 1971. [330] Bahrain has its own top-tier domestic professional football league, the Bahraini Premier League. [94], After World War II, increasing anti-British sentiment spread throughout the Arab World and led to riots in Bahrain. [83] Sheikh Issa was the first of the Al Khalifa to rule without Persian relations. [181], The period between 1975 and 1999 known as the "State Security Law Era", saw wide range of human rights violations including arbitrary arrests, detention without trial, torture and forced exile. This was Iqlīm al-Bahrayn's "Bahrayn Province." [175][176], Saudi Arabian troops were sent into Bahrain to crush pro-democracy protests in 2011. In 2008, there were 17,743,495 passengers transiting through the causeway.[257]. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, while the UAE's Jebel Ali port is the busiest port of call for American warships outside of the U.S. Bahrain hosts … Qal’at Bu Mahir and Bu Mahir Visitor’s Centre: Wed-Mon, 10.15am-4.30pm. As of 2008[update], 37 Jews remained in the country. They managed to organise a rally attended by 500 participants. [213], Women in Bahrain acquired voting rights and the right to stand in national elections in the 2002 election. [268], The University of Bahrain had over 20,000 students in 2014, 65% of whom are women, and around 900 faculty members, 40% of whom are women. The bonds were sold in seven year, 12-year and 30-year tranches. [337] The decision to hold the race despite ongoing protests and violence[338] has been described as "controversial" by Al Jazeera English,[339] CNN,[340] AFP[341] and Sky News. [170], Bahrain has established bilateral relations with 190 countries worldwide. [303] Malaria and tuberculosis (TB) do not constitute major problems in Bahrain as neither disease is indigenous to the country. [25] The entire coastal strip of Eastern Arabia was known as "Bahrain" for a millennium. [133] Although the traditional male attire is the thobe which also includes traditional headdresses such as the keffiyeh, ghutra and agal, Western clothing is common in the country. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to a number of multinational firms and construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Bahrain is the site of the ancient Dilmun civilization. [268], Apart from the Ministry of Education and the Higher Education Council, the two main hives of activity in science, technology, and innovation are the University of Bahrain (established in 1986) and the Bahrain Centre for Strategic, International, and Energy Studies. [268], In 2010, Bahrain's population grew to 1.2 million, of which 568,399 were Bahraini and 666,172 were non-nationals. This TV film showed all the violations that have been taken against the rights of Bahraini citizens during the uprising. The University of Bahrain was established for standard undergraduate and graduate study, and the King Abdulaziz University College of Health Sciences, operating under the direction of the Ministry of Health, trains physicians, nurses, pharmacists and paramedics. [261] In 2004, Zain (a rebranded version of MTC Vodafone) started operations in Bahrain and in 2010 VIVA (owned by STC Group) became the third company to provide mobile services. Dr Ali Al-Moulani, President of the Bahrain Economists Society, said as visitor levels return to pre-pandemic levels Bahrain would receive a much-needed boost. As for cultural sites, residents, visitors, and tourists can re-live history through Bahrain’s many historical sites. Islamists opposed the law because "neither elected MPs nor the government has the authority to change the law because these institutions could misinterpret the word of God". 15 March 2008, Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain, Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, most densely populated sovereign state in the world, Ethnic, cultural and religious groups of Bahrain, King Abdulaziz University College of Health Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology International Centre, International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, "CONSTITUTION OF THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN (ISSUED IN 2002) AND ITS AMENDMENTS (ISSUED IN 2012)", United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, "Bahraini Census 2010 – تعداد السكــان العام للبحريــن 2010", "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2018", "Area of Bahrain Expands to 765.3 square kilometres", "Bahrain says ban on protests in response to rising violence", "How Bahrain uses