Everything you need to know about Bahrain: news, reviews, in-depth analysis, opinion and more
Bahrain: The Oil Rich Land of Two Seas
The Kingdom of Bahrain, located in the Persian Gulf, gained its independence in the year 1971, however it has an ancient history of its own. Its borderless landmass had attracted a number of invaders such as Babylonians, Sumerians, Persians, Portuguese and then the Arabs who had a major influence on this island. As a result of the Arab influence the Bahraini people embraced Islam faith. It was a rich country as the Greeks used to refer Bahrain as ?Tylos' connoting its rich content of Pearls. Since the year 1783, the country was under the control of al-Khalifah family until it became a British protectorate in 1861. Manama is the Bahraini Capital and also its largest city. Bahrain has also started hosting the Formula 1 Car races at Sakhir.
Some Fast facts of Bahrain:
Geography, Climate and Economy of Bahrain:
Bahrain is situated near to Saudi Arabia and thereby also shares an almost similar topography of golden deserts that cover almost 92% of its total area and it faces occasional droughts and dust storms having very little agricultural tracts. The highest point of Bahrain is Jabal and Dukhan (122m) while the lowest is at Persian Gulf (0m). Besides this Bahrain has an ample quantity of natural resources, predominantly oil and natural gas.
Extremely hot and humid temperatures ranging beyond 40 degree Celsius in the months of July, August and September characterize Bahrain's summers. Along with this the climate gets drier and hotter due to the southwest winds called ?qaws' locally. While in the months of December to March it Bahrain faces winters, which range from 10 degree to 20 degree Celsius and is the best time to visit this place.
The economy of Bahrain is largely dependent on its petroleum production, which accounts for 60% of government revenues, 60% of export receipts and about 30% of GDP. Besides this Bahrain has a large stock of Natural gas which gets exploited in a huge aluminum smelter for the production of electricity. All this has been possible as Bahrain has the second freest economy in the Middle East.
Culture and Cuisine of Bahrain :
Bahrain comprises of a distinct and varied culture as a result of other cultural influences. Its unique and typical customs and tradition are exhibited through its music, dance, festivals, artworks and cuisines. Arabic language is the officially recognized language besides English, which is also widely spoken for commercial purposes. The local Baharainis are hunting lovers and also falconry forms an integral part of Bahraini customs and rituals.
The typical Bahrain dish includes fish, meat, rice, dates and crayfish. The unique native dish is Machboos and Muhammar. Besides this, the most well known sweet dish is Halwa Showalter. Seafood forms an important part of every Bahrainian meal.
Tourist Attractions in Bahrain:
Manama, the capital city of Bahrain is known as the center of banking and business investments. And also it offers a lot more interesting sites to visit. ?Bab Al Bahrain' is familiarly known as the Gateway to Bahrain. Besides this, there are a number of historical sites and architecturally built forts dating back to 17th century. A unique site is of Tree of Life, which stands alone amongst the desert of sand, and also it has a mysterious water source, whose origin is not known till date. Tourists can also partake in adrenaline pumping Formula 1 Grand Prix action at Sakhir in Bahrain.
Some other Tourist Sites in Bahrain include:
London, April 30 (IANS) Formula One team Sauber have announced a ground-breaking new partnership with English Premier League football club Chelsea FC.
London, Apr 26(ANI): Defending Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel has said he is not entirely happy with the Red Bull's performance this season despite topping the drivers' standings after winning the Bahrain Grand Prix last Sunday.
London, Apr 26 (ANI): Force India's ace driver Paul di Resta's superb result in Bahrain will prove a catalyst for further success this season, according to deputy team principal Bob Fernley.
Ads
Manama, Apr 25 (ANI): Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has revealed that he would be 'happy' to come back to Bahrain with the F1 again next year.
New Delhi, April 24 (IANS) Tunisia wants to learn from India's experience of pluralistic democracy and looks at the Indian constitution as one of the models to be inspired by in writing its new constitution, the country's foreign minister says.
London, Apr 24(ANI): McLaren driver Jensen Button is incensed over yet another failing by his car during the Bahrain Grand Prix, which cost him and his team valuable championship points.
London, Apr 24(ANI): McLaren ace driver Lewis Hamilton has demanded an investigation following the blunders during the Bahrain Grand Prix, and believes his team has to go back to the drawing board to re-ignite their championship credentials this season.
