CH.WN.Bah.aFM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:24 PM Page AFGHANISTAN AUSTRIA BAHRAIN BERMUDA CHINA CUBA EGYPT ETHIOPIA REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA GERMANY KUWAIT IRAN IRAQ ISRAEL MEXICO NEW ZEALAND PAKISTAN RUSSIA SAUDI ARABIA SCOTLAND SOUTH KOREA UKRAINE CH.WN.Bah.aFM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:24 PM Page CH.WN.Bah.aFM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:24 PM Page Bahrain Carol Ann Gillespie Grove City College Series Consulting Editor Charles F Gritzner South Dakota State University Chelsea House Publishers Philadelphia CH.WN.Bah.aFM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:24 PM Page Frontispiece: Flag of Bahrain Cover: Bahraini woman in traditional costume CHELSEA HOUSE PUBLISHERS EDITOR IN CHIEF Sally Cheney DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION Kim Shinners CREATIVE MANAGER Takeshi Takahashi MANUFACTURING MANAGER Diann Grasse Staff for BAHRAIN EDITOR Lee Marcott PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Jaimie Winkler PICTURE RESEARCHER Patricia Holl COVER AND SERIES DESIGNER Takeshi Takahashi LAYOUT 21st Century Publishing and Communications, Inc ©2002 by Chelsea House Publishers, a subsidiary of Haights Cross Communications All rights reserved Printed and bound in the United States of America http://www.chelseahouse.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gillespie, Carol Ann Bahrain / Carol Ann Gillespie p cm — (Modern world nations) Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 0-7910-6779-3 Bahrain I Title II Series DS247.B2 G55 2002 953.65—dc21 2002004477 CH.WN.Bah.aFM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:24 PM Page Table of Contents Introducing Bahrain Natural Landscapes 17 Bahrain Through Time 27 People and Their Culture 55 Government and Politics 67 The Economy 77 Living in Bahrain Today 87 Bahrain Looks Ahead 97 Facts at a Glance History at a Glance Bibliography Index 102 103 104 105 CH.WN.Bah.aFM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:24 PM Page CH.WN.Bah.aFM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:24 PM Page Bahrain CH.WN.Bah.C1.Final.q 4/15/02 1:22 PM Page Often called “the Pearl of the Persian Gulf,” Bahrain is actually a group of islands connected by causeways Before the beginning of the petroleum industry, the region’s economy was fueled in part by an abundance of pearls gathered by divers from the surrounding seabed CH.WN.Bah.C1.Final.q 4/15/02 1:23 PM Page Introducing Bahrain B ahrain—the “Pearl of the Persian Gulf ”—is the smallest and most densely populated Arab country Its land area is only some 260 square miles (670 square kilometers), making it roughly the size of Chicago, Illinois, or one-fifth the area of tiny Rhode Island Yet its nearly 700,000 people give this desert kingdom a population density of nearly 2,700 people per square mile (1,025 per square kilometer), making it one of the most crowded countries on Earth The country is formed by an archipelago (a group of islands), located midway along the western edge of the Persian Gulf (also called the Arabian Sea by many people living in the region).1 Most Bahraini names have two spellings, the local Arabic one and one commonly used in the West Throughout this book, the accepted English spelling is used CH.WN.Bah.C8.Final.q 4/15/02 1:30 PM Page 96 As time and tradition move into a new millennium, modern cellphone technology and the ancient art of falconry coexist in Bahrain CH.WN.Bah.C8.Final.q 4/15/02 1:30 PM Page 97 Bahrain Looks Ahead B ahrain appears to have a bright future Its people enjoy the most cosmopolitan, safe, and relaxed lifestyle available in the Persian Gulf Their country has become the “Economic Gateway to the Gulf,” and the government is working hard to attract information technology and other “clean” industries Several worldclass computer and software companies already have chosen Bahrain as their regional base for sales and support operations During recent decades, the government has built at least 10 industrial areas to accommodate over 500 different manufacturing and service companies Bahrainis like to think of their country as the Singapore or Hong Kong of the