Nepali
Nepali or Nepalese may refer to :
Concerning Nepal
* Anything of, from, or related to Nepal
* Nepali people, citizens of Nepal
* Nepali language, an Indo-Aryan language found in Nepal, the current official national language and a language spoken ...
is also widely spoken in the
Nepalese workers and Gurkha Soldiers community.
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
,
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nati ...
,
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
,
Bangla
Bangla (Bengali: বাংলা) may refer to:
*Bengali language, an eastern Indo-Aryan language
*The endonym of Bengal, a geographical and ethno-linguistic region in South Asia
*''Bangla-'', a prefix indicating Bangladesh
Businesses and organ ...
and
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
are spoken among significant Indian communities.
All commercial institutions and road signs are
bilingual
Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. More than half of all E ...
, displaying both English and Arabic.
Education
Education is compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 14. Education is free for Bahraini citizens in
public schools
Public school may refer to:
*State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government
*Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England and ...
, with the Bahraini
Ministry of Education providing free textbooks.
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
is not used in public schools, with boys and girls segregated into separate schools.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Qur'anic schools (''
Kuttab'') were the only form of education in Bahrain.
They were traditional schools aimed at teaching children and youth the reading of the
Qur'an
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing. ...
. After
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Bahrain became open to western influences, and a demand for modern educational institutions appeared. 1919 marked the beginning of modern public school system in Bahrain when the Al-Hidaya Al-Khalifia School for boys opened in
Muharraq.
In 1926, the Education Committee opened the second public school for boys in
Manama
Manama ( ar, المنامة ', Bahrani Arabic, Bahrani pronunciation: ) is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 200,000 people as of 2020. Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is h ...
, and in 1928 the first public school for girls was opened in Muharraq.
, there are a total of 126,981 students studying in public schools.
In 2004, King
Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa introduced the "King Hamad Schools of Future" project that uses Information Communication Technology to support
K–12 education in Bahrain. The project's objective is to connect all schools within the kingdom with the Internet. In addition to British intermediate schools, the island is served by the
Bahrain School (BS). The BS is a
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secu ...
school that provides a K-12 curriculum including
International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB Dip ...
offerings. There are also private schools that offer either the
IB Diploma Programme or United Kingdom's
A-Levels
The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational aut ...
.
Bahrain also encourages institutions of higher learning, drawing on expatriate talent and the increasing pool of Bahrain nationals returning from abroad with advanced degrees. The
University of Bahrain
The University of Bahrain ( ar, جامعة البحرين , informally Bahrain University, abbreviated as UOB) is the largest public university in the Kingdom of Bahrain with campuses in Sakhir, Isa Town and Manama, the university has more than ...
was established for standard undergraduate and graduate study, and the
King Abdulaziz University College of Health Sciences
King Abdulaziz University College of Health Sciences is a college of King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. It comprises departments for pharmacy, surgery
Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), v ...
, operating under the direction of the Ministry of Health, trains
physician
A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
s,
nurses,
pharmacist
A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...
s and
paramedic
A paramedic is a registered healthcare professional who works autonomously across a range of health and care settings and may specialise in clinical practice, as well as in education, leadership, and research.
Not all ambulance personnel are p ...
s. The 2001 National Action Charter paved the way for the formation of private universities such as the
Ahlia University
Ahlia University (AU) is a private, not-for-profit university in Manama, Bahrain and owned by a private holding company, The Arab Academy for Research and Studies (AARS). The holding company is collectively owned by a group of companies and indi ...
in Manama and
University College of Bahrain in
Saar
Saar or SAAR has several meanings:
People Given name
*Saar Boubacar (born 1951), Senegalese professional football player
* Saar Ganor, Israeli archaeologist
*Saar Klein (born 1967), American film editor
Surname
* Ain Saar (born 1968), Est ...
