Location: Middle East (Persian Gulf)
Capital City: Manama
Population: 1 million
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Currency: Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Main Language: Arabic
Main Religions: Islam, Christianity
Other facts:
Bahrain is made up of 33 islands which are mostly desert land (around 92%). Most of the Bahraini population lives in or near the capital, Manama
Bahrain only gained independence from Britain in 1971. Since then there has been continuous conflict between the ruling Sunni tribe and the Shiite majority
Around 60% of the population is Bahraini. A large number of Bahrain’s inhabitants are non-nationals (mainly other Arabs, Iranians and South Asians)
Bahrain was one of the first Gulf states to discover oil and build a refinery and its economy relies heavily on oil and oil reserves. Oil, gas and petrochemicals account for around 60% of exports
The A'ali Burial Mounds is thought to be the largest prehistoric cemetery in the world with around 170,000 burial mounds dating from between BC3000 and AD600
