Bahrain (Kingdom of Bahrain)

Bahrain Kingdom of Bahrain
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	105th best
Capital	Manama
Land Area	760km21
Location	Asia, The Middle East
Groupings	Small Islands
Population	1.6m2
Life Expectancy	78.76yrs (2017)3
GNI	$39 497 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	BH, BHR, 485
Internet Domain	.bh6
Currency	Dinar (BHD)7
Telephone	+9738

1. Overview
2. Bahrain National and Social Development
3. Bahrain's Demographics and Migration
4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Bahrain's Health
   1. Health Datasets
   2. Children's Health Datasets
6. Bahrain's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Bahrain's Modernity and Learning
   1. Modernity Datasets
   2. Education Datasets
   3. Technology and Information Datasets
8. Bahrain's Culture, Peace and Inequality
   1. National Culture Datasets
   2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets
   3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

---

1. Overview

#islam #UK

“In 1783, the Sunni Al-Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. In addition, the Sunni-led government has struggled to manage relations with its large Shia-majority population. During the mid-to-late 1990s, Shia activists mounted a low-intensity uprising to demand that the Sunni-led government stop systemic economic, social, and political discrimination against Shia Bahrainis. King HAMAD bin Isa Al-Khalifa, after succeeding his late father in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms in part to improve relations with the Shia community. After boycotting the country's first round of national elections under the newly promulgated constitution in 2002, Shia political societies participated in the 2006 and 2010 legislative and municipal elections. Wifaq, the most prominent Shia political party, won the largest bloc of seats in the elected lower house of the legislature both times. Beginning in February 2011, Bahrain's opposition sought to ride out a rising tide of popular Arab protests to petition for the redress of popular grievances. In mid-March 2011, the Bahraini Government took action to halt the momentum of the growing protest movement by declaring a state of emergency that put an end to the mass public gatherings and increasingly disruptive civil disobedience. Manama also welcomed a contingent of Gulf Cooperation Council forces under the Peninsula Shield umbrella intended to protect critical infrastructure as Bahraini security forces deployed to the protest areas. The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), formed in June 2011 to investigate abuses during the unrest and state of emergency, released its final report in November 2011. The King fully endorsed the report, and since then Manama has begun to implement a number of the BICI's recommendations, including improving policing procedures, reinstating dismissed workers, rebuilding some religious sites, and establishing a compensation fund for those affected by the unrest and crackdown. The opposition continues to express concern about the recommendations that have not been implemented. The summer 2011 National Dialogue between the government and political societies did not ultimately address core opposition grievances, and protests continued. Street protests have grown increasingly violent. A new round of National Dialogue was launched in February 2013 with participation by the government, both opposition and more pro-government political societies, and legislators.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“This tiny island state is the smallest of all Arab countries, and is one of the most easygoing of the Gulf states. Like an oyster, Bahrain´s rough exterior takes some prising open, but it is worth the effort. From the excellent National Museum in Manama to the extraordinary burial mounds at Sar, there are many fine sites to visit.... Bahrain maintains its gaze not on the island´s minimal land mass, but on the shallow waters that lap its shores. The sweet-water springs that bubble offshore helped bring about 4000 years of settlement [and] encouraged lustrous pearls - the trade that helped to build the island´s early fortunes.Much of Manama´s modern wealth, illustrated in high-profile building projects, rises proudly from land `reclaimed´ from the sea. With the projected effects of climate change, however, the sea may yet have the last laugh.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Bahrain National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
33	Greece	0.887
34	Poland	0.876
35=	Saudi Arabia	0.875
35=	Bahrain	0.875
35=	Lithuania	0.875
38	Portugal	0.866
39	Latvia	0.863
40=	Andorra	0.858
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
31	Japan	$42 274
32	Israel	$41 524
33	Slovenia	$39 746
34	Bahrain	$39 497
35	Malta	$38 884
36	Czechia	$38 745
37	Spain	$38 354
38	Cyprus	$38 188
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Denmark	26.9
2	Norway	29.1
3	Sweden	29.9
	...
102	Grenada	91.8
103	Paraguay	91.9
104	Qatar	92.0
105	Bahrain	92.5
106	St Lucia	92.6
107	Kyrgyzstan	93.2
108	Brunei	93.5
109	Jordan	93.7
	Asia Avg	92.0
	World Avg	89.0
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Bahrain's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