. The Royal University for Women (RUW), established in 2005, was the first private, purpose-built, international university in Bahrain dedicated solely to educating women. The
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
External has appointed MCG (Management Consultancy Group) as the regional representative office in Bahrain for distance learning programmes. MCG is one of the oldest private institutes in the country. Institutes have also opened which educate South Asian students, such as the
Pakistan Urdu School, Bahrain and the
Indian School, Bahrain
The Indian School ( ar, المدرسة الهندية) is a CBSE–affiliated community school in Bahrain. Founded by three Indian women as an elementary school for the children of Indian nationals in Bahrain, it is currently one of the largest ...
. A few prominent institutions are the
American University of Bahrain
The American University of Bahrain ( ar, الجامعة الأمريكية بالبحرين, abbreviated AUBH) is a private university situated in Riffa, Bahrain. Opened in September 2019 and licensed by the Higher Education Council of Bahrain, ...
established in 2019, the
Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance
The Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance ( ar, معهد البحرين للدراسات المصرفية والمالية, abbreviated as BIBF) is a semi-governmental higher education institute situated in the Juffair district of Manama, in the ...
, the Ernst & Young Training Institute, and the
Birla Institute of Technology International Centre
Birla Institute of Technology International Centre (BITIC), Bahrain ( ar, مركز معهد بيرلا العالمي للتكنولوجيا، البحرين) is the first international centre of Birla Institute of Technology, located in Budaiya ...
. In 2004, the
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is a medical professional and educational institution, which is also known as RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland's first private university. It was established in 1784 ...
(RCSI) set up a constituent
medical university in the country. In addition to the
Arabian Gulf University
Arabian Gulf University is a university in the city of Manama, in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It is accredited by the Ministry of Education, Bahrain, and governed by Gulf Cooperative Countries, and is a member of Federation of the Universities of t ...
,
AMA International University
The University of Technology Bahrain (UTB) is a Bahrain-based university. Previously known as AMA International University of Bahrain, the university rebranded in 2021 after the acquisition deal by GFH financial group in Bahrain. The university p ...
and the
College of Health Sciences, these are the only medical schools in Bahrain.
Health
Bahrain has a
universal health care
Universal health care (also called universal health coverage, universal coverage, or universal care) is a health care system in which all residents of a particular country or region are assured access to health care. It is generally organized ar ...
system, dating back to 1960. Government-provided health care is free to Bahraini citizens and heavily subsidised for non-Bahrainis. Healthcare expenditure accounted for 4.5% of Bahrain's GDP, according to the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...
. Bahraini physicians and nurses form a majority of the country's workforce in the health sector, unlike neighbouring Gulf states. The first
hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
in Bahrain was the
American Mission Hospital
The American Mission Hospital is a 120 year old private not-for-profit hospital located in Manama, Bahrain.
Established in 1903, as the Mason Memorial Hospital, it was the first modern hospital in the country and, possibly, along the entire South ...
, which opened in 1893 as a dispensary. The first public hospital, and also
tertiary hospital, to open in Bahrain was the
Salmaniya Medical Complex, in the
Salmaniya
Salmaniya is a neighborhood of Manama, Bahrain that houses the largest hospital in Bahrain, Salmaniya Medical Complex, and the Psychiatric Hospital (Bahrain). Also, other private hospitals operate within the vicinity such as the Royal Bahrain Hospi ...
district of Manama, in 1957. Private hospitals are also present throughout the country, such as the
International Hospital of Bahrain
The International Hospital of Bahrain (Abbreviation: IHB; Arabic: مستشفى البحرين الدولي ) was a private hospital in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Established in 1978 and located in Jidhafs, off the Budaiya highway, it was the second ...
.
The
life expectancy
Life expectancy is a statistical measure of the average time an organism is expected to live, based on the year of its birth, current age, and other demographic factors like sex. The most commonly used measure is life expectancy at birth ...
in Bahrain is 73 for males and 76 for females. Compared to many countries in the region, the prevalence of
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
and
HIV
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...
is relatively low.
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...
and
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
(TB) do not constitute major problems in Bahrain as neither disease is indigenous to the country. As a result, cases of malaria and TB have declined in recent decades with cases of contractions amongst Bahraini nationals becoming rare.
The Ministry of Health sponsors regular vaccination campaigns against TB and other diseases such as
hepatitis B.
