DESTINATION BAHRAIN

Facts at a Glance

Area: 620 sq km (240 sq mi)
Population: 600,000
Capital city: Manama (pop 175,000)
People: Bahraini (63%), Asian (13%), Iranian (8%), other Arab (10%)
Language: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Religion: Shi'a Muslim (70%), Sunni Muslim (15%), other religions and indigenous beliefs
Government: Absolute monarchy
Head of state: Sheikh Hamad ibn 'Isa Al Khalifah
Head of government: Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa

Bahrain Island is the largest of the archipelago, around 50km (30mi) north to south and 16km (10mi) east to west. The main island is pretty flat, with Jabal Ad-Dukhan, the highest point, only 130m (426ft) above sea level. Most development is concentrated on the northern third of the island.

Bahrain has long been famous for its greenery in the midst of the region's deserts. Recently, however, this has been changing. Though parts of the island are still thickly covered in date palms, the island is a lot less lush than it used to be. Some of the trees have been cut down, while others have died as increasing demands are made on the underground springs that water them. Aside from domesticated donkeys, you won't see many animals outside the Al-'Areen Wildlife Sanctuary. Even that old Arabian standby, the camel, is a relatively rare sight in Bahrain.

It can get extremely hot and humid in Bahrain from June to September, with high temperatures averaging 36°C (97°F) during the day. November to March tends to be much more pleasant, with warm days and cool nights.

It was a long ride, but Dilmun eventually declined and was absorbed by the Assyrian and Babylonian empires. The Greeks arrived around 300 BC, giving the islands the name Tylos. Bahrain remained a Hellenistic culture for some 600 years. After experimenting with Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Manicheism, in the 7th century many of the islands' inhabitants accepted the personal invitation of the prophet Mohammed to convert to Islam.

After a series of Islamic rulers, Bahrain was conquered by the Portuguese in the early 16th century. The Portuguese used the islands as a pearling port and military garrison. In 1602, the Portuguese governor made the fatal mistake of executing the brother of one of the island's wealthiest traders. The trader, Rukn El-Din, proceeded to lead an uprising that soon drove the Europeans from Bahrain. The islands then became part of the Persian empire, but that association was cut short by the arrival of the Al-Khalifa clan, Bahrain's current ruling family.

In the 1830s, Bahrain signed the first of many treaties with Britain, who offered Bahrain naval protection from Ottoman Turkey in exchange for unfettered access to the Gulf. This arrangement kept the British out of Bahrain's internal affairs until a series of internecine battles prompted the British to install their own choice for emir in 1869. Although oil was discovered in the area in 1902, large-scale drilling and processing didn't happen until the 1930s, right about the time the world pearl market was collapsing. Oil money brought improved education and health care to Bahrain. It also brought the British closer: the main British naval base in the region was moved to Bahrain in 1935, and the senior British official in the Middle East followed suit in 1946.

Another mark of British influence was the long tenure of Charles Belgrave, who arrived in Bahrain in 1926 as adviser to the emir and stayed for over 30 years. Belgrave helped create the country's educational system and oversaw much of Bahrain's infrastructural development. When Emir Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa ascended the throne in 1942, he capitalised on Bahrain's superior level of development to take advantage of the oil boom happening in Saudi Arabia and other neighbouring countries, making Bahrain the Gulf's main entrepôt. The waves of Arab nationalism that swept through the region in the 1950s led to increasing anti-British sentiment in Bahrain. Rioting flared during the Suez crisis of 1956, bringing British troops. Britain announced its intention to leave the Gulf 15 years later, prompting Bahrain to proclaim its independence on 14 August 1971.

As the price of oil went through the stratosphere during the 1970s and 1980s, the country grew by leaps and bounds. The Iranian revolution touched off a few violent pro-Iranian demonstrations in Bahrain in 1979 and 1980, but Islamic fundamentalism failed to capture widespread support. Despite the Gulf-wide economic downturn of the late 1980s, Bahrain remained calm and prosperous thanks to its earlier efforts at economic diversification. The country's main shipyard did a roaring trade in the late 1980s, patching up tankers that had been hit by one side or the other during the Iran-Iraq War. The opening of the King Fahd Causeway between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in 1986 gave a boost to business and tourism.

The 1990s saw Bahrain wracked with external threats and internal strife. Though the Scud missile attack on Bahrain ordered by Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War landed harmlessly in the sea, relations between the two countries hit an all-time low. The emir's refusal to implement democratic reforms led to widespread rioting in the mid-1990s. Bahrain cooperated closely with the UN's monitoring mission to Iraq in the late 1990s, though the US military buildup in the Gulf in early 1998 strained relations between Bahrainis and US military personnel.

Money & Costs

Relative costs:

• Budget meal: US$5-7
• Moderate restaurant meal: US$7-10
• Top-end restaurant meal: US$10 and upwards

• Budget room: US$5-20
• Moderate hotel: US$20-80
• Top-end hotel: US$80 and upwards

There are a number of banks and moneychangers in Manama, and it pays to shop around for the best rate. American Express offices will cash cheques for card holders, and some banks will advance against Visa cards. There are ATMs in Manama linked to international networks.

A service charge is added to almost every bill in Bahrain, but it generally goes to the shop, not the wait staff. An appropriate tip in a good restaurant is 10%. While tips aren't expected (especially in less expensive places), foreign waiters and waitresses are often paid appalling wages. Bargaining is common and expected, and hotel rates are almost always negotiable.

The city's major attraction is the National Museum, a modern building with excellent exhibits well-marked in both Arabic and English. The museum covers 7000 years of Bahrain's history, including its many grave mounds and temples; its Dilmun, Tylos and Islamic periods; and Arabic writing and calligraphy. Next to the museum's parking lot is a number of reconstructed traditional buildings and boats. Even if you're not an aficionado of Islamic calligraphy, plan on hitting Beit Al-Qur'an, a museum and research center downtown. Calligraphy is central to Muslim culture and is closely connected to religious life. The centrepiece of the museum is its large collection of Korans, some dating from the 7th century. You'll need a magnifying glass to read the Koranic verses written on a grain of rice.

Just south of Government Ave is the souk, or marketplace. Electronic gear, gold and women's clothing seem to be the main stock in trade at the souk, but in the great tradition of Middle Eastern bazaars almost anything can be found if you look long and hard enough. The backstreets of the souk are great places to wander even if you're not in the market to buy.

The Al-Fatih Mosque offers non-Muslim visitors a rare opportunity to enter a mosque. You can't miss it: large enough to hold 7000 worshippers, it's the largest building in the country.

Barbar and Ad-Diraz temples

Al-'Areen Wildlife Sanctuary

Bani Jamrah

Getting There & Away

Lonely Planet Guides

On-line Info