Information for backpackers in Bahrain
- Population: 754,000 (UN, 2005)
- Capital: Manama
- Area: 717 square kilometers (277 square miles)
- Main language: Arabic
- Majority religion: Islam
- Life expectancy: 73 years (men), 76 years (women) (UN)
- Currency unit: 1 Bahraini dinar = 1000 fils
The Kingdom of Bahrain is slowly unraveling its vision for the future, a vision for change by slowly and gently breaking down the barriers of traditions. Bahrain is directly translated as “Two Seas” or “Two Waters”, but its essence is nowhere in its translation. The regal kingdom is in an eager race to catch up with the times, having become the island paradise for essentially rigid Saudis while giving the green light to the most restricted things in Saudi Arabia: the bars, the nightclubs. and the cinemas. Not just another desert, Bahrain is a peculiar place to exist with its sweltering climate, but as it is connected to the Arabian Peninsula by a bridge, Bahrain is never short of visitors and inhabitants for the huge entertainment center in which it has been built. converted.
Yet as rich as Bahrain is in modern oil dollars, its history features a culture and civilization to match, as in 3000 B.C. C., Gilgamesh had adventure tales of this place that was once simply hailed as the Cradle of Life. In fact, the kingdom is home to the largest ancient necropolis in the world. In addition to the mundane wealth of a kingdom, Bahrain teems with life, including the colony of seabirds, hundreds of thousands of socotra cormorants, that roost in the intense desert heat to nest. For both seabirds and people, Bahrain is ideal because there are no predators. True to the statement, there is a minimal incidence of crime. And if any policy of country houses where women taxi drivers can work freely, such a place is worth a vacation, isn’t it?
GEOGRAPHY
The Kingdom of Bahrain (26 00 N, 50 33 E) is a 741 km2 archipelago of 33 island specks that are almost microscopic on a map, located right where the Middle East’s main sources of oil are. Fully aware of this, the people of Bahrain have more than quickly planned reclamation projects to increase the land mass, which has come to fruition especially in the last decade. Recovery was deemed even more necessary as nearly 92% of Bahrain is low-lying desert with low elevations, the highest being Jabal ad Dukhan, 122 meters above sea level right on the main island.
CLIMATE
The climatic situation in a desert country is arid with mild winters, hot and humid summers with an average temperature of 35°C, periodic droughts and dust storms at times, and because the seas around Bahrain (Persian Gulf) are very shallow. and saline. , the waters warm much faster and provide lower levels of humidity than necessary. Rainfall is also minimal, maxing out at 2.83 inches, which most people just gasp for air. With simple and common sense, the ideal time to visit Bahrain is during the winter, or from November to March, while May to September are months that are far from tolerable.
PEOPLE
Politics is also hot and active among the population of 793,421 Bahrainis, but of this, 37.6% are not Bahrainis but Palestinians, Omanis and Saudis, in addition to the population of immigrant workers from India, Pakistan or the Philippines. ARABIC is the official language of the state, and ENGLISH, as well as FARSI, are widely spoken due to its global audience of workers. More than three quarters of the population are Muslims (Shia and Sunni), while Christians are a relatively large population of 9%.
ATTRACTIONS
Manama is where most of the action is. The best of authentic shopping and clubbing, little is known why it is called the “sleeping place.” For gold or silk rugs, most of the nice and shiny things are very expensive, like the man-made silk rug costing over US$20,000 or gold from the Bahrain gold souk. Although there are fewer activities in Bahrain during the day, the Al Areen Wildlife Park and Reserve and the Bahrain National Museum are great places to relax and learn new things. Possessing some of the most precious pearls in the world, diving becomes even more challenging and exciting with the possibility of even finding one of Manama’s famous pearls. Finally, Al Bokari Restaurant is a local food joint where the traveler can expect the best introduction to Bahraini cuisine delivered right to their table, clean hands and all.
Taking these factors alone, Bahrain doesn’t exactly have the makings for a popular holiday destination, but let this little archipelago be said to be Saudi Arabia’s sweet little island paradise that deserves a little attention from the masses. of travelers you are basically in for some new adventures. Independent travel can be hit or miss, but poverty-stricken Bahrainis who don’t benefit from the state’s economic growth have this opportunity to earn an income. Ruled by a Sunni monarchy for the past 200 years, the most dominant Shiites suffer horrific discrimination resulting in undeniable poverty. While the flashy lights, piercing skyscrapers, and expensive cars are the biggest draw to these islands, the less glamorous side of Bahrain is where the people meet.
FOOD
Truly, when it comes to food, world foods are well represented on street corners or in five-star hotels, such as cuisines from the Middle East, India, Thailand, and the Philippines. But first and foremost to learn about are traditional Bahrain foods, where rice plays a staple role, and khubz, the traditional flatbread, is widely consumed. Fish, meat, dates are served with rice. Machboos is one of the most famous Bahraini dishes that basically includes meat or fish served with rice. Fish from the main source, the Gulf, is very important in the diet of Bahrainis cooked in many ways, either grilled, steamed or fried, such as British fish and chips. Shawarma is a hearty appetizer of carved roast meat wrapped in soft pita bread. These and most Arabic foods like falafel, fried chickpea balls in a bun, and pastry: samboosa and qoosi, grilled lamb stuffed with rice, boiled eggs, onions, and a few spices are undeniably addictive and delicious.