Animals and Plants
Which animals live in Bahrain?
Very few animals and plants live in the arid desert of the Bahraini islands. The desert is only a sufficient livelihood for survival champions such as lizards or gerbils. Many animals that have lived in Bahrain are now extinct or threatened with extinction. With protection zones for threatened species, the country has taken the first steps to advance species conservation. For example, some antelope species have been successfully reintroduced to Bahrain. One of them is the goitered gazelle, which is one of the fastest land mammals in the world and can race through the dry desert of Bahrain at up to 70 kilometers per hour.
The tree of life
In Bahrain of all places, a country where hardly any plant can survive a lack of water and heat, is the tree of life, called Shajarat al-Haya. Many claim that the tree is over 400 years old. It is now considered a tourist attraction and even a natural wonder. The special thing about the tree of life is that nobody really knows where they get their water from. It is bare around him, because the nearest water point is more than a kilometer away.
With a few exceptions on the northern coast, where date, fig and almond trees grow, the sparse desert plants determine the flora in Bahrain.
Economy
How does the country earn its money?
Only a small part of the gross domestic product (GDP) comes from agriculture. But there are also areas in Bahrain that are used for date production or the cultivation of vegetables. Animals such as cattle, goats and sheep are also kept. The important source of income from fishing is becoming less important, as the traditional boats, the dhows, are hardly able to achieve any more catches for the locals. The Persian Gulf is overfished by the large fishing fleets.
Dependence on oil
Income from crude oil and now also from the aluminum industry make up the largest part of government income. But Bahrain tries to free itself from its dependence on oil and to open up new economic fields. This mainly includes the financial sector. Many banks are emerging in Bahrain. Financial services are another future source of income.
Tourism is also gaining in importance. Visitors from Arab countries in particular like to come to Bahrain. The target group are primarily wealthy tourists, for example from Saudi Arabia. So a lot is being built and luxury hotels and modern leisure facilities are being built.
Children and School
What school do the children go to in Bahrain?
The education system in Bahrain has a long tradition. The first school was founded here in 1919, but only for boys. But a school for girls soon followed in 1928. And since the mid-1950s, compared to other Arab countries, quite a number of girls and boys have been going to school. In Bahrain, 90 out of 100 people can read and write, which is a lot more than in other countries in the region. It is even said that Bahrain has the lowest illiteracy rate in the entire Arab world. Above all, the women in Bahrain are hardworking, because their share among the students is 70 percent.
There are now more than 250 primary and secondary schools in Bahrain. In addition, as in all Gulf states, where a large number of foreigners work, there are private schools in which mostly children from other nations are taught. The children come from the USA, France, India, Japan or Pakistan. Here the curricula mostly correspond to the plans of the respective country.
Eating in Bahrain
What do you eat in Bahrain?
The food in Bahrain is not very different from the cuisine of neighboring countries. There are also many influences from Indian, Filipino, European and American cuisine. The latter can usually be found in the many fast-food chains, which in Bahrain, like in most of the Gulf States, are not so rare. Especially in the shopping malls, the large shopping centers, you will find pretty much everything that you would find in a western shopping center.
Bahraini cuisine traditionally likes to season and the most important spices include coriander, cardamom, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon and a lot more. People like to mix the spices. The spice saffron, which gives food a yellowish color, is also popular in Bahrain. Check zipcodesexplorer to see more articles about this country and Middle East.
Fish, fried and steamed
Of course, fish is often on the menu on an island nation. Grouper, which is usually fried, is particularly popular. Pork is not allowed in a Muslim country, but people like to eat lamb, but also chicken, duck or turkey. The pieces of meat are often roasted as whole pieces over the grill.
The small starters called mezze, which are usually served cold before the main course, are very popular. This also includes hummus, the chickpea puree that is available in most Arab countries. Legumes are generally a popular food, and bean soup is one of the coveted dishes in Bahrain. It also includes chopped and pickled vegetables, as well as eggplant puree, yoghurt and garlic. Vegetable curry is a traditional meal that is served with rice and yogurt. There is also a kind of flatbread, which is also used as a side dish in many Arab countries and is almost always served as a side dish in Bahrain.
Rice with sugar and dates is also served. This national dish is called Muhammar. Fresh or dried fruits are often used as a filling for fish varieties. As in most other Arab countries, the dessert is very sweet. Rice pudding, which is called muhallabia, with honey is one of the very popular dishes.
What do you drink in Bahrain?
Most of all, tea or coffee is drunk. For a long time, Bahrain had somewhat looser regulations on alcohol. However, this has changed. Alcohol is now only served to foreign guests in the large and expensive hotels.