Bahrain's population is predicted to rise to 1.654 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.80. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₃. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
147	Slovenia	2.1m
148	Latvia	1.9m
149	Guinea-Bissau	1.9m
150	Bahrain	1.6m
151	Trinidad & Tobago	1.4m
152	Estonia	1.3m
153	Equatorial Guinea	1.3m
154	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	1.3m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
34	Maldives	79.9
35	Qatar	79.3
36	Chile	78.9
37	Bahrain	78.8
38	Thailand	78.7
39	UAE	78.7
40	Kuwait	78.7
41	Antigua & Barbuda	78.5
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
26	Mexico	1.80
27=	Montenegro	1.80
27=	Moldova	1.80
29	Bahrain	1.80
30	France	1.79
31	N. Korea	1.79
32	Malaysia	1.79
33	El Salvador	1.79
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better16
Pos.		2016 Per 10016
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
56	Belize	08.3
57	Gabon	08.5
58	Pakistan	08.6
59	Bahrain	08.7
60	Syria	09.0
61=	Djibouti	09.1
61=	Tajikistan	09.1
63	Equatorial Guinea	09.4
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants17
Pos.		2017 %17
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
4	Liechtenstein	65.1%
5	Monaco	54.9%
6	Andorra	53.3%
7	Bahrain	48.4%
8	Singapore	46.0%
9	Luxembourg	45.3%
10	Oman	44.7%
11	Hong Kong	39.1%
12	Saudi Arabia	37.0%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants18
Pos.		2010 %18
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
125	Burundi	4.2%
126	Panama	4.0%
127	Norway	3.8%
128	Bahrain	3.7%
129	Gambia	3.7%
130	Chile	3.7%
131	Peru	3.7%
132	Czechia	3.6%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#Bahrain #bahrain_gender #equality #freedom #gender #gender_equality #human_rights #misogyny #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance #women

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
157	Uzbekistan	123.5
158	Antigua & Barbuda	123.5
159	Maldives	123.5
160	Bahrain	123.9
161	Algeria	124.0
162	Comoros	124.3
	Asia Avg	103.00
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

Bahrain is amongst the worst places in the world at ensuring human rights and freedom, and it has severe cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. Bahrain does better than average in opposing gender inequality₂₀. But that's it. Bahrain has problems. It does worse than average for commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₁, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₂, combatting modern slavery₂₃, its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₄, supporting press freedom₂₅, LGBT equality in the 2020s₂₆, its average Freedom in the World rating and in freethought₂₇. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in terms of its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₈ (one of the highest in Asia). Things are getting worse, it seems, and in 2017 Bahrain shut down its only independent newspaper and human rights activists were silenced, imprisoned and harassed (including their relatives) and also prevented representation at the UN Human Rights Council and its associated processes₂₉.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

• Human Rights and Freedom in Bahrain

5. Bahrain's Health

#alcohol #bahrain #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #suicide #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2025)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
1	Japan	37.3
2	Singapore	41.1
3	S. Korea	50.5
	...
10	Cyprus	65.8
11	N. Korea	68.8
12	Thailand	69.1
13	Bahrain	70.0
14	Kuwait	71.1
15	Qatar	76.6
16	UAE	77.5
17	Vietnam	77.7
18	Iran	81.3
	Asia Avg	80.90
q=50.

