Bahrain
Where a Little Westernization is Welcome
Basics of Bahrain
Bahrain is a Middle Eastern group of islands in the Persian Gulf. Although the country is surrounded by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain is open to Western-friendly moderation among the otherwise strict Muslim countries around Bahrain. Bahrain consists of a population of about 1.332 million people as of 2013. The majority of the people live in, or near, the capital, Manama, Bahrain. Manama is also the biggest city in the country. Bahrain consists of 717 square kilometers of land. The major language spoken in Bahrain is Arabic, but English is also spoken.
Religion
The main religion in Bahrain is Islam. Approximately 81.2% of the population of Bahrain is either Shia or Sunni Muslim. The population of people who are Sunni Muslim outnumber that of the people who are Shia Muslim. The country of Bahrain recognizes freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination on religious grounds.
Attractions
The beauty and industrialization of Bahrain may surprise some people, but Bahrain is actually very diverse in both industry and nature. The modernness of the country while still maintaining religious customs attracts many people.
The Tree of Life
Standing alone in the middle of a deserted desert is the Tree of Life. This 500 year old Prosopis cineraria tree is a wonder to many people because the tree has lived a long life in the middle of the desert with no plentiful source of water. Pottery and other ancient artifacts have been dug up in the vicinity of the tree, and these findings may date all the way back to the Dilmun civilization.
Qalat al Bahrain
Qalat al Bahrain is a Bahrain fort. Located on top of a 17.5 artificial hill, the fort was built over 4,000 years of continuous occupation. This fort stands at the sight of the former capital of Bahrain, Dilmun. Residential, public, commercial, and military structures have been dug up around and in the fort, proving the importance of the fort a long time ago. The fort has seven layers and is spread out over an area of 10,000 square feet.
Al Fateh Mosque
The Al Fateh Mosque is Bahrain's major center of worship and one of the largest mosques in the world today. The mosque was built under Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa in 1987. Approximately 7,000 worshipers flock to this mosque. The beauty of the mosque is evident with its fiberglass dome and walls decorated with Kufic calligraphy.