The Kingdom of Bahrain is an archipelago of low lying island located in the Arabian Gulf of the eastern shore of Saudi Arabia. Frequently called the Pearl of the Arabian Gulf, Bahrain has a history of more than 5,000 years of civilisation, from the mists of time to a vibrant present under a stable and prosperous government. Bahrain is the site of immortal Dilmun, religious centre to Summerians, Babylonians and Assyrians, as dramatic excavations prove. Subsequent visitors include Greeks from the time of Alexander the Great, Portuguese, Omanis and the English. Marvellous old sites and buildings compete with modern office buildings and colourful traditional markets.The climate is hot in summer and mild in winter. From November to April is very pleasant, with temperatures from 15 to 24 degrees centigrade. Temperatures are coolest between December and March when northerly winds prevail. From July to September temperatures average 36 degrees centigrade with high humidity.
Population
650604 (2001 est.)
Area
711.9 sq.km
Ethnicity/ Race
Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%
Major Languages
Arabic (official), English, Farsi and Urdu
Religion
Islam 85%, other faiths including Hinduism, Parseeism, Judaism, Buddisim and Christianity.
Capital City
Al Manamah
Major Cities
Al Muharraq
Currency
Bahraini Dinar(BD) = 1000 fils = $ 2.666 (approx.)
www.bahraintribune.com Gulf Air chief executive James Hogan has expressed frustration by impressions that it was unsafe to travel to the Gulf region. “The news clouds a region that from a tourism point of view has a lot of beauty,” he said in Australia where he is currently on a working visit. He said that nevertheless, the number of travellers from Australia to the region was rising. Hogan said that there were at the same time more travellers from the Gulf to Australia, attributing the increase to the Gulf citizens seeking alternative travel destinations. Last November, Gulf Air began daily flights to Sydney, and is now achieving an average seat load rate of 75 per cent. Sydney is its Australian hub and the airline said that it did not plan to fly to other capital cities except under code-sharing agreements with Qantas Airways. Hogan said that Gulf Air was eyeing further growth in the Indian market. “India is going towards an open skies policy and as that market opens up we see further opportunities to develop our business,” he said. Gulf Air is the largest foreign airline operating in India.