sport to whitewash a legacy of torture and human rights abuses | David Conn | Sport", "Bahrain's economy praised for diversity and sustainability", "Qal'at al-Bahrain – Ancient Harbour and Capital of Dilmun", "Social and political change in Bahrain since the First World War", "The letters of the Prophet Muhammed beyond Arabia", The Politics of Protection in the Persian Gulf: The Arab Rulers and the British Resident in the Nineteenth Century, "Near & Middle East Titles: Bahrain Government Annual Reports 1924–1970", "Bahrain:"How was separated from Iran" ? Endings are added to the word with no changes, as in the name of the national anthem Bahraynunā ("our Bahrain") or the demonym Bahraynī. The seas around Bahrain are very shallow, heating up quickly in the summer to produce very high humidity, especially at night. Brill, 2008. Later, different Arab family clans and tribes from Qatar moved to Bahrain to settle after the fall of Nasr Al-Madhkur of Bushehr. [122][123][124][125][126] More than 80 civilians and 13 policemen have been killed as of March 2014[update]. [174] Relations with Iran tend to be tense as a result of a failed coup in 1981 which Bahrain blames Iran for and occasional claims of Iranian sovereignty over Bahrain by ultra-conservative elements in the Iranian public. [315] The annual Spring of Culture [316] festival run by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities[317] has become a popular event promoting performance arts in the Kingdom. [309] Intermarriages between Bahrainis and expatriates are not uncommon—there are many Filipino-Bahrainis like Filipino child actress Mona Marbella Al-Alawi. [295] The project's objective is to connect all schools within the kingdom with the Internet. After approval, the king may ratify and issue the act or return it within six months to the National Assembly where it may only pass into law if approved by two thirds of both councils. [320], In literature, Bahrain was the site of the ancient land of Dilmun mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh. [300] The first hospital in Bahrain was the American Mission Hospital, which opened in 1893 as a dispensary. [citation needed] According to the 2001 census, 81.2% of Bahrain's population was Muslim, 10% were Christian, and 9.8% practised Hinduism or other religions. On 19 October 1940, four Italian SM.82s bombers bombed Bahrain alongside Dhahran oilfields in Saudi Arabia,[93] targeting Allied-operated oil refineries. As a tourist destination, Bahrain received over eight million visitors in 2008. The sawt style of music, which involves a complex form of urban music, performed by an Oud (plucked lute), a violin and mirwas (a drum), is also popular in Bahrain. [91] This was to bring rapid modernisation to Bahrain. The country's natural resources include large quantities of oil and natural gas as well as fish in the offshore waters. In 1802 it was governed by a 12-year-old child, when the Omani ruler Sayyid Sultan installed his son, Salim, as governor in the Arad Fort. The telecommunications sector in Bahrain officially started in 1981 with the establishment of Bahrain's first telecommunications company, Batelco and until 2004, it monopolised the sector. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. In the mid-15th century, the archipelago came under the rule of the Jabrids, a Bedouin dynasty also based in Al-Ahsa that ruled most of eastern Arabia. In 1927, Rezā Shāh, then Shah of Iran, demanded sovereignty over Bahrain in a letter to the League of Nations, a move that prompted Belgrave to undertake harsh measures including encouraging conflicts between Shia and Sunni Muslims in order to bring down the uprisings and limit the Iranian influence. [33], Alexander had planned to settle Greek colonists in Bahrain, and although it is not clear that this happened on the scale he envisaged, Bahrain became very much part of the Hellenised world: the language of the upper classes was Greek (although Aramaic was in everyday use), while Zeus was worshipped in the form of the Arabian sun-god Shams. Places to see, ways to wander, and signature experiences. If you get sick in Bahrain and need medical care, resources may be limited. [88] At the same time, the pearl diving industry developed at a rapid pace. They hold most government positions and the Bahraini monarchy are Sunni Arabs. [318], Literature retains a strong tradition in the country; most traditional writers and poets write in the classical Arabic style. [30][page needed], During the classical era, Bahrain was referred