Bahrain

Bahrain is a small island country situated near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is an archipelago, with the largest island being Bahrain Island at 55 km long by 18 km wide. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain by the King Fahd Causeway. Iran lies 200 km to the north of Bahrain, across the Gulf. The peninsula of Qatar is to the southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain.

Did you know that:
1. Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002. The capital of this kingdom is Manama.
2. The whole of Bahrain is divided into five regions known as governorates. Since independence, there have been continuous conflicts between the ruling Sunni tribe and the Shiite majority.
3. The official currency is Bahraini dinar (BHD). Bahrain is a very important financial centre of the Arab world.
4. The official language is Arabic though Persian Farsi and Urdu are also used. English is widely spoken and the principal language of commerce.
5. Bahrain exports petroleum and petroleum products, textiles and aluminum. It imports chemical, machinery and crude oil. The natural resources mainly consist of natural gas, oil and fish stocks.