State of Bahrain was based in the Persian Gulf, in the southwestern part of Asia.Country consists of 33 islands of which are inhabited only 5. These include Bahrain area of 578 square meters.km, Sitra - 9.5 Muharraq - 14, Howrah - 41, Umm Naasan - 19 square kilometers.All are located in the southwest of Saudi Arabia respect.The total area of the State of Bahrain, whose capital - the city of Manama, is about 695 square kilometers.The population of the country according to 2012 - more than 1 billion 200 thousand.The population density is 2,000 people per square kilometer.The highest point in Bahrain is Jebel Dukan - mountain with a height of 134 meters above sea level.The official language - Arabic, religion - Islam.Bahrain currency - the dinar.The main holiday of the country is considered to be the National Day, celebrated annually since 1971 on December 16.Bahrain National Anthem is called "Emir of Hail!»
flag of Bahrain: the symbolism and significance of
Flag State of Bahrain consists of red cloth, which is a vertical white stripe at the edge of the left side.At the junction of the two colors are five triangles, forming a zig-zag line.They are symbols of the pillars of Islam.Presumably red - the personification of the Khawarij sect.The modern version of the flag adopted in 2002, February 14.It happened after the declaration of its ruler Emir of Bahrain.The independence of the state has acquired after the withdrawal of his troops from Britain in 1971.Flag of Bahrain became a pretext for the creation of many laws.According to one of them, the symbol of the state may not be used in any way (for example, placed on transport), except for official use by the government.You can not use the flag and for commercial purposes.
main city of Bahrain
Few are aware of the metropolis called Manama.The capital of a country that city?It is located on the island of the Arabian Sea, which is part of the Persian Gulf.It is the capital of Bahrain.The city built the Al-Fateh Mosque, known as one of the largest in the world.It can accommodate about 7,000 people.The dome weighs 60 tons and is made of cast fibroglasa.
On dry land and desert stretches of Manama.Bahrain has a climate that combines the features of the subtropics.The air temperature in the capital ranges from +17 ° C in January to +38 ° C in July.On average, during the year in Manama falls about 90 millimeters of precipitation.The rainy period in the city lasts from December to February inclusive.The rest of the year in Manama dry season, dust storms occur.Occasionally rainfall observed in March, April, November, in the State of Bahrain.The capital is one of the five provinces.
Religion
residents of the capital Manama majority of the population (over 80%) is Muslim.Manama - the capital of the state, about half of which are Shiite Muslims in the faith, and the rest - Sunni.Also among the population of the city there are Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and adherents of Zoroastrianism.For a minority of Sunnis, are members of the royal family.
Nature
Bahrain Island Bahrain, photos of which is attached to the article, is the largest in the entire state.It has a length of 15 kilometers from east to west and 50 from north to south.In the center of the island are located low, built of limestone plateaus.In some of its areas are separate so-called mountain with a height of 100 to 130 meters above sea level.The highest of them - Jebel Dukan.The coast consists of a strip of sandy beaches.They occasionally interrupted in some places reaching the surface of the bedrock.Along the coastline north of Bahrain arranged coral reefs, the islands of which have a flat surface and rises only a few meters above sea level.
presence on the island fresh water
on large individual plots of land are on the surface of the outputs of fresh underground water.She runs down the rocks overlain inclined towards the Persian Gulf.The area, located along the coastline, and hit the keys of fresh water.They are referred to in the pipeline for possible use in the economy.
Climate Bahrain
Arab state of Bahrain is arid tropical climate with relatively cool winters and humid summers.In January the average temperature is around +16 ° C in July and August 37 ° C.Bahrain Islands occasionally suffer from drought and dust storms.Rivers are missing, dominated by landscapes of deserts.Rainfall in the state average is 90 mm.Every year an area of deserts increases.This happens because of the degradation of the lands that are processed.On the territory of deserts grow drought-resistant plants, such as camel thorn, saxaul, astragalus, halophyte, wormwood, tamarisk (tamarisk) and others.Some areas are known for artificially created plantations of acacia gum.In those places where the surface soil water outlet, situated oases with date palms.
