Bahrain

Bahrain is a country in the Persian Gulf. The island nation consists of a small archipelago consisting of 50 natural islands and 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which occupies about 83% of the country's land. The country is located between the Qatar Peninsula and the northeast coast of Saudi Arabia and is connected by the King Fahd Causeway, which is 25 kilometers (16 miles). According to the 2020 census, Bahrain has a population of 1,501,635, of which 712,362 are Bahraini citizens. With a size of 760 square kilometers (290 square miles), it is the third smallest country in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore. The largest city in the capital is Manama.

Bahrain is the site of the ancient Dilmun civilization. It has long been famous for its pearl farm, which was considered the best in the world in the 19th century. Bahrain was one of the earliest areas of Islamic influence during Muhammad's life in 628 AD. After the Arab rule, Bahrain was ruled by the Portuguese Maritime Empire from 1521-1602 and exiled by Safavid Shah Abbas I. In 1783, the Bani Utbah clan occupied Bahrain from Nasr al-Madcourt, and since then has Ahmad al-Fate as Bahrain's first Hakim and has been ruled by the Al-Harifa royal family.

In the late 1800s, following a series of treaties with Britain, Bahrain became a British protectorate. Declared independence in 1971. Formerly the Emirate, Bahrain was declared an Islamic parliamentary monarchy in 2002. In 2011, the country experienced protests inspired by the Arab Spring. Bahrain's dominant Alharifa royal family has been criticized for violating the human rights of groups, including opposition, political opposition figures, and the majority of Shiite Muslim populations.

Bahrain developed the first post-oil economy in the Persian Gulf as a result of decades of investment in the banking and tourism sector. Many of the world's largest financial institutions have a presence in the national capital. As a result, it has a high Human Development Index and is recognized by the World Bank as a high-income economy. Bahrain is a member of the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Arab League, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and Gulf Cooperation Council.