Health (2025)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	37.3
	...
44	Thailand	69.1
45	Hungary	69.2
46	British Virgin Islands	69.8
47	Bahrain	70.0
48	Slovakia	70.7
49	St Martin	70.9
50	Mauritius	71.1
51	Albania	71.1
	World Avg	97.57
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₃₁. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₃₁.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₃₁, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₃₁.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#alcohol #bahrain #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #smoking #suicide #vaccines

Bahrain does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Bahrain comes in the best 20 in delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₃₂. It does better than average in terms of its suicide rate₃₃, its fertility rate₁₅, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₃₄, its average life expectancy₁₁, its adolescent birth rate₃₅, its alcohol consumption rate₃₆, childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₇ and in its smoking rate₃₈. Bahrain does not succeed in everything, however. Bahrain does worse than average in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₉. And finally, it sits amongst the bottom 20 for the prevalence of overweight adults₄₀. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Bahrain improved by +7.4yrs in the 30 years from 1990, on par with the global average improvement of +7.9yrs. Bahrain is amongst only 41 countries who have seen their fertility rate drop by more than 4 since the 1960s. Its peak fertility rate was 7.15 in 1960.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
34	Maldives	79.9
35	Qatar	79.3
36	Chile	78.9
37	Bahrain	78.8
38	Thailand	78.7
39	UAE	78.7
40	Kuwait	78.7
41	Antigua & Barbuda	78.5
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better36
Pos.		2016 Per Capita36
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
38	Tuvalu	1.7
39=	Madagascar	1.9
39=	Tunisia	1.9
39=	Bahrain	1.9
42=	Qatar	2.0
42=	Nepal	2.0
42=	Singapore	2.0
42=	Turkey	2.0
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
26	Mexico	1.80
27=	Montenegro	1.80
27=	Moldova	1.80
29	Bahrain	1.80
30	France	1.79
31	N. Korea	1.79
32	Malaysia	1.79
33	El Salvador	1.79
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better38
Pos.		Total %38
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
61	Zambia	14.6%
62	Saudi Arabia	14.9%
63	Mexico	14.9%
64	Bahrain	15.0%
65	Congo, (Brazzaville)	15.5%
66	Denmark	16.2%
67	Singapore	16.3%
68	Brunei	16.4%
	Asia Avg	22.8%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Suicide Rate33
Pos.		2013 Per 100k33
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
	...
20=	Guatemala	7.3
20=	Barbados	7.3
20=	Belize	7.3
23	Bahrain	7.5
24	Albania	8
25=	Mexico	8.5
25=	Israel	8.5
27	Georgia	8.8
	Asia Avg	19.50
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better39
Pos.		2017 Rank39
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
90	Uganda	90
91	Chile	91
92	Tunisia	92
93	Bahrain	93
94	Philippines	94
95	Bosnia & Herzegovina	95
96	Namibia	96
97	Guyana	97
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better40
Pos.		1976 %40
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
171=	Estonia	43.9
172	Hungary	44.0
173	Latvia	44.1
174	Bahrain	44.9
175	UAE	45.5
176	Israel	46.8
177	Andorra	47.0
178	Czechia	47.1
	Asia Avg	23.1
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better41
Pos.		2022 %41
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
169	Mexico	36.1%
170	Libya	36.2%
171	Hungary	36.4%
172	Bahrain	37.2%
173	Iraq	37.4%
174	Barbados	38.2%
175	Romania	38.2%
176	Georgia	38.9%
	Asia Avg	21.1%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better35
Pos.		2022 Per 100035
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
36	Estonia	8.1
37	Croatia	8.2
38	Greece	8.3
39	Bahrain	8.7
40	Malaysia	9.1
41	Poland	9.2
42	Czechia	9.4
43	Bosnia & Herzegovina	9.4
	Asia Avg	25.9
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better34
Pos.		Total Avg %34
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
28=	Maldives	98.0
28=	Turkey	98.0
30=	Belgium	97.9
30=	Bahrain	97.9
30=	S. Korea	97.9
30=	Albania	97.9
34	Montserrat	97.8
35=	Bhutan	97.8
	Asia Avg	90.6
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better32
Pos.		2015 Avg %32
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
8	S. Korea	98.6
9	Sri Lanka	98.4
10	St Lucia	98.2
11	Bahrain	98.2
12	Iran	98.1
13	Finland	98.1
14	Saudi Arabia	98.0
15=	Luxembourg	98.0
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better37
Pos.		Total Per 100037
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
45	USA	6.83
46	Turks & Caicos Islands	6.89
47	UAE	7.69
48	Bahrain	7.92
49	Chile	7.93
50	Qatar	7.95
51	Malaysia	8.13
52	Russia	8.36
	Asia Avg	23.58
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