Currently, Bahrain has an
obesity
Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's we ...
epidemic as 28.9% of all males and 38.2% of all females are classified as obese. Bahrain also has one of the highest prevalence of
diabetes
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...
in the world (5th place). More than 15% of the Bahraini population are affected by the disease, and they account for 5% of deaths in the country.
Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, h ...
s account for 32% of all deaths in Bahrain, being the number one cause of death in the country (the second being
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
).
Sickle-cell anaemia
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of blood disorders typically inherited from a person's parents. The most common type is known as sickle cell anaemia. It results in an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying protein haemoglobin found in red blo ...
and
thalassaemia
Thalassemias are inherited blood disorders characterized by decreased hemoglobin production. Symptoms depend on the type and can vary from none to severe. Often there is mild to severe anemia (low red blood cells or hemoglobin). Anemia can result ...
are prevalent in the country, with a study concluding that 18% of Bahrainis are carriers of sickle-cell anaemia while 24% are carriers of thalassaemia.
Culture
Islam is the main religion, and Bahrainis are known for their tolerance towards the practice of other faiths. Intermarriages between Bahrainis and expatriates are not uncommon—there are many Filipino-Bahrainis like Filipino child actress
Mona Marbella Al-Alawi.
Rules regarding female attire are generally relaxed compared to regional neighbours; the traditional attire of women usually include the
hijab
In modern usage, hijab ( ar, حجاب, translit=ḥijāb, ) generally refers to headcoverings worn by Muslim women. Many Muslims believe it is obligatory for every female Muslim who has reached the age of puberty to wear a head covering. While ...
or the
abaya.
Although the traditional male attire is the
thobe
Thawb ( ar, ثَوْب "garment"), also spelled thobe or tobe and known by various other names in different regions, is an ankle-length robe, usually with long sleeves. It is commonly worn in the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, North Afri ...
which also includes traditional headdresses such as the
keffiyeh
The keffiyeh or kufiya ( ar, كُوفِيَّة, kūfīyah, relating to Kufa, link=no), also known in Arabic as a ghutrah (), shemagh ( '), (), in Kurdish as a Shemagh ''(''شهماغ'')'' or Serwîn (سهروین) and in Persian, as a ...
,
ghutra
The keffiyeh or kufiya ( ar, كُوفِيَّة, kūfīyah, relating to Kufa, link=no), also known in Arabic as a ghutrah (), shemagh ( '), (), in Kurdish as a Shemagh ''(''شهماغ'')'' or Serwîn (سهروین) and in Persian, as a ...
and
agal
An agal ( ar, عِقَال; also spelled iqal, egal, or igal) is an Arab men's clothing accessory. It is a black cord, worn doubled, used to keep a ghutrah in place on the wearer's head. It is traditionally made of goat hair.
It is usually worn b ...
, Western clothing is common in the country.
Although Bahrain legalized
homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
in 1976, many homosexuals have since been arrested.
Art
The modern art movement in the country officially emerged in the 1950s, culminating in the establishment of an art society.
Expressionism
Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...
and
surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...
, as well as
calligraphic art are the popular forms of art in the country.
Abstract expressionism
Abstract expressionism is a post–World War II art movement in American painting, developed in New York City in the 1940s. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve international influence and put New York at the center of the ...
has gained popularity in recent decades.
Pottery
Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and por ...
-making and
textile
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
-weaving are also popular products that were widely made in Bahraini villages.
Arabic calligraphy grew in popularity as the
Bahraini government
The Cabinet of Bahrain is the chief executive body of the Kingdom of Bahrain. According to Article 32 (b) of the 2002 Constitution, "executive authority is vested in the King together with the Council of Ministers and Ministers". The Council of M ...
was an active patron in
Islamic art, culminating in the establishment of an Islamic museum,
Beit Al Quran
Beit Al Qur'an ( ar, بيت القرآن, meaning: the House of Qur'an) is a multi-purpose complex dedicated to the Islamic arts and is located in Hoora, Bahrain. Established in 1990, the complex is most famous for its Islamic museum, which ha ...
