Bahrain, a small island nation located in the Persian Gulf, has a rich history that spans over 4,000 years. "Bahrain" is derived from the Arabic term "bahr," the name meaning "two seas" refering to the island nation's position as an archipelago surrounded by seas. Once home to the ancient Dilmun civilization, which thrived around 2,000 BC, Bahrain successively came under the control of the Babylonian, Syrian, Persian, Omani and Portuguese forces at various times from the 7th century until the Al Khalifa family succeeded in capturing Bahrain from a Persian garrison controlling the islands in 1783, and have ruled Bahrain as a personal fiefdom ever since.
In the 1830s, the Al Khalifa family signed a treaty establishing Bahrain as a British Protectorate. The agreement entered into by the Al Khalifas prohibited them from entering into relationships with any foreign government without British consent in exchange for British protection. The discovery of oil in the 1930s transformed Bahrain's economy, resulting in rapid modernization and economic growth. It was the first Gulf state to strike commercial quantities of oil, though since then production has dwindled to just 30k barrels a day.
In 1971, the country got independence from Britain, then resisted pressure to join the new United Arab Emirates and fought off Iranian claims to suzerainty over their islands. To weather the threats from larger neighbours, Bahrain maintained close relations with Britain and, increasingly, the United States even though this stance prompted the only anti-British demonstrations in the Gulf. Throughout the rest of the century, Bahrain continued to face political unrest and social tensions. The Bahraini parliament attempted to legislate the end of Al-Khalifa rule and the expulsion of the US Navy from Bahrain, but were fobbed off by the Emir. More recently, protests inspired by the Arab Spring movements swept across. The government responded with a crackdown on dissent, leading to tensions between the ruling monarchy and opposition groups. Despite these challenges, Bahrain has remained relatively stable.
In contrast to the stricter norms of some Gulf countries, Bahrain is more liberal and cosmopolitan, with a more relaxed attitude towards dress code, social interactions and freely available alcohol. Diversifying Bahrain's economy was another immense achievement taking in aluminium smelting, oil refining mostly from imported Saudi crude and thanks to 100 per cent foreign ownership of companies, Bahrain thrives as a banking entrepot for petro-dollar fortunes. The country has also made efforts to improve its human rights record and promote social cohesion.
For the average visitor, there are numerous historical sites, such as the Bahrain Fort and the ancient Dilmun civilization ruins, shopping malls, luxury resorts, the largest underwater dive park featuring a full size sunken Boeing plane and a famous tree known as the "Tree of Life." In the middle of the desert, despite the harsh conditions, this solitary tree continues to thrive and has become a popular attraction.
Manama
Manama is the capital and most populous city. Unlike other Gulf countries, when I took a taxi into the city, I was quite surprised to be driven by a local Bahraini. Manama was a ghost town during the afternoons, but everything comes alive in the cool evenings when all the shops are open and the streets are full of people. There's also a bridge connecting Saudi Arabia to Manama. Every weekend, thousands of Saudis drive into Bahrain for debauchery, taking advantage of Bahrain's laxer laws on alcohol.