6. Bahrain's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#bahrain #biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #mongolia #over-exploitation #qatar #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2025)42
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank42
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Nepal	47.9
3	India	49.5
	...
37	Oman	101.8
38	Iraq	102.8
39	Lebanon	103.9
40	Bahrain	107.9
41	Mongolia	108.1
42	Armenia	108.2
43	Kyrgyzstan	108.7
44	Kazakhstan	109.8
45	Bhutan	115.3
	Asia Avg	86.44
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)42
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank42
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
164	Serbia	104.8
165	Haiti	105.8
166	Samoa	107.0
167	Bahrain	107.9
168	Mongolia	108.1
169	Armenia	108.2
170	Suriname	108.5
171	Kyrgyzstan	108.7
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₄₃. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Bahrain ranks 167th in the world in terms of its responsibility towards the environment. This is calculated from 21 data sets. Bahrain does the second-best for its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₄. But unfortunately Bahrain gets most other things wrong. It does worse than average in terms of its environmental performance₄₅, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₆, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment and in reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₇. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in terms of energy to GDP efficiency₄₈ (amongst the worst in Asia).

Environmental Performance Higher is better45
Pos.		201845
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
93	Barbados	55.8
94	Georgia	55.7
95	Kiribati	55.3
96	Bahrain	55.2
97	Nicaragua	55.0
98	Bahamas	55.0
99	Kyrgyzstan	54.9
100	Nigeria	54.8
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better48
Pos.		2022 Avg48
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
158	Mozambique	2.38
159	N. Korea	2.46
160	Laos	2.75
161	Iceland	4.01
162	Venezuela	4.18
163	Bahrain	4.19
164	Trinidad & Tobago	4.64
165	Turkmenistan	4.69
	Asia Avg	1.50
	World Avg	1.23
q=165. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

In the 1980s, when data started being collected, Bahrain was seen to have the highest rate of energy consumption per GDP per capita, by a very wide margin. Although into the 1990s, it improved its energy-to-GDP efficiency more than any other country in the world except Mongolia; they were both significantly ahead of everyone else, achieving improvements of over 4 GDP per unit of energy consumpion. It also made astounding improvements to efficiency into the 2000s, beaten only by Qatar, and was 2nd-most-improved into the 2010s too. Despite this, its starting point was such high-consumption that in the 2000s, it was still the most-consuming country relative to GDP per capita.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
148	Vanuatu	50%
149	Equatorial Guinea	50%
150	Moldova	50%
151	Bahrain	50%
152	Swaziland	50%
153	Kuwait	49%
154	Lebanon	49%
155	Oman	48%
	Asia Avg	55.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better46
Pos.		2011 %46
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
103	Belgium	26.9%
104	Syria	26.6%
105	Qatar	26.5%
106	Bahrain	26.3%
107	S. Africa	26.2%
108	Lithuania	25.6%
109	Nigeria	25.3%
110	Armenia	25.3%
	Asia Avg	37.9%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Meat Consumption Lower is better47
Pos.		2021 kg47
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
149	Hungary	82.1
150	UK	82.3
151	Czechia	82.4
152	Bahrain	82.8
153	Qatar	83.0
154=	Iceland	83.6
154=	Lithuania	83.6
156	UAE	84.3
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185. Also scored for 2010s.

