Bahrain, formally known as the Kingdom of Bahrain, is a small Arab country located in the Persian Gulf. Bahrain’s history dates all the way back to ancient times. Bahrain was the main city of the old Dilmun civilization and its strategic position in the Persian Gulf brought about rule and influence from the Arabs, Persians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Sumerians, and the British.

Throughout history, it was called “the Land of Immortality” or “the Great Paradise” as it was known for fresh water springs and palm tree fields. Bahrain was a vital link between civilizations, such as the Phoenicians in the Levant, Mesopotamia in ancient Iraq, and the Nile Valley in Ancient Egypt. Excavations and historic evidence prove Bahrain to be a commercial hub and a sea transit point between East and West.

The modern era of Bahrain begun in 1783, after being conquered by Ahmed Al Fateh, and was ruled by the Al Khalifa family since. Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa came into power on December 16, 1961 and is considered one of the pioneer Arab leaders that built their countries based on justice and stability. He consolidated the Arabism and independence of the country under the peoples’ validation. Bahrain was declared independent from the United Kingdom on the 15th of August 1971 and of the British protectorate on the 16th of December of the same year. During the era of the modern state, Bahrain issued its first constitution in 1973.

When HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa came into reign in 1999, Bahrain entered a new era of reform and development within a constitutional monarchy, in line with the National Action Charter and the amended constitution of 2002. Bahrain has made some major pioneering achievements giving it a prominent position regionally and internationally.

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