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Description Bahrain by rbd.me
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In 1783, the al-Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shia community. Shia political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shia political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shia discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence.
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Location
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Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
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Area - comparative
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3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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Natural resources Bahrain
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mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
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Population Bahrain
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close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean
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Religions Bahrain
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Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)
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Languages
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Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)
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Education Bahrain expenditures
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Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
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Government Bahrain type
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3.9% of GDP (1991)
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Independence
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5 governorates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat
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Bahrain Economy - overview
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red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam
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Investment Bahrain
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27% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Industries Bahrain
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petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
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Airports Bahrain
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51,489 (2009)
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