According to Wikipedia:
Bahrain (i /bɑːˈreɪn/, Arabic: البحرين Al Baḥrayn), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain (Arabic: مملكة البحرين Mamlakat al Baḥrayn Arabic pronunciation (help·info), English: Kingdom of the Two Seas), is a small island country near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals.[1]
Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands, the largest being Bahrain Island, at 55 km (34 mi) long by 18 km (11 mi) wide. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain by the King Fahd Causeway. Qatar is to the southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain. The planned Qatar Bahrain Causeway will link Bahrain and Qatar and become the world's longest marine causeway.[8]
The country has been ruled by Khalifah family, members of the Bani Utbah tribe, who are Sunnis. But majority of the country population is Shia. From 1861 to 1971 the country was a British colony. Oops "protectorate" I stand corrected.
In 2001 the new Emir made the country into a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament and an independant judicary. In 2002 they had elections and out of 40 Council Of Deputies 12 were Shia.
For years country prospered with new freedom of speech etc and Human Rights groups were satisfied. but in 2011 Shia community thought we had enough and started demonstration with vigour, after Tunisia and Eigypt. Emir got the Saudi and Qatar military to help quell the disturbance. Torture and murder is been reported right through last year. The medical teams who helped the injured and tortured demonstrators, were arrested, tortured and imprisoned by a military court.
Some of the above facts were taken from BBC country report.
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This place is inhabited in ancient times and has a strategic port in the area. Bahrain means "Two Seas". Sumerians thought that the wise and the brave go to Bahrain for eternal life. Nice. I think I will wait until I get wiser but not brave huh?