Fauna
Bahrain Bahrain - a country where the fauna is quite poor.It is dominated by reptiles, rodents and birds.In order to restore populations of the Arabian gazelle, mammal family bovids (Oryx and tar) in 1976 was created reserve El Areyn.For fish, the coastal waters of the island of Bahrain, there are about 400 species, including commercial.The most common sea turtle.The abundance of shrimp, crab, lobster, clams (they include pearl) can be found in the reefs formed of coral that affect diversity - they number about 2000 species.
population of the State of Bahrain
in 2012 in Bahrain, there were more than 1,248,000 inhabitants.Of these, over 235,000 are not citizens of the state.It immigrant workers and their families, who arrived in Bahrain mainly from Iran.The state is home to many natives of the countries of South Asia and Europe.The official Bahrain is Arabic.Apart from him, the population also speaks English, Urdu and Farsi.Approximately 89% of the population live in cities of Bahrain.
Bahrain polity Gulf countries
the political system in the country is a hereditary emirate or a constitutional monarchy.In power since 1783 Al-Khalifa dynasty.Head of state and government at the present time - Sheikh Hamad bin Isa.He took the throne after the death of his father, who ruled Bahrain 38 years, in 1999.The effective date of the constitution of the state adopted in 2002, February 14.In politics, Bahrain banned party, but in 2005 legalized society.In the country illegally operating the Popular Front.He is in favor of democracy and political freedoms in Bahrain.And also against foreign domination in the state.In addition, the country has an illegal National Liberation Front, among which are mostly communists.
main economic direction of the state
Kingdom of Bahrain is a member of the United Nations, the League of Arab States.Also, the country is a member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.In addition, Bahrain is the Organization of Arab oil-exporting countries.For a long time I have a lot of achievements at the country of the Persian Gulf.The list is headed by their trading activities.Farmers cultivated oases in the territory of fruit and forage crops, vegetables and raised cattle: cows, goats, sheep, chickens.Also, the population of the Kingdom of Bahrain pearl and builds single-masted ships.All of the activities of economic purpose were abandoned after the discovery in the state in 1932 and the beginning of the oil exploitation of its oil fields.
Oil Industry of the State of Bahrain
greatest amount of oil extracted in the country in 1970-1972.Reserves it significantly depleted by the early 90-ies of the 20th century.The new complex for oil refining was released in the mid-90s.On the territory of the Middle East, he ranked second among similar performance.The complex processes imported oil, which is delivered from Saudi Arabia through the pipeline located under water.Extraction and cracking of the oily flammable liquid natural origin Bahrain provides approximately 60% of revenues from external currency trading, a large part of the budget and about 30% of gross domestic product.
Bahrain Other industries
Oil fields are depleted in Bahrain with each decade more.This is becoming a serious threat to the economy.Also, the problem of the State of Bahrain is the depletion of freshwater resources, and high unemployment (about 15% of the population).A large share of GDP is the service sector (about 47%), industry (slightly more than 52%) and less than 1% accounted for by agriculture.In Bahrain, there are approximately 660,000 people belonging to the labor force.These include foreigners.
In addition to oil, the government has enormous reserves of natural gas.It is used as a raw material in the petrochemical industry for the production of propane and butane.Bahrain on the world map that reflects the mineral deposits listed as the largest supplier of aluminum among the countries of the Middle East.Fossil fuel energy permits.It is more than the amount consumed by the population covered.
Agriculture
not more than 4% of the territory of Bahrain is suitable for agriculture.The population grows in the oases of citrus fruits, dates, papaya, grapes, pistachios, walnuts, grains and vegetables.Also in Bahrain, bred cows, sheep and donkeys.Food crop provide residents of the country only 20%, milk - by about 50%.Saves the day catching shrimp and fish, pearl production.
