Discover
The identity of the nation
Bahrain is a small archipelago in the Persian Gulf, made up of about 30 islands connected to Saudi Arabia by a causeway. With roughly 1.5 million inhabitants concentrated in a tiny territory, it is one of the most densely populated and most urbanized countries in the world: virtually the entire population lives in cities, with the capital Manama as its economic and cultural heart.
Its history is ancient. It was the center of the Dilmun civilization, a prosperous Bronze Age trading hub, and for more than two thousand years it lived off pearl diving, an activity that shaped its identity until the discovery of oil in the 20th century. Today, with smaller reserves than its neighbors, Bahrain is reinventing itself as the Gulf’s banking and services hub.
Islam is the state religion and permeates public life, with Sunnis and Shias sharing the same territory, not always without tension. At the same time, the country is known for a relative openness: Christian, Hindu and other faith communities, mostly made up of foreign workers, have their own places of worship. In Awali stands the Catholic cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, the largest in the Arabian Peninsula.
The vast majority of the workforce is made up of immigrants, mainly from South Asia, who sustain the economy and form the backbone of the local Christian churches. These foreigners enjoy freedom of worship in private settings. For the Bahraini born Muslim who decides to follow Christ, however, the path is narrow: pressure from family and community is intense.
Bahrain lives the contrast between the modernity of Manama’s skyscrapers and the strength of Islamic and tribal traditions. It is a nation small on the map, but strategic as a bridge between peoples, cultures and faiths, where the gospel easily reaches foreigners but still barely touches the heart of the Bahraini people.
- Around 2000 BC The archipelago is the center of the Dilmun civilization, a prosperous Bronze Age trading hub of the Gulf.
- 1783 The Al Khalifa family conquers the territory and begins to rule the region.
- 19th century Successive treaties make Bahrain a British protectorate.
- 1932 The discovery of oil, the first in the Persian Gulf, transforms the economy.
- 1971 Independence from the United Kingdom; the State of Bahrain is born.
- 1973 The country's first Constitution is enacted.
- 2002 The emirate becomes a kingdom; Emir Hamad takes the throne as king.
- Today A constitutional monarchy with a Muslim majority, a Gulf financial hub and home to foreign communities.
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Arabicofficial language, in the Gulf variety
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Englishwidely used in business and everyday life
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Persian, Urdu, Hindi and Malayalamspoken by the large communities of foreign workers
Bahrain is a low-lying archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia, to which it is connected by the King Fahd Causeway. The largest island concentrates the population and the cities; the terrain is flat and desert-like, with the highest point at the modest hill of Jebel Dukhan. Water scarcity and aridity mark the entire landscape.
Major cities
- ManamaCapital and financial center, home to at least a third of the population
- MuharraqFormer capital, tied to the pearl heritage, a World Heritage Site
- RiffaOne of the largest cities, divided into West and East Riffa
- Isa Town and Hamad TownPlanned residential cities
Climate and temperature
Machboos
National dish: basmati rice cooked in meat, chicken or fish broth, seasoned with dried lime (loomi) and saffron.
Muhammar
Sweet rice with dates or sugar, traditionally served with grilled fish.
Halwa showaiter
A gelatinous sweet of saffron, rose water, ghee and nuts, offered with coffee on festive occasions.
Gahwa
Arabic coffee flavored with cardamom and saffron, a symbol of hospitality.
Sambusa
Fried pastry filled with meat or vegetables, popular during Ramadan.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Sacred hospitality
Welcoming visitors with dates and coffee is a duty of honor; refusing the offer comes across as a slight.
The majlis
A reception room where men gather to talk, make decisions and strengthen community ties.
Sunnis and Shias living side by side
The two branches of Islam share the territory, with their own identities and tensions.
Pearl heritage
Pearl diving shaped the soul of the country before oil and remains a source of pride.
Right hand
Eat and greet with the right hand; the left is considered unclean.
Strong foreign presence
Most workers come from South Asia, making the country a mosaic of peoples.
- Criticizing Islam or the royal family These are sensitive topics and can carry serious legal consequences.
- Openly evangelizing Muslims Public preaching to Muslims is forbidden and puts converts in danger.
- Using the left hand to eat or hand something over It is seen as unclean and disrespectful.
- Dressing very revealingly in public places Modesty in dress is valued, especially outside tourist areas.
- Eating, drinking or smoking in public during Ramadan It offends those who are fasting and can be penalized.
- Treating foreign workers with contempt The dignity of every person must be honored, whatever their origin.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
The Muslim faith defines belonging to the people; leaving it is seen as betraying family and nation.
Abandoning Islam brings severe pressure from family and community on the convert.
Gulf prosperity fuels the pursuit of status, consumption and security in possessions.
Religious and political rivalries fragment society and breed distrust.
The fear of dishonoring the family keeps many far from any change of faith.
Vulnerable immigrants suffer abuse and unjust working conditions.
Religion often becomes ritual and tradition, without a personal encounter with God.
Local Christians hide their faith out of fear, unable to live in open community.
Preaching to Muslims is forbidden, and the Bahraini people remain almost without access to the gospel.
Bahrain ranks among the countries where following Christ comes at a high cost for local citizens, although the situation is milder than in neighboring Gulf states. Most of the country’s Christians are foreign workers, mainly from South Asia, who may worship in private venues as long as they do not preach to Muslims or offend Islam.
The pressure falls heavily on Bahrainis who convert from Islam. Norms tied to apostasy act as a permanent source of tension, and converts face hostility from their own family and community: many are pressured to renounce their faith, to keep silent or to leave the region, being cut off from their loved ones. Even owning a Bible at home can pose a risk for those who have left Islam.
The number of Bahrainis who embrace Christianity is very small, and these believers live out their faith in secret, without the possibility of an open community. The visible freedom of foreigners thus coexists with the painful invisibility of local converts.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
The Bahraini people are mostly Arab and Muslim, divided between Sunnis and Shias, and remain almost entirely without access to the gospel. Sunni Bahraini Arabs have a Christian presence below 0.1%, while the Shias, an even larger community, remain with fewer than 2% evangelicals. The country's living churches are made up mostly of foreign workers, while the heart of the native people remains among the least reached in the region.
- 1.2M Unreached 75,1%
- 59K Minimally reached 3,7%
- 10K Superficially reached 0,6%
- 289K Partially reached 18%
- 41K Significantly reached 2,6%
- 10 Unreached 52,6%
- 1 Minimally reached 5,3%
- 1 Superficially reached 5,3%
- 5 Partially reached 26,3%
- 2 Significantly reached 10,5%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Sudanese Arab Frontier
Árabe Bahraini
Kurmanji Kurds Frontier
Judeu de língua árabe Frontier
Árabe Egípcio Muçulmano
Gujarati Frontier
Kerinci
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Every nation carries a redemptive purpose. Marks that seem woven into the identity God desires to restore:
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
lower than in the US, high for the region
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Respect Islam: religion is central to public life; avoid any criticism of the faith or the royal family.
- Dress modestly: discreet clothing is well regarded, especially outside tourist areas.
- English opens doors: it is widely spoken in business and daily life.
- During Ramadan, do not eat or drink in public during the day.
- Always use your right hand to eat and greet.
- Never preach openly to Muslims: it is forbidden and puts local converts at risk.
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.