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This is a collection of pictures from Bahrain. It is the result of a single trip to the rich country in the Persian Gulf.
If you look into this link to Bahrain, you will only find this article. In time, there will also be a travelogue with the content of the visit to the country and articles from three World Heritage Sites. For now, please settle with this collection of about 90 pictures from Bahrain.
Images from the rich oil and gas nation of Bahrain. The pictures are mainly from the populated northern end of the island.
95 Photos
Fast facts
Learn about the country on Wikipedia. Here is a moderated excerpt:
The basics
Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. It lies in the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island which makes up around 83 per cent of the country’s landmass. Bahrain borders Qatar to the west across the sea and the northeastern coast of Saudi Arabia, to which it is connects by the King Fahd Causeway. The population of Bahrain is 1,501,635 as of May 14, 2023, based on elaborations of the United Nations data, of whom 712,362 are Bahraini nationals. Bahrain spans some 760 square kilometres , and is the third-smallest nation in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore. The capital and largest city is Manama.
On road from the north to the south, Bahrain Island is 70 km long and it takes an hour to drive. East to west is far shorter and faster to reach.
History
Bahrain is the site of the ancient Dilmun civilization. It has been famed since antiquity for its pearl fisheries. They were considered the best in the world into the 19th century. Bahrain was one of the earliest areas to be influenced by Islam, during the lifetime of Muhammad in 628 AD. Following a period of Arab rule, the Portuguese Empire ruled from 1521 until 1602. That year they were expelled by Shah Abbas the Great of the Safavid Iran. In 1783, the Bani Utbah and allied tribes captured Bahrain from Nasr Al-Madhkur. It has since been ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family, with Ahmed al Fateh as Bahrain’s first hakim.
In the late 1800s, following successive treaties with the British, Bahrain became a protectorate of the United Kingdom. Bahrain declared independence in 1971. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain became an Islamic constitutional monarchy in 2002.
Today
Bahrain developed the first post-oil economy in the Persian Gulf, the result of decades of investing in the banking and tourism sectors; many of the world’s largest financial institutions have a presence in the country’s capital. The World Bank recognises it as a high-income economy. Bahrain is a member of the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Arab League, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and also the Gulf Cooperation Council. Bahrain is in addition a Dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
