Bahrain

-Whose name means "two seas"-Bahrain was once viewed the ancient Sumerians as the island paradise, which was established on the basis of the wise and the brave, enjoy eternal life.

It was one of the Gulf to find oil and refineries in the build; the first of the United States as it benefited from the oil assets before most of the neighbouring countries.

Bahrain never reached those enjoyed by the Kuwait or Saudi Arabia, production levels and diversify its economy forced.

Bani Utbah, the country has been in the tribe that expelled-persialaisten-the head of the family of the Khalifa since 1783. in 1861, When the agreement was signed with Britain, until independence in 1971, Bahrain had almost a British Protectorate.

The King is the Supreme authority and ruling Sunni Muslim family members hold the key political and military action. There are no long-running tensions in the Muslim Sunnis and Shi'ite Bahrain's maximum. Sometimes these are the roiskunut appears in the unrest.

In 2001, Bahrainis was strongly in favour of United Kingdom-by now-the proposals of the constitutional monarchy in the country to become elected Parliament and an independent judiciary.

Elections due at the request of a member of Parliament for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City 40 alternates, of the Council. It was the first such poll in almost 30 years. The new body included a dozen of Shi'ite MPs.

The country has enjoyed, by increasing the freedom of expression and human rights monitors say the situation has improved. However, opposition groups and the Replica will continue to press for political reforms, including the powers of the elected Assembly.

Inspired by the collected for several days in the middle of protestors Manama February 2011, thousands of popular uprisings that toppled leaders of Tunisia and Egypt. The King responded to public anger by some political prisoners, and several people prosessoitiin the security forces, which are incompatible with the common market.

Bahrain-about 30 Islands in the chain-has been the territory of the tourists, who take advantage of the relaxed social environment haven. Close ally the United States, it is the home of the US Navy Fifth Fleet.

Full name: The Kingdom of Bahrain population: 807,000 (UN, 2010) capital: Manama region: 717 sq km (277 sq miles) Major language: Arabia Major religion: Islam life expectancy: 75 years (men), 78 years (women) (UN) monetary unit: , 1 Bahraini dinar = 1000 fils Main exports: oil and aluminium for petroleum products, the GNP per capita: US $ 25,420 (World Bank, 2009) Internet domain: . bh the code for the international phone number: + 973

King: Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

Sheikh Hamad, the title changed to the Kingdom of Bahrain on their computer to the Kingdom of the emirate in February 2002.

Sheikh Hamad succeeded his father in the year 1999

He had been crown prince since 1964, when his father Sheikh Isa dies in March 1999, he became Emir.

Born in 1950, he attended public school in Cambridge, England, and went to study in the Mons Officer cadet school, Aldershot, England, and the US army command and Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

In 1968 he founded and became the President of the Bahrain Defense Force Commander-in-chief (BDF). He served as Deputy Minister of defence in 1971, 1988.

The Government has over the years, with the largest Shiite protests experienced demonstrators, saying Sunni minority communities as they ran out of homes, you can choose to turn off, health care and Government jobs.

The country saw a wave of anti-government unrest in 2011-inspired by Tunisia and Egypt and uprisings. The Government uses violence in attempts to stop the protests, in which about 30 mid April to the kill.

Is a lively private press, but most of the Bahrain radio and television stations are State. 2008-the investigation it was found that almost 99% of households had a satellite Receiver.

Press law guarantees journalists the right to act independently, but they are liable to jail terms for criminal offences which includes the Kingdom and self-censorship is carried out in the course of the offensive.

The BBC World Service is available on FM in Manama (101 MHz in English; 103.8 in Arabic).

June 2010, Bahrain had 649,300 internet users (InternetWorldStats.com).

Strict filtering is directed at the political, human rights, religious material, and content shall be deemed to be obscene vanhenemiselle. "Many websites run by national or international non-governmental organisations, are not available," Reporters without borders notes.

In The Press

Tv

Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) mode-then run; operates five terrestrial TV networks Radio-Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) mode-then run; acts of the General programme for the Arabic, the second with the program of cultural and local programmes, the Holy Koran programme, sports Service, English audio, Radio Bahrain FM-private, Indian listeners