London, Apr 24(ANI): McLaren ace driver Lewis Hamilton has demanded an investigation following the blunders during the Bahrain Grand Prix, and believes his team has to go back to the drawing board to re-ignite their championship credentials this season.
New Delhi, April 24 (IANS) As a country where the Arab Spring began, Tunisia is not keen to "export" it to the region but cannot help if neighbours take it as an example, says the country's foreign minister.
Abu Dhabi, April 23 (IANS) Kerala-born M. A. Yusuffali is today dubbed as one of the most influential Indians in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.
Manama, Apr 23 (ANI): Formula One star Lewis Hamilton lost a chance to win the Bahrain Grand Prix after his pit crew made the mistake of fixing his car during the race.
Manama, Apr 23 (ANI): Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone joked about the unrest in Bahrain, saying, "You know what they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity".
Moscow, April 23 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A British TV crew and two Japanese journalists were detained by the Bahraini police Sunday.
Manama, April 22 (IANS) Force India driver Paul Di Resta feels that his sixth place finish here in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix was a massive result for the Silverstone-based team.
Manama, April 22 (IANS) Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel leapt back into the limelight - and the lead of the world championship - with victory in Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix while Force India's Paul Di Resta made a strong sixth-place finish here Sunday.
Manama, Apr 22 (ANI): As thousands of protesters thronged the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Force India team came close to withdrawing itself from the mega event scheduled for today.
Manama, Apr 22 (ANI): The Force India team was left baffled after no images of their cars were shown in the hour-long TV coverage of the qualifying session for Bahrain Grand Prix.
Manama (Bahrain), April 21 (IANS) Two-time defending champion Sebastian Vettel will take his first pole position of the Formula One season here at the Bahrain Grand Prix Sunday while Sahara Force India drivers come in at 10th and 13th.
Manama, Apr 21 (ANI): Notorious web hackers, Anonymous, have attacked the Formula I website, threatening to 'bring the troubled Bahrain Grand Prix to its knees'.
Manama, Apr 21 (ANI): With the on-going violent protests near the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), Force India team decided to pull out of the second practice run, and head to their hotel before dark.
Manama, Apr 21 (ANI): Formula 1 supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, has once again steered clear of the on-going protests against the Bahrain Grand Prix and insisted that the Sunday event will take place.
Jakarta, April 20 (IANS) An Indonesia football coach has been banned for four games and fined by FIFA for accusing match officials of taking bribes during a 10-0 loss to Bahrain in World Cup qualifying.
Manama (Bahrain), April 20 (IANS) Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg, who won the Chinese Grand Prix, set the pace in the second practice at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) amidst security concerns that prompted Force India to pull out of the second session here Friday.
Manama, April 20 (IANS) Sahara Force India drivers Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg finished third and sixth in the first practice session at the Bahrain Grand Prix Friday, while they decided to give the second a miss amidst security concerns.
Manama, Apr 20 (ANI): Formula One authorities have come under pressure to cancel the Bahrain Grand Prix after gangs threatened to ramp-up their protests ahead of the weekend race.
Manama, Apr 20(ANI): Force India has confirmed they would participate in the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend despite four of its team members being trapped up in a petrol bomb incident on Wednesday night.
Manama, April 20 (ANI): Authorities in Bahrain have claimed that security has been tightened for the Formula One race to be held here after petrol bombs were allegedly thrown near a car taking Force India staff back to their hotel from the Grand Prix circuit.
Manama, April 19 (IANS) Force India driver Paul Driver raised concerns over the security here for the Bahrain GP after one of the vehicle of the Silverstone-based team escaped a fire bomb Wednesday night, prompting two team members to leave Bahrain.
Manama (Bahrain), April 19 (IANS) The Bahrain Grand Prix slated for the weekend got off to a worst possible start as a Force India team vehicle survived a fire bomb here Wednesday night before making its way into the circuit.
Manama, Apr 19(ANI): In the latest untoward incident in Manama, four team members of Force India were caught up in clashes between police and protesters, while they were on their way back from the Bahrain International Circuit late on Wednesday night, forcing a fellow member of the team to return home.
Manama, Apr 19 (ANI): Bahraini security forces fired stun grenades at protesters outside a cultural exhibition in Manama, ahead of Sunday's Formula 1 Grand Prix, to seize control over the chaotic situation in the city.