to by the ancient Greeks as Tylos, the centre of pearl trading, when the Greek admiral Nearchus serving under Alexander the Great landed on Bahrain. [31] Nearchus is believed to have been the first of Alexander's commanders to visit the island, and he found a verdant land that was part of a wide trading network; he recorded: "That on the island of Tylos, situated in the Persian Gulf, are large plantations of cotton trees, from which are manufactured clothes called sindones, of strongly differing degrees of value, some being costly, others less expensive. Sir Arnold Wilson, Britain's representative in the Persian Gulf and author of The Persian Gulf, arrived in Bahrain from Muscat at this time. [12] At 780 square kilometres (300 sq mi) in size, it is the third-smallest nation in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore. [271][272] Bahrain is the fourth most densely populated sovereign state in the world with a population density of 1,646 people per km2 in 2010. The Cambridge History of Iran, Cambridge University Press 1968 p40, Jean Francois Salles in Traces of Paradise: The Archaeology of Bahrain, 2500BC-300AD in Michael Rice, Harriet Crawford Ed, IB Tauris, 2002 p132. [329] Bahrain's national football team has competed multiple times at the Asian Cup, Arab Nations Cup and played in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, though it has never qualified for the World Cup. [321][322], The music style in Bahrain is similar to that of its neighbors. [139] Rainfall in Bahrain is minimal and irregular. [76], In the early 19th century, Bahrain was invaded by both the Omanis and the Al Sauds. [82], Unrest amongst the people of Bahrain began when Britain officially established complete dominance over the territory in 1892. From the 3rd century BC to the arrival of Islam in the 7th century AD, Bahrain was controlled by two other Iranian dynasties, the Parthians and the Sassanids. In 1783, the Bani Utbah clan captured Bahrain from Nasr Al-Madhkur and it has since been ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family, with Ahmed al Fateh as Bahrain's first hakim. The Bahrain National Museum has artefacts from the country's history dating back to the island's first human inhabitants some 9000 years ago and the Beit Al Quran (Arabic: بيت القرآن, meaning: the House of Qur'an) is a museum that holds Islamic artefacts of the Qur'an. Bahrain Tourism: Tripadvisor has 87,295 reviews of Bahrain Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Bahrain resource. The latter were tribes returning to the Arabian side of the Persian Gulf from Persian territories in the north who were known as Huwala. There are also private schools that offer either the IB Diploma Programme or United Kingdom's A-Levels. The island nation comprises a small archipelago made up of 51 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered around Bahrain Island which makes up around 83 percent of the country's landmass. [223] An independent commission, set up to look into the unrest, found that state media coverage was at times inflammatory. [4] The 2010 census records that the Muslim proportion had fallen to 70.2% (the 2010 census did not differentiate between the non-Muslim religions). Represented on the 9th and 10th day of the Hijri month of Muharram. [329] The government of Bahrain also sponsors a UCI WorldTeam cycling team, Bahrain–Merida, which participated in the 2017 Tour de France. [108] As part of the adoption of the National Action Charter on 14 February 2002, Bahrain changed its formal name from the State (dawla) of Bahrain to the Kingdom of Bahrain. [155], In 2006, Lateefa Al Gaood became the first female MP after winning by default. [286] Various sources cite Bahrain's native Jewish community as being from 36 to 50 people. [256] Transits between the two islands peaked after the construction of the Bahrain International Airport in 1932. [260] A nationwide metro system is currently under construction and is due to be operational by 2023. such as the Spring of Culture in March and April, the Bahrain Summer Festival and Ta’a Al-Shabab from August to September, and the Bahrain International Music Festival in October which features musical and theatrical performances, lectures, and much more. [326], In 2018, Cricket was introduced in Bahrain under initiative of KHK Sports and Exelon. In 1911, a group of Bahraini merchants demanded restrictions on the British influence in the country. Muhammad ordered a surprise attack on the Banu Salim tribe for allegedly plotting to attack Medina.