Infrastructure
total length of roads in Bahrain for the movement of vehicles is 3851 km.At the same time 3121 of them - paved.Islands Umm Naasan and Muharraq are connected to Bahrain by means of dams.They are located highways.In 1996, with the help of the motorway have been linked Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.The state capital, Manama, is on the outskirts of the airport.It is one of four, located in the country.Bahrain also has three major seaports.The merchant fleet of the state consists of eight supersize vessels, each of which has a displacement of more than 1,000 gross register tons.
level of trade in Bahrain
Country Bahrain (capital - Manama) is an active participant of international trade.The main export items include the state oil and aluminum.Among the main trading partners - Saudi Arabia, India, UAE, Japan.Bahrain imported crude oil for processing, consumer goods and food.The main import partners are Saudi Arabia, Germany, USA, United Kingdom.The State of Bahrain has one of the most diversified economies in the Gulf area.Many multinational companies attracted by its highly developed infrastructure and communications.
Economic Policy
Economy of Bahrain, as always, depends on the quantity of oil produced.Of great importance for the economic life of the country is the construction and banking.In the latest fighting Bahrain with Malaysia for the first place in the Islamic world.Due to the internal strife in the state of its economy overtook the recession in 2011.Then I hit the reputation of Bahrain as a financial center of the Persian Gulf.At the moment, one of the main problems of the country - economic policy, which is aimed at restoring confidence.Also, public debt is to combat unemployment, which is primarily concerned with youth.
ancient history of Bahrain
Arab state of Bahrain in the 3rd millennium BC, had developed civilization.It was characterized by fortified settlements.Archaeologists have discovered in the ancient Bahrain, called Dilmun in the distant past, traces of habitation of Paleolithic man.Then, the state was the largest center of trade by sea.Handwritten information Dilmun found in Greek, Roman and Persian sources.In the 4th century BC the Persians conquered Bahrain, 7 - the Arabs.Recent prevailed in Bahrain until 1541, until they were captured Portuguese.The Persians again took possession of the lands of this state in 1602.But they were driven out of the ruling dynasty of the present time by the name of Ahmad ibn Al Khalifa in 1783.In the early 19th century on the coast of Bahrain and the British first landed throughout the centuries have tried to take power into their own hands.
struggle for independence and ownership
Independence fully Bahrain (map of its location attached to the article) acquired in 1971.After about ten years to encroach on the sovereignty of the state once again became Iran.In response to attempts at opponents in the Persian Gulf political superiority of Bahrain, together with Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman established the Cooperation Council in 1981.Until now, the state has good neighborly relations with all countries of the Arabian Peninsula.The exception is Qatar, which claims the island of Hawar, Bahrain transmitted according to the decision of the British Government at the time of its protectorate over the two countries.Allow this conflict is still not the International Court.It is the cause of strained relations between Bahrain and Qatar.
military policy of the country
When trying to find Bahrain on the world map (political) you may find that the state is the main base for the Navy of the United States in the Persian Gulf.The presence of the armed forces encouraged the emirate since 1949.Based in Bahrain Air Force allowed the American government of Bahrain in 1990, after the invasion of Iraq in the army and occupation of Kuwait.This was the reason for drawing up an agreement on defense cooperation.On the basis of its Bahrain together with the United States conducts military exercises, the US is committed to supply arms to the Arab state in the event of a sharp aggravation of political conflicts.
Grand Prix in Bahrain
At the present time, the state is famous for its Bahrain International Circuit Sakhir.Its construction was launched in 2002.Since racetrack planned to carry out the stages of the race "Formula 1" and the competition drag racers, the project aroused great interest among Bahrainis and foreigners.Grand Prix was first held at the track in 2004.The first winner, who went off the race track, was the legendary Michael Schumacher.On the eve of the racing season in 2010. The configuration of the track in Bahrain have changed.It added a new segment in the itinerary pilots "Formula" and the length of the race track as a whole began to be 6299 meters.Hermann Tilke designed circuit.The cost of its creation - about $ 150 million.Speedway has become one of the newest in the countries of Asia.On the track Sakhir Grand Prix, "Formula 1" was conducted 9 times (data for 2014).
