Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain,with an approximate population of 297,502 as of 2012. Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf,Manama is home to a very diverse population. After periods of Portuguese and Persian control and a short invasion from the ruling dynasty of Saudi Arabia,followed by a longer invasion by Oman,Bahrain established itself as an independent nation in 1971 following a period of British hegemony.
The history of Qatar spans from its first duration of human occupation to its formation as a modern state. Human occupation of Qatar dates back to 50,000 years ago,and Stone Age encampments and tools have been unearthed in the Arabian Peninsula. Mesopotamia was the first civilization to have a presence in the area during the Neolithic period,evidenced by the discovery of potsherds originating from the Ubaid period near coastal encampments.
Bahrain plays a modest,moderating role in regional politics and adheres to the views of the Arab League on Middle East peace and Palestinian rights. Since achieving independence in 1971,Bahrain has maintained friendly relations with most of its neighbours and with the world community. It generally pursues a policy of close consultation with neighbouring states and works to narrow areas of disagreement.
Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa was a Bahraini royal and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Bahrain from 10 January 1970 until his death in 2020. He took office over a year before Bahrain's independence on 15 August 1971. He was the longest-serving prime minister in the world. Under the 2002 Constitution he lost some of his powers,with the King now having the authority to appoint and dismiss ministers.
Mohammad bin Mubarak Al Khalifa is a Bahraini politician and a member of the Bahrain's royal family. He served as Bahrain's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1969 to 2005,and then as one of the Deputy Prime Ministers from November 2002 until 21 November 2022.
The House of Khalifa is the ruling family of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Al Khalifas profess Sunni Islam and belong to the Anizah tribe. Some members of this tribe joined the Utub alliance which migrated from Najd in central Arabia to Kuwait,then ruled all of Qatar,more specifically Al Zubarah,which they built and ruled over before settling in Bahrain in the early 17th century. The current head of the family is King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa,who became the Emir of Bahrain in 1999 and proclaimed himself King of Bahrain in 2002,in fact becoming a constitutional monarch.
Bahrain has had two constitutions in its modern history. The first one was promulgated in 1973,and the second one in 2002.
Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa,was the ruler of Bahrain from 20 February 1942 until his death in 1961. His title was Hakim of Bahrain. He was succeeded by his son Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa in December 1961.
Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa was the ruler of Bahrain from 1869 until his death. His title was Hakim of Bahrain. He is one of the longest reigning monarchs of the region,a reign lasting 63 years. He was forced by the British political advisor,Clive Kirkpatrick Daly,to abdicate in 1923,although this "abdication" was never recognised by Bahrainis who considered his successor Hamad only as a viceruler until Isa's death in 1932.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Bahrain:
Shaikh Isa Bin Tarif Al Bin Ali was chief of Al Bidda,known today as Doha,the capital of Qatar,as well as the chief of the Al Bin Ali tribe from the beginning of the 19th century until his death in 1847. He was described by the political agents in the Persian Gulf as being one of the most energetic and powerful chiefs in the Gulf region
Political,socio-economic,military and cultural ties exist between India and Bahrain. India is a close ally of Bahrain. As per Indian officials,the Kingdom along with its GCC partners are amongst the world's most prominent supporters of India's candidacy for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council,and Bahraini officials have urged India to play a greater role in international affairs. For instance,over concerns about Iran's nuclear programme,Bahrain's Crown Prince requested India to play an active role in resolving the crisis.
Hamad,or Hammad is an Arabic given name and surname,and may refer to:
Relations have existed between Bahrain and Israel since Bahrain achieved its independence in 1971. In recent years,relations between the two countries have been thawing,and the countries agreed to establish diplomatic relations in September 2020. The foreign minister of Bahrain Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa has been quoted saying "Israel is part of the heritage of this whole region,historically. So,the Jewish people have a place amongst us." The common threat of Iran has provided common ground for a thaw in what were once tense relations. Bahrain's foreign policy traditionally supports the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Bahrain has an embassy in Tel Aviv. Israel has an embassy in Manama.
The Cabinet of Bahrain is the chief executive body of the Kingdom of Bahrain. According to Article 32 (b) of the 2002 Constitution,"executive authority is vested in the King together with the Council of Ministers and Ministers". The Council of Ministers (Cabinet) is appointed directly by the King . Bahrain has had only two Prime Ministers since the country's independence in 1971,Khalifah ibn Sulman al-Khalifah,the uncle of the reigning King Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah. Khalifah ibn Sulman al-Khalifah died on 11 November 2020,and was succeeded by the King's son,Crown Prince Salman. As of 2010,roughly half of the cabinet ministers have been selected from the Al Khalifa family,including the Minister of Defence,Minister of Interior,Minister of Foreign Affairs,Minister of Finance,and Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs.
Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa is a Bahraini royal,engineer and Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain.
Al Khawalid,also spelled Al Khawaled,is a branch of the House of Khalifa,the ruling family of Bahrain. Al Khawalid is most often used to refer collectively to descendants of Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa,which they are named after. The term also refers to brothers Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa,the Royal Court Minister and Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa the Commander in Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force. For the purpose of this article,immediate descendants of Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa will be referred to as "the Khalids",the aforementioned two brothers will be referred to as "the Khawalid brothers" and the family branch collectively as "Al Khawalid".
The administrative reforms of the 1920s were a series of British-led reforms that have laid the foundations of modern Bahrain. They took place between 1919 and 1927,but their background extends to the early 19th century. Britain signed a number of treaties with Bahrain in 1820,1861,1880 and 1892. The latter two had effectively turned Bahrain into a British Protectorate. Earlier in 1869,Britain had appointed the young Shaikh Isa ibn Ali Al Khalifa as ruler. Shaikh Isa was an autocrat and a feudal overlord whose authority was shared with his family and Sunni tribal allies. The economy was dependent on pearl diving and palm farming. Both sectors suffered from great inequalities;the conditions of the mostly Baharnah (Shia) peasants and the mostly non-Bahraini divers were often compared to slaves. Since the beginning of the 20th century,the British influence in Bahrain has been on the rise;in 1904-5 they extended their jurisdiction over all foreigners and in 1913 issued an Order in Council,which effectively turned Bahrain into a colony. The Order was not implemented until after the end of World War I.
Muhammad bin Khalifa Al Khalifa was the ruler of Bahrain between 1843 and 1868. He was the sixth monarch of the Khalifa dynasty.