Persian Gulf, seasoned with a dash of Monaco Like Singapore, Bahrain is also a small island state Also like Singapore, Bahrain has become an important regional center for financial and other services The comparison to Hong Kong is that of another small, dynamic nation working alongside a slower but powerful giant 97 CH.WN.Bah.C8.Final.q 4/15/02 1:30 PM Page 98 98 Bahrain Finally, Monaco is a fun-loving place of great pleasures, and the Persian Gulf appreciates such pleasures of life, too Bahrain was the first gulf state to find and export oil and to benefit from the oil age Its first commercial well came on stream in 1932, and the first oil-laden tanker steamed out in December 1933 But it is also the first gulf state that has been forced to consider life after oil Its wells are nearly exhausted Since the height of the oil boom, Bahrain has thought about how it can profit from its neighbors’ oil Fortunately, the country has several other assets on which it can capitalize The first major asset that Bahrain possesses is its geographic location As the economic gateway to the Persian Gulf, it is surrounded by vast petroleum wealth and opportunity What could be more sensible than to make an archipelago in the middle of the gulf a world-class communications center or center of offshore banking? Another advantage Bahrain has is its population Its official 2000 population was 634,137 (some population estimates are as high as 700,000), an estimated three-quarters of whom are Bahrainis This relatively large native population presents both strengths and problems The population is more homogeneous than in most Arab countries But, Bahrain cannot use the safety valve of sending surplus expatriate labor home in case of reduced labor demand With the global economic downturn of the 1990s, Bahrain’s economy has also suffered a slump It is the first country in the gulf where many of its young citizens have experienced difficulties in finding a job The third asset is the educational level of its citizens Bahrain can boast of having the highest percentage of educated people in the gulf region Much of the prestige enjoyed by Bahrainis is based on their reputation as educated people They are widely considered to be a population of intellectuals Finally, one of Bahrain’s chief assets is the presence of an atmosphere of freedom and liberty Many things not found elsewhere in the Persian Gulf are available in Bahrain Alcohol, CH.WN.Bah.C8.Final.q 4/15/02 1:30 PM Page 99 Bahrain Looks Ahead Bahrain is among the more liberal of the Islamic nations in its social attitudes, particularly toward women They may have careers outside the home for example, is freely available Anyone who wants to drink can so, without any questions being asked about religion or nationality It is an important freedom that attracts many visitors from elsewhere in the Muslim world Many Muslims drink alcohol, even though strictly forbidden by the Qur’an (Koran), or holy book of Islam Another freedom that Bahrainis enjoy is found in the relative ease with which women can move in society Many women work outside the home They enjoy the freedom to work in offices, shops, and hotels There are no restrictions on working in jobs that involve normal contact with men The freedom of which Bahrainis are justifiably proud applies mainly to individual behavior The idea of an individual being able to choose how to behave is totally alien to society on the Arabian Peninsula, whereas in Bahrain, if a person exercises discretion in behavior, he or she can have as much individual freedom as is desired Public and civil liberties, however, are not as freely found in Bahrain Press, radio, and television are closely 99 CH.WN.Bah.C8.Final.q 4/15/02 1:30 PM Page 100 100 Bahrain monitored and often censored by the Ministry of Information Many of Bahrain’s neighbors enjoy considerably more freedom of the press Foreign journalists are promptly expelled if the Ministry of Information feels they have stepped out of line— and it does not matter if they work for the local newspaper or an international relief agency Because Bahrain is such a small nation and is positioned close to other patriarchal-governed states, it appears that democratic reforms will