Bahrain is a sovereign state in the Persian Gulf. Here are 10 fun facts about the country.
- A small Asian country
- Bahrain’s population
- The Bahraini dollar
- Wind turbines
- The first Middle East Grand Prix
- Biggest consumer of electricity
- Al-Fateh Mosque
- The Tree of Life
- Chicken Machboos
- Al Khalifa family
A small Asian country
Bahrain is the third smallest country in Asia, and the smallest sovereign state in the Middle East. The only two Asian countries that are smaller are Singapore and the Maldives.
Bahrain’s population
As of October 2020, the population of Bahrain was 1,701,575. Most of the population live in Manama and Al Muharraq, the two main cities of Bahrain.
The Bahraini dinar
The Bahraini dinar is the official currency of Bahrain. It was introduced in 1965 to replace the Gulf rupee. It is the worlds second most valuable currency after the Kuwait dinar.
Wind turbines
The Bahrain World Trade Center was the world’s first skyscraper to integrate wind turbines in its design. Standing 240 meters tall, it is a twin-tower complex that can be found in Manama. The towers are connected by three sky bridges, each holding 225 kW wind turbines. They are estimated to provide 11-15% of the tower’s total power consumption.
The first Middle East Grand Prix
In 2004 Bahrain staged the Middle East’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix. The first race took place at the Bahrain International Circuit on 4th April 2004. The event was such a success that it was given the award for “Best Organised Grand Prix” by the FIA.
Biggest consumer of electricity
Per-capita, Bahrain is the biggest consumer of electricity in Asia and the third largest in the world. The only two countries that use more electricity are Iceland and Norway.
Al-Fateh Mosque
Al-Fateh Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world. Built in 1987, it takes up 6,500 square meters and can hold over 7,000 worshippers at one time. In 2006, Al-Fateh Mosque became the site of the National Library of Bahrain.
The Tree of Life
The Tree of Life is a single mesquite tree that was planted in the southern desert around 1583. Despite there being a severe lack of rain in Bahrain, and no obvious water source close to the tree, it continues to flourish. It has become somewhat of a tourist attraction and is visited by approximately 65,000 people per year.
Chicken Machboos
Chicken Machboos is Bahrain’s national dish. Consisting of tender chicken and rice flavoured with a blend of spices and dried loomi (dried and brined limes).
Al Khalifa family
The Al Khalifa family began ruling over Bahrain in 1782. Interestingly, the family are still in power today. As of 2010 roughly half of the cabinet ministers of Bahrain are members of the Al Khalifa family, as is the country’s prime minister.
If you are living or travelling in Bahrain make sure to use Laundryheap. We will pick up, dry clean, and re-deliver your clothes to you. To book your Laundryheap service head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.
