Feature
Land of Greatness: Celebrating Bahrain’s 49th National Day
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n December 16, 1971, Bahrain gained its independence from the United Kingdom and Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa became the first ruler of the country. During his 38-year reign, he was able to lead Bahrain into its national economic transformation, which by then made Bahrain an important financial center in the region.
History The name "Bahrain" is derived from the Arabic word “bahr”, meaning “sea”. The name may reflect the archipelago’s position between two seas, approximately 24 kilometers east of Saudi Arabia’s sea board and a little further from the north west coast of Qatar.
10 Bahrain Confidential December 2020