.
The
Bahrain national museum
The Bahrain National Museum ( ar, متحف البحرين الوطني) is the largest and oldest public museum in Bahrain. It is situated in Manama, adjacent to the National Theatre of Bahrain. Opened on 15 December 1988 by the Emir of Bahrain ...
houses a permanent
contemporary art
Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic com ...
exhibition. The annual Spring of Culture festival run by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities has become a popular event promoting performance arts in the Kingdom. The
architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
of Bahrain is similar to that of its neighbours in the Persian Gulf. The
wind tower
A windcatcher, wind tower, or wind scoop ( ar, برجيل ; fa, بادگیر) is a traditional architectural element used to create cross ventilation and passive cooling in buildings. Windcatchers come in various designs: unidirectional, bid ...
, which generates natural ventilation in a house, is a common sight on old buildings, particularly in the old districts of Manama and
Muharraq.
Literature
Literature retains a strong tradition in the country; most traditional writers and poets write in the
classical Arabic
Classical Arabic ( ar, links=no, ٱلْعَرَبِيَّةُ ٱلْفُصْحَىٰ, al-ʿarabīyah al-fuṣḥā) or Quranic Arabic is the standardized literary form of Arabic used from the 7th century and throughout the Middle Ages, most notab ...
style. In recent years, the number of younger poets influenced by
western literature
Western literature, also known as European literature, is the literature written in the context of Western culture in the languages of Europe, as well as several geographically or historically related languages such as Basque and Hungarian, an ...
are rising, most writing in
free verse and often including political or personal content.
Ali Al Shargawi
Ali Al Shargawi ( ar, علي الشرقاوي) is a leading Bahraini poet, lyricist and playwright whose work has been translated into English, German, Bulgarian, Russian, Kurdish, and French. Born in Manama in 1948, he started publishing his po ...
, a decorated longtime poet, was described in 2011 by ''Al Shorfa'' as the literary icon of Bahrain.
In literature, Bahrain was the site of the ancient land of
Dilmun
Dilmun, or Telmun, ( Sumerian: , later 𒉌𒌇(𒆠), ni.tukki = DILMUNki; ar, دلمون) was an ancient East Semitic-speaking civilization in Eastern Arabia mentioned from the 3rd millennium BC onwards.
Based on contextual evidence, it was l ...
mentioned in the
Epic of Gilgamesh
The ''Epic of Gilgamesh'' () is an epic poetry, epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, and is regarded as the earliest surviving notable literature and the second oldest religious text, after the Pyramid Texts. The literary history of Gilgamesh ...
. Legend also states that it was the location of the
Garden of Eden
In Abrahamic religions, the Garden of Eden ( he, גַּן־עֵדֶן, ) or Garden of God (, and גַן־אֱלֹהִים ''gan-Elohim''), also called the Terrestrial Paradise, is the Bible, biblical paradise described in Book of Genesis, Genes ...
.
Music
The music style in Bahrain is similar to that of its neighbours. The
Khaliji style of music, which is
folk music
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
, is popular in the country. The
sawt style of music, which involves a complex form of urban music, performed by an
Oud (plucked lute), a
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
and
mirwas
The ''mirwās'' or ''marwas'' ( ar, مرواس), plural ''marāwīs'' ( ar, مراويس) is a small double-sided, high-pithced hand drum originally from the Middle East. It is a popular instrument in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, used in ...
(a drum), is also popular in Bahrain.
Ali Bahar was one of the most famous singers in Bahrain. He performed his music with his Band ''Al-Ekhwa'' (''The Brothers''). Bahrain was also the site of the first
recording studio
A recording studio is a specialized facility for sound recording, mixing, and audio production of instrumental or vocal musical performances, spoken words, and other sounds. They range in size from a small in-home project studio large enoug ...
amongst the Persian Gulf states.