come very slowly The country’s short experiment with an elected parliament in 1973 ended with its closing in 1975, and newly formed political parties were outlawed at the same time Now there is no talk of bringing political parties back, even from a few representatives of opposition groups in exile Anything that threatens the tribal legacy will collide with the ruling elite and be quickly squelched Since Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa became emir in 1999 after the death of his father, the social unrest over proposed reforms has quieted down The emir has repeatedly stressed his commitment to developing democracy in Bahrain, and Bahrainis are anxiously awaiting anticipated improvements In February 2001 Sheikh Hamad permitted a public referendum, or vote, to be held A major issue voted on was whether Bahrain should be transformed from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy They also voted on whether to establish a parliament with two chambers, one of which was to be directly elected Another issue voted on was the establishment of an independent judiciary Right before the vote, the emir pardoned more than 900 political prisoners and exiles to ensure that Bahrain received the praise of human rights agencies and groups The vote went overwhelmingly in support of the political reforms listed Within days, they began making at least some of the changes voted by the country’s people Despite the many changes currently happening in Bahrain, there is one key reality: The ruling family has been in power for more than two centuries, and this system is deeply embedded CH.WN.Bah.C8.Final.q 4/15/02 1:30 PM Page 101 Bahrain Looks Ahead in Bahraini society Some outside observers have been quite critical of recent developments, calling them “cosmetic” or “superficial.” The emir and the prime minister, they point out, would still appoint members to the upper house of the parliament that in turn would hold veto power over the elected chamber It is most doubtful that the emir, or the ruling Al-Khalifa family, would give up their control over Bahrain Most observers, however, believe that the reforms are a positive step toward democratization The current practice of holding weekly majlises (public assemblies) gives the people ready access to the emir They can bring their grievances to him and request his intervention during these meetings However, the educated professional classes will undoubtedly continue to exert pressure for representative government Already some of the changes they pressed for have been implemented In 1995 the first cabinet shakeup in 20 years occurred The ruling family’s membership in the cabinet was reduced to seven of the 16 seats, thereby making it a minority Bahrain’s relations with its gulf neighbors are generally good Tensions between the country and Iran seem to be relaxing; in fact, the two countries have reached an agreement to exchange ambassadors (However, Bahrain still accuses Iran of sponsoring subversive terrorist activities in the country Old suspicions die hard, and it will take time for Bahrain to become convinced that Iran has lost its desire to invade and take control of this island state.) Also, the long-running dispute between Bahrain and Qatar over the Hawar Islands may be close to being resolved Bahrain has controlled these islands since the 1930s Bahrain has a very bright future It enjoys a strategic location, it is well governed, and it has the region’s most diversified economy Its people are well educated and enjoy many benefits not shared by most others in the region, including many more individual freedoms Of greatest importance perhaps is that the country and its people are quite flexible They can adjust rapidly to conditions in an ever-changing world without losing their own identity 101 CH.WN.Bah.zBM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:29 PM Page 102 Facts at a Glance Land and People Official Name of Country Location Area Climate Highest Point Lowest Point Capital Population Official Language Other Major Languages Ethnic Groups Literacy Rate Religions Average Life Economy Natural Resources Land Use Major Imports Major Exports Major Trading Agricultural Products Currency Government