ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses Bahrain's geography and the important aspects of its social structure, its changing demographic trends, and its culture, sets the stage for the history and political and economic analysis that follow. The most obvious way of characterizing Bahraini society is in terms of ethnic or sectarian composition. The Bahrain's indigenous smaller traders and shopkeepers include at least three distinct subgroupings in terms of national origin. The South Asians accounts for almost one–third of the total number of migrant laborers coming into the country and more than one–quarter of all employed foreigners; immigrants from India, Pakistan, and other Asian countries represented more than two–thirds of the expatriate workers entering Bahrain and just under two–thirds of immigrants with jobs. The country's population is predominantly urban and is characterized by a class structure shaped by the islands' long history as an agricultural and commercial center.
