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Bahrain

Country comprising a group of islands in the Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Government

The 1973 constitution provided for an elected national assembly of 30 members, but was dissolved in 1975 after the prime minister refused to work with it. The emir then governed Bahrain by decree, through a cabinet chosen by him. In 1992 the emir appointed a 30-member Shura (consultative council) for a four-year term, and in 1996, the council was expanded to 40 members. There were no recognizable political parties. In 2002 the emir proclaimed himself king, and declared the emirate a democratic constitutional monarchy.

History

Traditionally an Arab monarchy, Bahrain was under Portuguese rule during the 16th century and from 1602 was dominated by Persia (now Iran). Bahrain became a sheikdom in 1783 under the control of the Khalifa dynasty. British assistance was sought to preserve the country's independence against claims of sovereignty made by Persia and the Ottoman Empire. It became a British protectorate in 1861, with government shared between the ruling sheikh and a British adviser. Iran (Persia) claimed sovereignty in 1928 but accepted a United Nations report in 1970 showing that the inhabitants of Bahrain preferred independence.

Independence achieved

Britain announced the withdrawal of its forces in 1968, and Bahrain joined two other territories under British protection, Qatar and the Trucial States (now the United Arab Emirates), to form the Federation of Arab Emirates. Qatar and the Trucial States left the federation in 1971, and Bahrain became an independent state. A new constitution in 1973 provided for an elected national assembly, but two years later the prime minister, Sheikh al-Khalifa, complained of obstruction by the assembly, which was then dissolved.

Absolute emirate

From 1975 the emir and his family have ruled with virtually absolute power. In 1994 there were public protests by Shiite Muslims calling for the reinstatement of a national assembly (the monarchy are Sunni Muslims). The following year, pro-democracy demonstrations were violently suppressed, resulting in 11 deaths. In May 1996, the emir responded by offering an expanded consultative assembly as a move towards a more democratic system of government.

Democratic change

In March 1999, Sheikh Hamad succeeded as head of state following his father's death. In October 2000, a new Shura was sworn in by the emir. For the first time, it included women, a Christian, and a Jew. In February 2001, in the first referendum since Bahrain's independence from Britain in 1971, the people of Bahrain voted in favour of a charter that would institute a partially-elected parliament, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary, and grant women political rights. The referendum was also the first time women were given the right to vote. The same month Sheikh Hamad released hundreds of prisoners imprisoned for political crimes during the 1990s, and abolished security laws in force since 1975. This ensured that the Shia opposition supported the constitutional reforms. In March 2001, Bahrain and Qatar accepted the ruling of the International Court of Justice on a long-standing territorial dispute.

From emirate to constitutional monarchy

The emir proclaimed himself king on 14 January 2002 and declared the emirate a democratic constitutional monarchy modelled on the UK. Sheikh Hamad also named 24 October as the date for the first legislative elections in nearly three decades, and the first in which women would be allowed to vote and stand for office. In February, however, Hamad cancelled the decrees passed to allow democratic elections.

Bahrain is the site of the Gulf University (1986) and an international airport, the centre of Gulf aviation. A causeway linking Bahrain with mainland Saudi Arabia was constructed in 1986 (at 25 km/15.5 mi it is the longest in the world).

Al Manamah Arab League Arabia Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf Gulf States Gulf, the

Khalifa, Sheik Hamad bin Isa al- Khalifa, Sheikh Isa bin Sulman al- Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries Qatar United Arab Emirates