Entertainment
With regards to cultural and tourism activities, the Ministry of Culture organizes a number of annual festivals. such as the Spring of Culture in March and April, the
Bahrain Summer Festival
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made u ...
and Ta'a Al-Shabab from August to September, and the Bahrain International Music Festival in October which features musical and theatrical performances, lectures, and much more.
As for cultural sites, residents, visitors, and tourists can re-live history through Bahrain's many historical sites.
Sports
Bahrain is the first nation other than
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
of America to host
International Mixed Martial Arts Federation
The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) was founded on 29 February 2012 as the international governing body for amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Registered as a non-profit organisation under Swedish law, IMMAF serves as a democra ...
World Championships of Amateur MMA. Bahrain have recorded an influx in global athletes visiting the nation for Mixed Martial Arts training during 2017.
In 2018, Cricket was introduced in Bahrain under the initiative of KHK Sports and Exelon. Bahrain Premier League 2018 comprised six franchise squads of 13 resident cricketers competing in the T20 format. The teams were SRam MRam Falcons, Kalaam Knight-Riders, Intex Lions, Bahrain Super Giants, Four Square Challengers and Awan Warriors.
Association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
is the most popular sport in Bahrain.
Bahrain's national football team has competed multiple times at the
Asian Cup
The AFC Asian Cup is the primary association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), determining the continental champion of Asia. It is the second oldest cont ...
,
Arab Nations Cup
The FIFA Arab Cup ( ar, كأس العرب, translit=Kaʾs al-ʿArab), or simply Arab Cup, is an international association football competition which has been organized by FIFA since 2021, and is contested by the senior men's national teams of ...
and played in the
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the ' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament ha ...
qualifiers, though it has never qualified for the World Cup.In 2019 under the leadership of
Hélio Sousa
Hélio Filipe Dias de Sousa (born 12 August 1969) is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder, currently manager of the Bahrain national team.
Playing career
Known by his first name in his playing days, Hél ...
against all odds, in the
WAFF Championship and
Gulf Cup
The Arabian Gulf Cup ( ar, كأس الخليج العربي, ''Kass Al-Khaleej Al-Arabi''), often referred to simply as the Gulf Cup, is a biennial football competition governed by the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation for its eight member nat ...
respectively. Bahrain has its own
top-tier domestic professional
football league
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
, the
Bahraini Premier League. On 3 August 2020, the Kingdom of Bahrain bought a minority stake in the
Paris F.C., a team that plays in France's second tier. Bahrain's entry into the soccer club spurred criticism that the country is trying to whitewash its
human rights
Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...
record and this is another way of buying influence in Europe.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
,
rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sport
* Rugby football in many forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** Rugby union: 1 ...
and
horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...
are also widely popular in the country.
The government of Bahrain also sponsors a
UCI WorldTeam cycling team,
Bahrain Victorius, which participated in the
2017 Tour de France
The 2017 Tour de France was the 104th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours. The 21-race stage, stage race took place across , commencing with an individual time trial in Düsseldorf, Germany on 1 July ...
.
Brave Combat Federation
BRAVE Combat Federation is a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion based in the Middle East. The organization was established on 23 September 2016 by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. BRAVE Combat Federation features mixed martial artists from mor ...
is a Bahrain-based Mixed Martial Arts promotion that has hosted events in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and India. Bahrain MMA Federation (BMMAF) has been set up under the patronage of Sheikh
Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa and the jurisdiction of the Sports Minister, Sheikh
Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa ( ar, ناصر بن حمد آل خليفة; born 8 May 1987) is a member of the Bahraini royal family, Commander of Bahrain's Royal Guard, deputy chairman of the Higher Committee for Energy and Natural Resource ...
. The development of MMA in the nation is convened through KHK MMA, which owns
Brave Combat Federation
BRAVE Combat Federation is a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion based in the Middle East. The organization was established on 23 September 2016 by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. BRAVE Combat Federation features mixed martial artists from mor ...
which is the largest Mixed Martial Arts promotion in the Middle East. Bahrain will be hosting Amateur World Championships 2017 in association with
International Mixed Martial Arts Federation
The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) was founded on 29 February 2012 as the international governing body for amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Registered as a non-profit organisation under Swedish law, IMMAF serves as a democra ...
