Bahrain

Bahrain is an island nation in West Asia in the Persian Gulf and consists of 50 natural and 33 artificial islands. The capital is Manama and the population is about 1.5 million people. Bahrain was once part of the ancient Dilmun civilization and famous for its pearl diving. In the seventh century the country was conquered by the Muslims, later by the Portuguese and in the 18th century it was ruled by the Al Khalifa family. The country declared independence in 1971 and became an Islamic constitutional monarchy in 2002. Important sights are the Al Fateh Grand Mosque, the Bahrain National Museum and the Bahrain Fort.

• Country data Bahrain