Form of Government Legislature Political Party Head of Government Head of State Cabinet Elections State of Bahrain Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia 267 square miles (692 square kilometers) Arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers Jabal ad Dukhan (440 feet; 134 meters) Persian Gulf (0 meters) Manama Approximately 700,000 (2002 estimate) Arabic English, Farsi, Urdu Bahraini 63 percent, Asian 19 percent, other Arab 10 percent, Iranian percent 85% Shi’a Muslim 75 percent, Sunni Muslim 25 percent 72 years Expectancy Oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish Arable land: percent; permanent crops: percent; permanent pastures: percent; forests and woodland: percent; desert: 92 percent Irrigated land 10 square kilometers (1993 estimate) Crude petroleum, machinery, transportation equipment, food Crude oil, refined oil products, aluminum Saudi Arabia, India, United States, Japan, United Arab Emirates Partners Eggs, vegetables, dates, dairy, poultry Bahraini dinar Traditional monarchy Cabinet-executive system None permitted Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa Amir Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa (since March 5, 1999) Appointed by the monarch None; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by monarch 102 CH.WN.Bah.zBM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:29 PM Page 103 History at a Glance 3200–200 B.C Formative Dilmun First mentioned in Mesopotamian inscriptions 2200–1600 B.C Early Dilmun Golden age of prosperity and influence 1600–1000 B.C Middle Dilmun Mesopotamia under Kassite rule 1000–330 B.C Late Dilmun Decline of copper trade and switch to trade in spices and incense 1500s A.D Portugese seized Bahrain as a trading post to protect their monopoly over the spice trade 1604–1782 Periodic occupation by Bahrain after Portuguese ousted 1783 Al-Khalifa family seizes power over all other tribes and groups 1880 Bahrain becomes a British protectorate 1971 Bahrain gains its independence 1973–1975 1990s New Constitution establishes a Constituent Assembly, but the ruler dissolves it shortly thereafter Territorial disputes with Qatar Bahrain takes aggressive steps to revive and diversify its economy 1991 Bahrain participates in Operation Desert Storm as part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); Bahrain signs a defense cooperation pact with the United States 1996 Coup attempt plot uncovered by an Iranian-backed group, Hezbollah Bahrain recalls its ambassador to Iran 1998 Bahrain provides military facilities for Operation Desert Fox, a U.S and British bombing campaign against Iraq Emir of Bahrain visits Qatar to resolve disputes 2000 Emir promises to restore a democratically elected parliament after a break of 25 years Emir also pardons over 900 political prisoners and exiles 103 CH.WN.Bah.zBM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:29 PM Page 104 Bibliography Bradshaw, Michael The New Global Order: World Regional Geography, 2nd ed (New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2002) English, Paul, Geography: People and Places in a Changing World, 2nd ed (St Paul, Minn.: West Publishing Company, 1997) Sager, Robert J., and David Helgren World Geography Today (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1997) Said, Edward Culture and Imperialism (New York: Vintage Books, 1994) Salter, Christopher, et al Essentials of World Regional Geography, 3rd ed (Orlando, Fla: Saunders College Publishing, 2000) Zahlan, Rosemarie Said The Making of the Modern Gulf States London: Unwin Hyman, 1989 104 CH.WN.Bah.zBM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:29 PM Page 105 Index Abu Safa, 51 Agriculture, 10, 11, 18, 19, 28, 33, 59, 61, 62, 78, 80, 87 Airport, 10, 18, 83, 87 Al-Areen Wildlife Sanctuary, 22 Alcoholic beverages, 83, 98-99 Al Dowasir tribes, 63 Al-Khalifa dynasty, 33-35, 41-42, 43, 45, 47-49, 52-53, 56, 60, 62, 63, 64, 68-71, 72, 80, 93, 100-101 Al-Khalifa, Hamad bin Isa, 53, 67, 100 Al-Khalifa, Isa bin Salman, 47-49, 53, 62, 70, 71 Al-Khalifa, Isa ibn Ali, 34-35, 68, 69 Al-Khalifa, Khalifa bin Salman, 67 Al-Khalifa, Salman ibn Hamad, 62 Al-Modarris, Hojatolislam Hadi, 64 Al Muharraq (city), 19, 60 Al Muharraq (island), 10, 18-19 Al Musallam tribe, 63 Al Qusabi family, 63 Al Rumahi tribe, 63 Al-Sabahs, 33 Aluminum, 13, 22, 60, 81 Al Urayidh family, 59 Al Zayyani family, 63 Animal life, 19, 21-22, 79 Arabian Gulf University, 94 Arabic language, 65, 87 Arab-Israeli War (1973), 49 ARAMCO (the Arabian-American [Oil] Company), 41 Architecture, 88 Area, 9, 10, 17, 77 Ar-Rifa- al Gharbi, 61-62 Ar-Rifa- ash Sharqi, 61-62 Ar-Rifa- Sitrah, 60-61, 62 Ashura, 59 Babylonians, 11-12 Baharinah, 56, 59 Baharna, 65 Bahrain (island), 18, 55 Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO), 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 51, 59 “Bahrain Through the Ages” (conference), 69-70 Birds, 19, 21 Britain, 34-47, 63, 69, 73, 74 Bronze Age, 10-12 Cabinet, 67 Capital city See Manama Causeways, 10, 14, 18, 19, 51, 83-85 Christianity, 30, 93 Cities, 10, 11, 18-19, 55, 59-60, 61, 62, 80, 87 Civil liberties, 99-100 Climate, 19-21 Clothing, 91 Coffee ceremony, 90-91 Committee for National Unity, 45 Communication facilities, 13-14, 44, 83, 98, 99-100 Constitution, 47, 67, 68, 70, 71 Coups, 49-50, 52, 64, 72, 74-75, 101 Culture, 14, 36, 42, 55-56, 59, 62-65, 87-95 Currency, 36, 82-83 Date palms, 18, 19, 21, 28, 59, 60, 61, 62, 80 Democracy, 47-49, 67, 70-71, 100, 101 Desalinization plants, 22, 24, 78 Desert, 11, 18, 21, 56 Dilmun civilization, 10-12, 27-28 Dinar, 82 Economy, 13, 28, 51-52, 60, 69, 97-98 See also Agriculture; Aluminum; Financial services; Oil; Pearls; Shipbuilding and repair; Tourism Education, 14, 42, 43, 44, 47, 51, 59, 69, 77, 87, 93-94, 98, 101 Emir (ruler), 19 English language, 65, 87 Ethnic groups, 55, 57, 65, 98 Exports, 28, 78, 81 105 CH.WN.Bah.zBM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:29 PM Page 106 Index Fakhro family, 63 Family life, 88 Fasht al-Dibal, 40 Financial services, 50, 51, 60, 81-83, 97, 98 Fishing industry, 21-22, 79-80 Floods, 20-21 Foods, 90-91 Foreign investment, 81, 82 Foreign relations, 19, 34-38, 40, 49-51, 52, 64, 71-74, 83-85, 101 Foreign workers, 56-58, 60, 62, 75, 81, 85, 94, 98 France, 74 Future, 97-101 Game preserves, 19, 22 Gaws, 20 Government, 13, 42-44, 45, 46, 47-50, 52-53, 62, 63-65, 67-71, 72, 74-75, 100-101 See also Al-Khalifa dynasty Greeks, 29-30 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), 72, 73-74, 94 Gulf of Bahrain, 17 Gulf University, 51 Hawala people, 63-64 Hawar Islands, 19, 40, 101 Health care, 77, 94 History, 10, 27-28, 30-31, 33-53 and Britain, 34-47, 63, 69 and Dilmun civilization, 10-12, 27-28 and Greeks, 29-30 and independence, 38, 46-47 and Iran, 49-50, 52, 64 and isolation, 35-38 and oil, 36, 38-43 and origin of name, 10, 30, 55 and Persians, 30-31, 33, 57, 64, 68 and Portugal, 31, 33 and Saudi Arabia, 50 and steps toward independence, 44-46 See also Al-Khalifa dynasty Homes, 89 Independence, 34, 38, 44-47 India, 36 Indians, 57-58 Individual freedoms, 95, 98-99, 101 Information technology, 97 International organizations, 74 Iran, 37, 38, 46, 47, 49-50, 52, 64, 72, 74-75, 85, 101 Iranians, 58-59 Iran-Iraq War, 72, 74, 85 Iraq, 37, 72, 73, 75, 85 Islam, 30, 31, 34, 47, 49-50, 55-56, 59, 62-65, 70, 88-89, 90, 91-93, 99 Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain, 50 Islands, 9-10, 17-19, 25 Jabal al Dukhan, 18 Jazirat al Azl, 19 Jiddah, 10, 19 Jidd Hafs, 60, 61, 62 Judiciary, 67, 70, 100 Kanoo family, 63 Khalifa, Ahmad bin (Ahmad the Conqueror), 33, 68 Khameni, Seyyed Ali, 75 Khomeini, Ayatollah, 74-75 King Faud Causeway, 83-85 Kuwait, 33, 75 Land features, 17-19 Language, 65, 87 Legislature, 67, 100, 101 Leisure-time activities, 94-95 Life expectancy, 57, 94 Location, 9, 17, 25, 28, 82, 98, 101 Ma’atam (prayer room), 59, 91-93 Madinat ‘Isá, 61, 62 106 CH.WN.Bah.zBM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:29 PM Page 107 Index Manama, 10, 18, 55, 60, 61, 62, 64, 80, 85 Manufacturing, 60, 81, 97 Media, 13-14, 44, 99-100 Mina Salman, 18 Monarchy, 67, 71, 100 Mountains, 18 Muhammad, Ahmad ibu, 33 Muharraq, 55 Primary industries, 78-81 See also Agriculture; Oil; Pearls Prison, 19 Processing industries, 60, 81 Qatar, 17, 19, 33, 40, 101 Nabih Saleh, 10 Nabi Salah, 19 National anthems, 38 National Assembly, 47-49, 67, 70, 100 National Front for Progressive Force, 