Jakarta, April 19 (Xinhua-ANI): An Indonesia soccer coach has been banned for four games and fined by FIFA for accusing match officials of taking bribes during a 10-0 loss to Bahrain in World Cup qualifying, a media reported here.
London, Apr 19(ANI): Formula One authorities have come under more pressure from British politicians to cancel the contentious Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled to take place this weekend.
Manama, Apr 18 (ANI): Thousands of protesters including men of all ages, children and women dressed in burquas staged a protested against the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix, which is scheduled for the weekend.
Manama, Apr 17(ANI): The circuit chairman of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Zayed Al Zayani, has guaranteed safety concerns during the race will be taken care of.
London, Apr 17(ANI): McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton, whose contract with his team comes to an end after this season, has made it clear he has never thought about walking away.
London, Apr 15(ANI): McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh has rejected suggestions that they would take special security measures for the security of their star drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button along with the other staff during next weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.
Shanghai, Apr 14(ANI): Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has blasted the media for misrepresenting the real situation in Bahrain where the next round of F1 races will be staged.
New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) India Friday condemned a bomb attack in a village in Bahrain and assured that the over 400,000 Indians living in the Gulf country are safe.
London, Apr 13(ANI): McLaren will give Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton SAS-style security along with their other drivers, if they participate in the highly contentious Bahrain Grand Prix.
Shanghai, Apr 13(ANI): The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has made it clear that the proposed Bahrain Grand Prix will take place as per schedule next week, despite incessant anti-government protests in the troubled state, similar to those that forced the cancellation of the race last year.
Shanghai, April 13 (IANS) The 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix will be held as scheduled next week, the governing body of Formula One racing FIA announced Friday.
Manama, April 12 (IANS) Two home-made bombs were Thursday hurled into a school in Bahrain, but there were no casualties in the blasts, Xinhua reported.
London, Apr 12(ANI): Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel has made it clear that he has no issues to race in next week's Bahrain Grand Prix despite the growing row over the Middle Eastern race.
Manama, April 10 (ANI): Formula One's teams would prefer not to travel to Bahrain for the race scheduled on April 22 amid security concerns, according to a report.
London, Apr 8(ANI): The Formula One Association (FIA) chief executive, Bernie Ecclestone, is under pressure to make a final decision on whether to conduct the Bahrain Grand Prix or not.
London, Apr 5(ANI): Former Formula One champion Damon Hill has said conducting the Bahrain Grand Prix in volatile conditions could have negative connotations.
Bangkok, Apr 3 (ANI): Two-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel has cautioned his rivals, as he gears up for the next two races in China and Bahrain.
Beijing, Mar 13 (ANI): A global media watchdog group has released its "Enemies of the Internet" list for 2012, citing countries like India and China that put a restriction on the freedom of expression on the Internet.
London, Feb.17 (ANI): A controversial American police chief has been hired by Bahrain to train and reform the nation's security forces.
London, Feb.16 (ANI): Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has said that this year's Bahrain Grand Prix will go ahead as scheduled despite more violence in that country.
Manama (Bahrain), Feb.15 (ANI): The commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) has claimed that a coup was attempted on the government on the first anniversary of anti-government protests.
Manama, Feb 13 (ANI): Bahrain has deported two female American activists to New York after arresting them as part of a security crackdown ahead of the first anniversary of the anti-government uprising in the country.
Manama, Feb 12 (ANI): Two female American activists have reportedly been arrested in Bahrain as part of a security crackdown ahead of the first anniversary of the anti-government uprising in the country.
Manama, Feb 12 (ANI): Two female American activists have reportedly been arrested in Bahrain as part of a security crackdown ahead of the first anniversary of the anti-government uprising in the country.
London, Feb 10(ANI): Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone is under pressure to stop the Bahrain Grand Prix race this season.
Manama, Feb 7(ANI): Bahrain's Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa has condemned attacks on the country's expatriate communities in the wake of an Indian and Britons being subjected to assaults.
Manama, Feb 7(ANI): Bahrain's Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa has condemned attacks on the country's expatriate communities in the wake of an Indian and Britons being subjected to assaults.
Damascus (Syria), Jan.25 (ANI): The Syrian regime has vowed to solve its own problems even if "half the universe" is conspiring against it.