. Bahrain will be the first Asian and Arab country to host the amateur MMA championship.
Bahrain has a
Formula One race track, which hosted the inaugural
Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix
The Bahrain Grand Prix ( ar, جائزة البحرين الكبرى), officially known as the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix for sponsorship reasons, is a Formula One motor racing event in Bahrain. The first race took place at the Bahrain Internat ...
on 4 April 2004, the first in an Arab country. This was followed by the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2005. Bahrain hosted the opening Grand Prix of the 2006 season on 12 March of that year. Both the above races were won by
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz (; born 29 July 1981) is a Spanish racing driver currently competing for Alpine in Formula One. He won the series' World Drivers' Championship in and with Renault, and has also driven for McLaren, Ferrari, and Mi ...
of
Renault
Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured ...
. The race has since been hosted annually, except for
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
when it was cancelled due to
ongoing anti-government protests.
The
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
race occurred despite concerns of the safety of the teams and the ongoing
protests in the country. The decision to hold the race despite ongoing protests and violence
has been described as "controversial" by
Al Jazeera English
Al Jazeera English (AJE; ar, الجزيرة, translit=al-jazīrah, , literally "The Peninsula", referring to the Qatar Peninsula) is an international 24-hour English-language news channel owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network, which is own ...
,
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by the M ...
,
AFP and
Sky News
Sky News is a British free-to-air television news channel and organisation. Sky News is distributed via an English-language radio news service, and through online channels. It is owned by Sky Group, a division of Comcast. John Ryley is the hea ...
. ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' named it "one of the most controversial in the history of the sport".
In 2006, Bahrain also hosted its inaugural Australian
V8 Supercar
The Supercars Championship is a touring car racing category in Australia, running as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) regulations, governing the sport.
Supercars events take place in all Australian ...
event dubbed the "''Desert 400''". The V8s returned every November to the
Sakhir
Sakhir ( ) is a desert area located in the Southern Governorate of Bahrain, near Zallaq. It contains the Al-Sakhir Palace, built in 1870.
Camping in Sakhir during the winter months is a popular activity in the country.
Notable sites
In the earl ...
circuit until 2010, in which it was the second event of the series. The series has not returned since. The
Bahrain International Circuit also features a full-length
dragstrip where the Bahrain Drag Racing Club has organised invitational events featuring some of Europe's top drag racing teams to try to raise the profile of the sport in the Middle East.
Holidays
On 1 September 2006, Bahrain changed its weekend from being Thursdays and Fridays to Fridays and Saturdays, to have a day of the weekend shared with the rest of the world. Notable holidays in the country are listed below:
See also
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Outline of Bahrain
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Bahrain:
Bahrain – Islamic sovereign island nation located in the Persian Gulf. In the late 1800s, following successive treaties with the British, Bahrain became a ...
*
State of Bahrain
The State of Bahrain ( ar, دولة البحرين ') was the name of Bahrain from 1971 to 2002.
On 15 August 1971, Bahrain declared independence and signed a new treaty of friendship with the United Kingdom. Bahrain joined the United Nations an ...
*
Ajam of Bahrain
The Ajam of Bahrain ( ar, عجم البحرین), also known as Persians of Bahrain or Iranians of Bahrain, are an ethnic group in Bahrain composed of Shia Bahraini citizens of Persian/Iranian background.
The Ajam are estimated to number aroun ...
*
Bahrain International Airport
References
Explanatory notes
Citations
General and cited sources
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External links
*
Kingdom of Bahrain, Ministry of Foreign Affairs website"Bahrain" ''
The World Factbook
''The World Factbook'', also known as the ''CIA World Factbook'', is a reference resource produced by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. The official print version is available ...
''.
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
.
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Bahrain profilefrom the
BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadca ...
*
Key Development Forecasts for Bahrainfrom
International Futures
International Futures (IFs) is a global integrated assessment modelling, integrated assessment model designed to help with thinking strategically and systematically about key global systems (economic, demographic, education, health, environment, ...
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