Bahrain

Quick Facts

[edit]

Capital

Al Manama

Population

645,000

Government

Constitutional Hereditary Monarchy

Religions

Islam (Shi'a, Sunni), Christianity

Languages

Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Calling Code

+973

Nationality

Bahraini

Local name

Al Bahrayn

Help contribute to this article to share the ad revenue.

Introduction

Grand Mosque with modern skyscraper background

© All Rights Reserved lost again

As the Middle East's only island state, Bahrain (مملكة البحرين) is unique from its fellow Gulf nations for its lush environment. The Sumerian civilization saw Bahrain as a holy island, as did the Babylonians. Modern-day musings that it may have been the site of the Garden of Eden perpetuate this image further. In truth, however, development has put the environment under some strain and the land is not quite as lush as it used to be.

Bahrain's long past and involvement in Middle East history saw it pass through Dilmun, Assyrian, Babylonian, Greek, Portugese and Persian hands before hitting its stride as an independent nation in the 19th century. Since independence, Bahrain has propelled its economy forward with oil, but has diversified its economic basis, ensuring a long-term stability. Bahrain's modern capital, Manama, highlights the nation's prosperity. Elsewhere, most Bahrainis stick to a fairly traditional, conservative way of life.

Brief History

Geography

Governorates

Bahrain is split into five administrative regions, known as governorates.

• Capital Governorate
• Central Governorate
• Muharraq Governorate
• Northern Governorate
• Southern Governorate

Cities

• Al Manama - Is the capital of Bahrain and its most populous city.
• Al Muharraq
• Hamad Town
• Isa Town
• Riffa
• Jidhafs
• Sitrah
• Al-Hidd

Sights and Activities

Qal'at al-Bahrain

Qal'at al-Bahrain is an amazing archaeological site in Bahrain. This site was first occupied by humans in 2300 BC and was finally completely abandoned in the 1700s. Its main claim to fame is that it was the capital of the Dilmun civilization, which ruled most of the Persian Gulf from 2200 to 1600 BC. More presently on top of the 12 m high mound is an impressive colonial era Portuguese Fort. With 25% of the site excavated many great relics have been found. Because of its long history from 2300 BC to the colonial era Qal'at al-Bahrain was made into a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

Amwaj Islands

Amwaj Islands, just recently completed, are man-made islands just off the north coast of Muharraq. The developers offer a combination of residential areas with commercial districts and some very high end resorts. The area will mix the beauty of the sea with modern day shopping centers and living areas. Some of the very high end rental properties include amazing canal and beach front villas. The different island are worth checking out to see how the super rich in the Middle East live.

Bahrain National Museum

Bahrain National Museum opened in 1988, this museum features a stunning collection of archaeological artifacts. The collection covers over 6000 years of history, featuring the history of the Bahrain area. There are also many old documents, including some tablets featuring a scene from the Epic of Gilgamesh. There is even a relocated burial mound from the desert for visitors to explore. In 1993 a new area of the museum was opened featuring the natural history of Bahrain.

Bahrain World Trade Center

The Bahrain World Trade Center are two towers with reflecting design located in the capital and were completed in 2008. Each tower is 240 m high with 50 floors each. The coolest feature of these space age towers is that they are the first buildings in the world to incorporate wind power turbines into the design. The turbines provide 11% to 15% of the power for the buildings each year.

Other Sights and Activities

• Beaches - Chill out some amazing beaches on this island nation.
• King Fahd Causeway - Is multi dyke bridge connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia and all bridges combined are 12,430 m (40,781 ft) in length.
• Bahrain Grand Mosque - Visit this wonderful Mosque in the capital.
• Bahrain Grand Prix - Catch a Formula One Championship Race at this track.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting there

By Plane

Bahrain International Airport is where all international flights depart and arrive. The main national carrier is Gulf Air with flights both in the region as further away to many destinations in Asia, Europe and less so to other places. Main destinations include Paris, London, Istanbul, Bangkok, Shanghai and Delhi.
Although still in the early stages, the lowcost airline Bahrain Air is planning to serve about 10-15 destinations in the Middle East in the near future. For know, destinations include Alexandria, Dubai, Beirut and Mashad in Iran.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Red Tape

Money

Work

Study

Language

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

Post