ABSTRACT
The state of Bahrain is composed of a group of 35 islands with an area of approximately 255 square miles. It lies half-way down the Gulf, 15 miles east of Saudi Arabia and 17 miles north of Qatar. Most of the estimated population of 250,000 live on the largest island of Bahrain. Its capital is Manama which is connected by causeway to the adjacent island of Muharraq. The Emir of Bahrain is H.H. Sheikh Isa bin Sulman al-Khalifa, who declared his country independent on 15 August 1971, terminating all political and military ties with Britain.
