The Kingdom of Bahrain, the First Country in the Middle East to Discover Oil

The Kingdom of Bahrain is among the least-populous countries in the world, with a population of approximately 688,000 inhabitants. Bahrain in actuality is a comprisal of approximately thirty different islands (otherwise known as an archipelago) located in the Persian Gulf. Being a chain of islands, Bahrain isn't directly bordered by any neighboring countries though it is situated in the territorial waters between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The largest island in the Bahrain archipelago is also known as Bahrain Island. The capital of Bahrain Island is Manama, which is also considered to be the capital and largest city in the country, with a population approaching 145,000 people. As the Kingdom of Bahrain is situated in southwestern Asia, an oil-rich region that's part of the larger region known as the Middle East, the country has been fortunate economically. Bahrain was the first country in the Middle East to discover oil, which occurred in 1932. Since the discovery of oil in 1932, Bahrain has consistently been a significant contributor to the oil industry, and is among the world's largest producers of oil.

Bahrain's economic fortune extends beyond the discovery of oil in 1932, as before this tremendous discovery, Bahrain was among the world's largest producers of pearling, a gem that was once widely sought after. Largely due to the country's oil wealth, Bahrain is relatively modernized in comparison to other Middle Eastern countries. Bahrain has a comparable economic state to other Middle Eastern oil producing countries, but doesn't have a large population, which allows for more wealth among the small population. The oil industry accounts for roughly 60 percent of the national economy, though the government is attempting to diversify its economic interests. Analysts predict that Bahrain will be among the first oil-producing countries to run out of oil wells, and thus the government is looking to the future in order to develop new economic entities. Some of these currently developing industries include: banking and financial services, aluminum recycling, and coastal industries. Since Bahrain has such a small geographic area (only 266 square miles), they're not able to meet their food needs and are forced to import from other countries. Due to its geographic relation to Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia is Bahrain's largest trading partner.

The title of Kingdom of Bahrain isn't a misnomer, and is in fact, a constitutional monarchy that is ruled by the King. A constitution was drafted in 2002 and allows for the King to continue his rule, however, he must appoint a prime minister and cabinet to advise him in the daily functions of the government. Additionally, a legislative assembly was created, and consists of 80 representatives who are appointed to serve four-year terms. Before the King came to rule, Bahrain was a former British protectorate until it declared its independence from Britain in 1971. The current King of Bahrain, since 1999, is King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, while the Crown Prince is Salman bin Hamad and is the heir to the throne.