Bahrain

--Minorities:

* Christianity
* Hinduism
* No Religion
* Others

**Bahrain** *(Arabic: البحرين)*, officially the **Kingdom of Bahrain**, is an island country in West Asia. It is situated on 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 is situated between Qatar and the northeastern coast of Saudi Arabia, to which it is connected by the King Fahd Causeway. The current population of Bahrain is 1,870,817 as of May 14, 2023, based on elaborations of the latest United Nations data, of whom 712,362 are Bahraini nationals. Bahrain spans some 760 square kilometres (290 sq mi), and is the third-smallest nation in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore. The capital and largest city is Manama.

Bahrain is the site of the ancient Dilmun civilization. It has been famed since antiquity for its pearl fisheries, which 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, Bahrain was ruled by the Portuguese Empire from 1521 until 1602, when they were expelled by Shah Abbas I of the Safavid dynasty. 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*.

In the late 1800s, following successive treaties with the British, Bahrain became a protectorate of the United Kingdom. In 1971, it declared independence. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared an Islamic constitutional monarchy in 2002. In 2011, the country experienced protests inspired by the regional Arab Spring. Bahrain's ruling Sunni Muslim Al Khalifa royal family has been criticised for violating the human rights of groups including dissidents, political opposition figures, and its majority Shia Muslim population.

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. It is recognised by the World Bank as a high-income economy. Bahrain is a member of the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Arab League, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Bahrain is a Dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

## History

*Bahrain is a small island country located in the Persian Gulf. The island has a rich and varied history dating back to ancient times.*

*The ancient history of Bahrain dates back to the third millennium BCE, with the development of the Dilmun civilization. The Dilmun civilization was a major center of trade between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. The island also served as a stopover point for trading ships traveling between the East and the West. The Dilmun civilization lasted until around 600 BCE, after which the Persian Empire took control of the island.*

*In the early Middle Ages, Bahrain was ruled by the Sassanian Empire, which was followed by the Islamic Arab conquest in the 7th century. The island became an important center of Islamic scholarship and culture, and was ruled by various Arab dynasties.*

*In the 16th century, the Portuguese took control of Bahrain, which lasted until the arrival of the Safavid dynasty in Persia, who regained control of the island. In the late 18th century, the Al Khalifa family, who were a tribe of Sunni Arabs from Qatar, migrated to Bahrain and took control of the island, which they ruled until this day.*

*Bahrain became a British protectorate in 1861, and the British influence on the country was significant. In 1971, Bahrain gained independence from Britain, and became a constitutional monarchy headed by the Al Khalifa family. In the 20th century, Bahrain’s economy developed rapidly, thanks to the discovery of oil on the island. The country diversified its economy by investing in sectors such as finance, tourism, and industrial manufacturing.*

*Today, Bahrain is a highly developed country with a thriving economy and a diverse population. The country is known for its modern infrastructure, beautiful beaches, and rich cultural heritage. Bahrain remains an important center of trade and commerce between the East and the West.*

## Government and Politics

*Foreign relations*

Bahrain has established bilateral relations with 190 countries worldwide. As of 2012, Bahrain maintains a network of 25 embassies, three consulates and four permanent missions to the Arab League, United Nations and European Union respectively. Bahrain also hosts 36 embassies. The United States designated Bahrain a major non-NATO ally in 2001. Bahrain plays a modest, moderating role in regional politics and adheres to the views of the Arab League on Middle East peace and Palestinian rights by supporting the two state solution. Bahrain is also one of the founding members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. 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. Bahrain and Israel established bilateral relations in 2020 under the Bahrain–Israel normalization agreement.

*Human Rights*

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. After the Emir Hamad Al Khalifa (now king) succeeded his father Isa Al Khalifa in 1999, he introduced wide reforms and human rights improved significantly. These moves were described by Amnesty International as representing a "historic period of human rights".

Consensual homosexual relations between adults over the age of 21 male and female are legal in Bahrain and the only Persian Gulf country where it is legal since 1976.

Human rights conditions started to decline by 2007 when torture began to be employed again. In 2011, Human Rights Watch described the country's human rights situation as "dismal". Due to this, Bahrain lost some of the high International rankings it had gained before.