population/religion/language/education

POPULATION

The population of Bahrain is over 70 per cent Arab; roughly a third of the population is foreign-born, many of them Indian, Pakistani, Iranian, or European expatriate workers, but there are also large numbers of Arab immigrants. Bahrain has a population of 656,397 (2002 estimate), giving a population density of 929 people per sq km (2,406 per sq mi). Only half of these are Bahraini citizens. Average life expectancy at birth in 2002 was 71 years for men and 76 years for women. Infant mortality was 19 per 1,000 live births (2002). The majority of the population is concentrated in the northern part of the country.

A Principal Cities

Bahrain’s principal cities are the capital, Manama, with a population of 148,000 (1995 estimate), and Al Muḩarraq, population 74,254 (1991). The population of Bahrain is estimated to be 92 per cent urban, and some 40 per cent of its inhabitants live in Manama.

B Religion
Almost all the resident population of Bahrain is Muslim. Shiism is the dominant creed of Islam in Bahrain, with some 50 per cent of the Muslim population, but the remaining 50 per cent, mainly the ruling classes, are Sunni; this division tends to lead to recurrent internal tension. Bahrain is notably liberal in contrast with other neighbouring states such as Saudi Arabia.

C Language

Standard Arabic is the official language, although this is always a second language learned in schools and used in official domains, and generally only the well-educated elite are fluent in it. Bahrain Spoken Arabic and Gulf Spoken Arabic are the mother tongues for the majority of the population, particularly the former. Non-indigenous languages including Western Farsi and Urdu are also spoken.

D Education

Education is compulsory from ages 6 to 17 and is free. In 1998-1999, Bahrain had a total enrolment of 76,302 primary pupils and 58,804 secondary pupils. Higher education is provided by the University of Bahrain (1987) in Manama, which in 1995 had some 6,760 students, and the Arabian Gulf University (1980) based in Manama. The literacy rate is 98.5 per cent (2001). In 1998, 4.8 per cent of the gross national product (GNP) was spent on education.

download from: Microsoft Encharta 2003