Bahrain

C

Natural Resources

Petroleum and natural gas constitute Bahrain’s principal natural resources. However, the country’s reserves of petroleum and natural gas are far smaller than those of its neighbors. Only about 3 percent of the land is suitable for farming. Bahrain’s surrounding waters contain considerable numbers of fish and shellfish.

D

Environmental Issues

Like most industrialized nations, Bahrain copes with a variety of environmental problems. Oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations have damaged coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation. No natural freshwater resources exist in the country, so groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs. In some areas, industrial pollutants have contaminated water sources with heavy metals. Agricultural development has been neglected, and the limited arable land has been degraded. Erosion of farmland has brought desertification. Bahrain’s Environmental Protection Secretariat has worked to reverse environmental damage, especially in marine areas. Water Pollution; Air Pollution.

III

People

Bahrain’s population was estimated at 708,573 in 2007. Bahrain has a population density of 1,066 persons per sq km (2,760 per sq mi). About 90 percent of the population resides in urban areas, primarily in Manama, its suburbs, and the nearby city of Al Muḩarraq on the island of the same name. Manama serves as the country’s governmental and commercial center, while Al Muḩarraq is the site of Bahrain International Airport. Many of the smaller islands are uninhabited.

The country has a high population growth rate, 1.39 percent (2007 estimate). This high growth rate results primarily from a continued relatively high birth rate. Males account for 56 percent of the population. The higher number of males than females is found mostly within the 15- to 64-year-old age group. This difference and its concentration in that one age group reflect the fact that about 60 percent of Bahrain’s workforce is foreign and male.

---

---

Native Bahraini Arabs account for about two-thirds of the population. The various minorities include Asians (accounting for 13 percent of the total population), other Arabs (10 percent), and Iranians (8 percent). Other groups, including western Europeans and Americans, make up the remaining 6 percent. Some tensions exist between native Bahrainis and nonnative groups, especially in times of high unemployment. The official language is Arabic. English, Farsi, and Urdu are also widely spoken.

A

Religion

Almost all Bahrainis and the majority of nonnatives are followers of Islam (Muslims). About 70 percent of all native Bahrainis belong to the Shia branch of Islam, while the remainder, including the ruling al-Khalifa clan, are adherents of the Sunni branch. Non-Muslims, including Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and Jews, account for 15 percent of the total population. High unemployment among the Shia population has caused considerable discontent on the part of this group toward the Sunni-dominated government.

B

Education

Bahrain established the first public education system in the Persian Gulf region in 1919. Education is free and, between the ages of 6 and 15, compulsory. The literacy rate was estimated at 90 percent in 2005, representing a steady increase over the previous several decades. The rate is somewhat higher among males (92.6 percent) than among females (86.4 percent). The University of Bahrain was established in 1986 in Manama. Another institution of higher education, also in Manama, is the College of Health Sciences, founded in 1976, which trains physicians, nurses, and other health professionals.

	More from Encarta
	•  Presidential Myths Quiz •  Coffee break: Recharge your brain