46 National identity, 37-38 Natural landscapes, 17-22, 24-25 Natural resources, 77-78 See also Oil; Pearls Nejdis, 63 Nestorians, 30 Oil, 13, 18, 19, 22, 25, 34-35, 36, 38-43, 46, 49, 50, 51, 57, 58, 59, 60, 63, 69, 78, 79, 80-81, 98 Oil concession leases, 35, 38-42, 49 Oman, 38 Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), 51, 74 Pahlavi, Shah Reza, 38, 47, 49, 64 Pearls, 9, 13, 17, 22, 25, 28, 30-31, 33, 41, 42-43, 63, 68, 78-79 People, 55-65 People’s Bloc, 47, 48 Persian Gulf War, 71, 72, 73, 75 Persians, 30-31, 33, 57, 64, 68 Plant life, 11, 18, 21 Political parties, 67, 71, 100 Politics, 34, 35, 39-44, 49, 59, 62-63, 64, 74-75, 92, 100, 101 Pollution, 22 Population, 9, 25, 46, 55, 56-59, 98 Portugal, 31, 33 Precipitation, 20-21 Regional organizations, 72, 73-74 Regional security, 72, 73-75 Religion, 30, 92-93 See also Islam Religious Bloc, 47 Rouhani, Ayatollah, 50 Rural villages, 59, 60-62, 64 Sanabis, 62 Sandstorms, 20 Saudi Arabia, 14, 17, 18, 33, 37, 41, 50-51, 72, 83-85, 95 Sea life, 21-22, 79-80 See also Pearls Seaports, 18, 33 Security, 34-35, 37, 50, 71, 72, 73-75, 85 Shatt-al-Arab, 49 Shi’a Muslims, 31, 34, 47, 49-50, 56, 59, 62-63, 64-65, 91-93 Shipbuilding and repair, 19, 60, 81 Shirawi family, 63-64 Shura, 71 Sitrah, 10, 19 Social life, 89-90 Standard Oil Company of California (SoCal), 40-41 Sumerians, 11, 13, 27 Summer shamal, 20 Sunni Muslims, 34, 56, 62, 63, 64-65, 93 Ta’ziyah, 59 Tourism, 13, 14, 22, 83, 94-95 Trade, 14, 25, 27, 28, 31, 81 Transportation, 10, 14, 18, 19, 51, 83-85 Tree of Life, 21 Umm Al-Nassan, 10, 19 107 CH.WN.Bah.zBM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:29 PM Page 108 Index United Nations, 38 United States, 40-41, 43, 49, 60, 72, 73, 74, 81, 87, 93 Universities, 94 Urdu, 65 Utub tribe, 33, 68 Winds, 20 Winter shamal, 20 Women, role of, 69, 85, 88-89, 91, 93, 99 Workforce, 51, 56-58, 59-60, 62, 75, 81, 85, 94, 98 Water supply, 10, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27-28, 33, 64, 77, 78, 80 Zubarah, 40 108 CH.WN.Bah.zBM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:29 PM Page 109 Picture Credits page: 8: 11: 12: 15: 16: 23: 24: 26: 29: 32: 39: 48: 52: Adam Woolfitt/CORBIS Adam Woolfitt/CORBIS AP/Wide World Photos 21st Century Publishing Bettman/CORBIS AP/Wide World Photos 21st Century Publishing Adam Woolfitt/CORBIS Adam Woolfitt/CORBIS Kevin Schaefer/CORBIS Bettman/CORBIS AP/Wide World Photos Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS 54: 58: 61: 66: 73: 76: 79: 84: 86: 90: 92: 96: 99: Adam Woolfitt/CORBIS AP/Wide World Photos Arthur Thevenart/CORBIS AP/Wide World Photos Corbis Christine Osborne/CORBIS Steve Raymer/CORBIS Adam Woolfitt/CORBIS AP/Wide World Photos Adam Woolfitt/CORBIS Hulton Archive Zen Icknow/CORBIS AP/Wide World Photos cover: Adam Woolfitt/CORBIS frontis: Flag courtesy of www.theodora.com/flags Used by permission 109 CH.WN.Bah.zBM.Final.q 4/15/02 1:29 PM Page 110 About the Author CAROL ANN GILLESPIE teaches World Regional Geography and East Asian Studies at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania She resides in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Michael, and her three sons CHARLES F “FRITZ” GRITZNER is Distinguished Professor of Geography at South Dakota State University He is now in his fifth decade of college teaching and research Much of his career work has focused on geographic education Fritz has served as both president and executive director of the National Council for Geographic Education and has received the Council’s George J Miller Award for Distinguished Service 110 ... Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gillespie, Carol Ann Bahrain / Carol Ann Gillespie p cm — (Modern world nations) Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 0-7910-6779-3 Bahrain I Title II Series DS247.B2... Contents Introducing Bahrain Natural Landscapes 17 Bahrain Through Time 27 People and Their Culture 55 Government and Politics 67 The Economy 77 Living in Bahrain Today 87 Bahrain Looks Ahead... Introducing Bahrain Bahrain’s capital, Manama, is also its largest city—a thriving metropolis whose skyline is highlighted by many modern hotels and office buildings Even today, those who first see Bahrain