'File 10/4 IV Trade reports Bahrain Islands' [‎118r] (239/318)

Report on ficono|ilc amd Trade Con «idion« la the ^
Bahrain islands for the year
ended 31et Marek 1942
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^ A H y i
(a) General uegcrlotioa
Tke Bahrain Islands form an arsklpelaso in tke Parsiai
Gulf, some 20 mllss distant from the mainland of iiaudi Arabia.
Bahrain, tke largest island, is 27 miles lon^ and 10 miles wide
Other islands are imkar aq, to the North Bast of Bahrain, 4
miles long and 1 mile wide; sitra to the East, 3 miles lon^ and
1 mile wide, and Nabi dalek, aboftt 2 miles in eiretuafoT^nee*
There are also several other islands vihieh are nninkakited »
These islands are low lying, the kighest ground being a hill in
the centre of Bahrain 400 feet above sea level.
The total population as reeorded inj January 1941 was
89,^70, of wkom 15,930 were foreifners# < 46 f S Jtof the total
are £kias, mainly defendants of the original inhabitants of
the islands; the roraaindsr, with the exception of about 1700
non-Muslim fcrcigners, are ^unnis* The Sunnis.who include the
Kulin^ Fkmily, live mainly in the towns/and Mtoarraq. There
is a eommunity of some 300 Suropaans and Americans, including
the staff of the Bahrain.Petroleum Company Ltd.,
Manama f the capital of the State and its commercial
centre, is situated at the Northern end of the largest island
and extends for 1$ miles alon: the shore. It has a cosmopolitan
population of some 28,000 inhabitants with prosperous Persian
Indian and Jewish communities. It contains Ike official resi
dence of the Ruler and of tke Britisk Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , the
main harbour of the Bahrain lalands, a large bazaar, a branch
of the Eastern Bank, a Post office maintained by the Indian
Postal rier^art-ont, a Cabl^ ap-w* Wireless Station, a Hroadcastinj
station, three hospitals, and a number of Sshools.
The only other town of any size is teuharraq, on ths
island of same pune, which has a population of about 18,00C
It is linked with MAnar|a by a causeway crossing the shallow
strait 12 miles long which separates the two islandse Tke
causeway carries a motor road, and a swing bridgs has recently
been built over a channel near Muharraq, which is deep enough
to allow passaga to sailing craft and launches at any conditioi
of the tide. On this Island is situated one of the largest
aerodromes in ths middle j£ast.
The principal coins in use are Indian Hupees, but
Austrian ( Maria Theresa) dollars, Turkish Liras and &mdi
Arabian Hiyals are also current.
Loeal weights are the Huba< 4 lbs.), the Maund
(56 lbs) and the ttuffa ( 560 lbs).
The local measure is the Dhra( 19 inches ).
(b) ^ovonue
The revenue of the State is obtained almost aatlrely
from Oil Hoyalties and Customs duties.