Bahrain

Bahrain is smallest among the Arab nations and is an island country with borders of froth and waves. From the very ancient times Bahrain has been invaded and influenced by cultural diversities of several nationalities like Assyrians, Greeks, Babylonians,Persians and finally by the Arabs. It is mostly due to their influence that the country became predominantly Muslim. History of a country generally speaks a lot about the nature of the nation. All the invasions, cultural diversities that this island country faced, created a remarkable impact on the cultural background of Bahrain.

Official Languages:

All the official work is done in Arabic in Bahrain. Two major dialects that are followed by the inhabitants of Bahrain: Arabic generally spoken by the Shias and Bahraini Arabic followed by the Sunnis. Except this Persian, Urdu/Hindi, English and Malayalam are the other languages that are used by the different sections of people.

Independence, Republic and Government:

From 1743 to the beginning of late 18th century, the political condition of Bahrain was at a topsy-turvy. After that it became a colony under the United Kingdom. In 1932 when oil was first discovered in Bahrain a rapid change was observed in the socio-economic structure of the country. When the Great War II started gradually the impact was observed in Bahrain too and remarkably the anti-British sentiment increased up to a great deal. At last pn 15th August,1971 they were given freedom and Bahrain received the status of a free nation.

As a consequence, in Bahrain the method of constitutional monarchy commenced. This is totally headed by the King and the prime minister is there to help the king to administrate over a cabinet of 23 members as well as over the whole nation too. The nation has two legislative chambers each having 40 members. Through the voting system they have been selected and most importantly through the voting system both Shia and Sunni Islamists get the equal opportunity to get the right foundation to introduce their policies. That's why both the communities live harmoniously in this place.

• Al Manama.
• Al Muharraq.
• Isa Town.
• Hamad town.
• Sitrah.
• Al Riffa.
• Um Al Hassam.

As mentioned before all these cities are like different functional organs of a human body where the capital Manama plays the role of heart. All these cities are the important places for controlling administration, economy or business policies. The economy of Bahrain is the fastest growing economy in among all the Arabian countries, found by U.N Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. And all these cities are undertaking the responsibilities for the national prosperity. Today the per capita income of Bahrain is quite enviable-$ 20,500(35th in the World) and it was never possible without the active collaborative efforts of the cities.

Culture and Heritage:

Both the Muslim communities of Shia and Sunni get the equal opportunities in every aspect of the social life starting from choosing their leaders to expressing their individual expressions. This must have provided you with a precise idea about the open mindedness of the people residing over there. According to the 2001 census 80% of Bahrain's population was Muslims, 10% was Christians and 10% was from other religious segments. But these are dry statistical information which can never be perfect proof for communal harmony. It is astonishing to know that alongside mosques, Hindu temple, churches, Sikh Gurudwara and synagogue for Jews can also be found.

Now,it is very natural for you to be haunted by finding the reason the reason behind such religious harmony and pluralistic tolerance. It is also not much clear to the social scientists but many presume that the political liberalization under the king is main reason behind this. It is also very encouraging to know that the youth of the country has enough potential to adopt the trend and taste of the world in a positive way. Thus, it becomes quite clear that without proper cultural and spiritual realization this kind of positive attitude is never attainable.

Tourism

Imagine you are taking a gentle bath in the deep blue sea and the hot sun is over you. Bahrain awaits you with such numerous surprises. Its one of the most popular tourist spots among other Arabian countries. A country that has such rich historical backdrop that is surely going to be an excellent tourist spot. One hand you can relish the beauty of the unfathomable sea, other hand get mesmerized by instances of great heritages of the country. Sometimes you can perceive the whispers of history in your ear. If you need speed then the Bahrain Grand Prix tracks are ready to scorch you. Every kind of hospitality is there for you thanks to the superb infrastructure made by sole government initiatives. So why wait? Just have a trip to the land of mystery and be on a roll!