Manama

**Manama** (, transliteration: *al-Manāma*) is the caipital an lairgest ceety o Bahrain, wi an approximate population o 155,000 fowk.

Lang an important tradin centre in the Persie Gulf, Manama is hame tae a vera diverse population.  Efter periods o Portuguese an Persian control an invasions frae the Al Sauds an Oman, Bahrain established itsel as an independent naition durin the 19t Century period o Breetish hegemony. In the 20t Century, Bahrain's ile walth helped spur fast growthe an in the 1990s a concertit diversification effort lead tae expansion in ither industries an helped transform Manama intae an important financial hub in the Middle East.

## History

Manama wis mentioned in Islamic chronicles at least as far back as 1345.  It wis conquered bi Portugal in 1521 an then bi the Persians in 1602. Syne 1783 it haes been unner the control o the Al-Khalifa dynasty.  Manama wis declared a free port in 1958, an in 1971 it became the caipital o independent Bahrain.

The north o Bahrain’s main island, which is dominatit bi Manama the day, haes seen human activity for roughly 5,000 years, as is indicatit frae the remains aroond Bahrain Fort. Early indwallers are aften associatit wi the historical Dilmun Ceevilisation tho the historical records o Dilmun are scanty. The islanders wur suin, housomeivver, disturbit bi a series o invaders, beginnin wi the Assyrians durin the *BC period* an endin wi the Arabs. Durin thir mony centuries Bahrain wis a trading post whose importance fluctuatit dependin on which empire dominatit. Manama an its indwallers wur first introduced tae Islam durin the 7t century an bi the 9t century began tae lean tae a mair conservative amaist socialist belief seestem that caused considerable friction wi the surroondin Muslim lands. The Qarmatians, as this group wis kent, ransackt Mecca in 930 durin the sacred Hajj, killin hunders afore escapin wi the hintle revered Black Stane. A feud wi the Baghdad-based Abbasids less nor 50 years later saw the Qarmatians leave the toun.

The next major foreign intervention in Bahrain came at the beginnin o the 16t century when the Portuguese naval fleets arrived, swith crushin the sma local population in Manama an the surroondin auries. Bahrain Fort wis biggit durin this era, probably tae keep oot the Persians who nivertheless managed a series o invasions as the whole island alternatit atween the Portuguese, Persians, an Omanis for the follaein twa centuries. Ance the Persians eventually forced the ither twa oot, it wis no lang afore the Al Khalifa faimily appeared frae nearbi Qatar, tae tak control o the whole o the island at the end o the 18t century. The new rulers, whose dynasty continues tae this day, sought pertection against the Persians frae the Breetish Empire, which bi that time haed establisht its hegemony in hintle o the Middle East, an Manama entered a period o colonial influence.  Colonial interest anerlie increased when ile wis discovered 30&nbsp;km (19&nbsp;mi) sooth o Manama in the centre o the island an first extractit in 1931. Efter Warld War II, Bahrain muived slowly towards unthirldom an eventually in 1971 the Breetish pulled oot leavin Manama in chairge o its awn affairs. This wis the beginnin o a period that haes seen it grow an flourish primarily due tae the considerable walth accumulatit throu ile production an processin.

## Geography
Historically, Manama haes been restricted tae wha is nou kent as the Manama Souq an the Manama Fort (nou the Meenistry o Interior) tae its sooth. Housomeivver the ceety haes nou grown tae include a nummer o newer suburban developments as well as aulder neighborin veelages that hae been engulfed bi the growthe o the ceety. The neighborhuids o Manama the day include:

* Manama Souq
** (includin Fareeq el-Makharqa)
* Awadhiya
* Adliya
* Bu Ashira
* Bu Ghazal
* Diplomatic Aurie
* Ghuraifa
* Gudaibiya
* Gufool
* Hoora
* Juffair
* Mahooz
* Noaim
* Ras Rumman
* Seef
* Segaya
* Sulmaniya
* Umm Al Hassam
* Zinj

## Law an govrenment

Manama is pairt o the Caipital Govrenorate, ane o five Govrenorates o Bahrain. Till 2002 it wis pairt o the municipality o Al-Manamah. Cooncil that existit athin the govrenorates; aicht constituencies wur votit upon athin Caipital Govrenorate in 2006.

## Education

Manama haes a wide range o varsities, colleges an schuils.
* Ahlia University
* Applied Science University
* Arab Open University
* Arabian Gulf University
* Bahrain Institute o Bankin an Finance
* King Abdulaziz University College o Health Sciences
* Delmon University
* New York Institute o Technology
* RCSI-Bahrain
* Bahrain School

## Freemit airtins

* Offeecial wabsteid