BAHRAIN

Bahrain has been governed by the al-Khalifa family since the late eighteenth century and is the only Persian Gulf state to retain the custom of having each ruler's eldest son succeed him. Since the 1940's, a majority of the people of Bahrain have demanded a more democratic form of government. Despite intermittent and widespread rioting for political reforms, Bahrainis have had little voice in their government. They have been routinely denied the right to freedom of association and assembly, the right to freedom of expression and access to information, and the right to take part in the conduct of public affairs. This has posed the threat of violent revolution, but this threat may have been greatly diminished by new leadership and some movement toward political reform in the late 1990's and the early twenty-first century.

The ruling establishment has used brutal force and torture to put down riots and to abolish the basic freedoms of the nation. Because of this repressive form of government, the potential for violent revolution exists, as the people of Bahrain continue their struggle for democracy.

Bahrain is located about thirteen miles east of Saudi Arabia and north of the Qatar peninsula. It consists of more than thirty islands, with the main island also being called Bahrain. Except for Bahrain Island, the other islands are low-lying, rocky, and mostly covered by barren desert. Artesian wells, mainly along the north coast of Bahrain, are used for the water supply and for irrigation. The capital and principal city of Manama is located on the northeastern end of Bahrain Island.

The Bahrainis are mostly Arabs of various origins, but there are also sizable communities of Indians, Pakistanis, Persians, Europeans, and Americans. Most of the people of Bahrain are Sunni or Shiite Muslims, and the official language is Arabic. In 2002 the population of the country was about 656,400, about a third of whom were foreign workers.

Early History

The oldest remains of inhabitants of Bahrain have been found in burial mounds in the northern half of Bahrain Island, and ar-