Bahrain
State of Bahrain
Dawlat al-Bahrayn
CAPITAL: Manama (Al-Manamah)
FLAG: Red with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side.
ANTHEM: Music without words.
MONETARY UNIT: The Bahrain dinar (BD) is divided into 1,000 fils. There are coins of 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 fils and notes of 500 fils and 1, 5, 10, and 20 dinars. BD1 = $2.6596 (or $1 = BD0.376) as of January 2003.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is used; local measures also are used.
HOLIDAYS: New Year's Day, 1 January; National Day, 16 December. Movable Muslim religious holidays include Hijra (Muslim New Year), 'Ashura, Prophet's Birthday, 'Id al-Fitr, and 'Id al-'Adha'.
TIME: 3 PM = noon GMT.
Location, Size, and Extent
Situated in the western Persian Gulf, 29 km (18 mi) NW of Qatar, the State of Bahrain consists of a group of 33 islands (6 inhabited) with a total area of 620 sq km (239 sq mi), extending 48 km (30 mi) N–S and 19 km (12 mi) E–W. Comparatively, Bahrain occupies slightly less than 3.5 times the area of Washington, D.C. Bahrain, the main island, is linked by causeways and bridges to Muharraq and Sitra islands and to Sa'udi Arabia; other islands include the Hawar group, Nabih Salih, Umm an-Nasan, and Jidda.
