Posted
on December 16, 2015
Bring
on the parades! The concerts! The fireworks!
Today
is the first of two days of celebrating Bahrain's independence from
Britain.
Actually,
Bahrain actually became independent in August of 1971, after a United
Nations survey of the Bahraini people showed that a majority of them
wanted to be independent. However, December 16 was chosen at some
point by Bahraini rulers as a more suitable day to celebrate, because
it coincided with coronation day of former emir Isa bin Salman Al
Khalifa.
The
good news is that Bahrain has a high-income economy and has invested
in banking and tourism, so even when petroleum profits dwindle, it
should remain strong.
The
bad news is that, although Bahrain claims to be a constitutional
monarchy, the parliament is not strong, the judicial branch is not
independent of other branches, and the king is, essential, a
dictator. This type of government is called an absolute monarchy.
What
do you know about Bahrain?
Before
you read on, ask yourself where Bahrain is located, what language
Bahraini's speak, and if there is a state religion – and, if so,
which religion it is.
While
you think about those questions, scroll through these photos of
gorgeous cityscapes and natural landscapes from the nation....
 |
| This tree (above and below) is called the Tree of Life. It is the only speck of plant life visible in miles of sand... the mystery of how it still lives in such a dry, dusty area keeps it a popular tourist destination! |
Bahrain
is an island nation located in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi
Arabia. There is a causeway that connects the island to Saudi
Arabia.
There are 83 smaller islands, aside from the largest island (which is called Bahrain).
There are 83 smaller islands, aside from the largest island (which is called Bahrain).
Arabic
is the official language. Because Bahrain used to be a British
colony, English is widely used. Some other commonly heard languages
in Bahrain include Persian (language of Iran) and Urdu (language of
Pakistan).
The
state religion of Bahrain is Islam, and about 70% of the population
is Muslim.
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