7. Bahrain's Modernity and Learning

#bahrain #education #metric #modernity #politics #research #science #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2025)49
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank49
1	Taiwan	25.4
2	S. Korea	25.5
3	Japan	26.8
	...
24	Philippines	74.5
25	India	76.3
26	UAE	79.9
27=	Bahrain	85.0
27=	Qatar	85.0
29	Iran	85.1
30	Kuwait	85.5
31	Sri Lanka	88.5
32	Brunei	89.6
	Asia Avg	83.04
q=51.

Modernity & Learning (2025)49
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank49
1	Vatican City	1.0
2	Finland	4.8
3	Belgium	8.5
	...
104	Gabon	83.0
105	Cape Verde	84.0
106	St Kitts & Nevis	84.2
107=	Bahrain	85.0
107=	Qatar	85.0
109	Iran	85.1
110	Kuwait	85.5
111	Trinidad & Tobago	86.2
	World Avg	80.33
q=194.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are The Vatican City, Finland and Belgium₅₀. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₅₀. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₅₁.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₅₂

23 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₅₀, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₅₀.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

#metric #research #science

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.2953
2	Israel	4.1153
3	Japan	3.5853
	...
118=	Macau	0.0554
119=	Honduras	0.0455
119=	Guatemala	0.0456
119=	Bahrain	0.0454
119=	Colombia	0.0454
123=	Iraq	0.0357
123=	El Salvador	0.0356
123=	China	0.0354
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better39
Pos.		2017 Rank39
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
112	Belize	112
113	Algeria	113
114	Bahamas	114
115	Bahrain	115
116	Kazakhstan	116
117	Sri Lanka	117
118	Rwanda	118
119	Guatemala	119
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better58
Pos.		2025 %58
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
	...
105=	Iran	90
105=	Haiti	90
105=	Mali	90
105=	Bahrain	90
105=	Maldives	90
105=	Guyana	90
105=	Gambia	90
105=	Guinea-Bissau	90
	Asia Avg	90
	World Avg	92
q=187. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Officially adopted metric in 1969. Progression:

• 1960 (50%): Traditional units common; metric in administration/science.
• 1970 (65%): Standardization grows with modernization.
• 1980 (80%): Commerce/industry largely metric; everyday legacy persists.
• 2000 (90%): Metric dominant officially; minor exceptions.
• 2025 (90%).

7.2. Education Datasets

#bahrain #education

In the 1990s, the expected duration of education in Bahrain fell by over half a year, whereas most of the rest of the world's increased.₅₉

Secondary Education Higher is better60
Pos.		201860
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
91	Palestine	61.1%
92	Suriname	60.5%
93	Mexico	59.7%
94	Bahrain	59.6%
95	Brazil	59.5%
96	Bolivia	58.8%
97	Zimbabwe	58.7%
98	Gabon	57.6%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better61
Pos.		2021 Years61
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
26	S. Korea	16.5
27	Switzerland	16.5
28	Canada	16.4
29	Bahrain	16.3
30	Lithuania	16.3
31	USA	16.3
32	Italy	16.2
33	Czechia	16.2
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#modernity #politics #technology #the_internet

Internet Users Higher is better62
Pos.		201662
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
13	Finland	93%
14	Qatar	92%
15	UAE	92%
16	Bahrain	92%
17	Estonia	91%
18	Japan	91%
19	New Zealand	89%
20=	USA	89%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

Freedom On The Internet Lower is better63
Pos.		201263
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
	...
35	Thailand	61
36	Pakistan	63
37	Belarus	69
38=	Bahrain	71
38=	Saudi Arabia	71
40	Vietnam	73
41=	Ethiopia	75
41=	Myanmar	75
	Asia Avg	56.6
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better64
Pos.		2017 Ratio64
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
156=	Greenland	0.0
156=	Brunei	0.0
156=	Aruba	0.0
156=	Bahrain	0.0
156=	Palau	0.0
156=	Equatorial Guinea	0.0
156=	Belize	0.0
156=	Suriname	0.0
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better65
Pos.		202465
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
49	Turkey	52.2%
50	Russia	52.1%
51	Thailand	51.4%
52	Bahrain	51.1%
53	Brazil	50.9%
54	Peru	49.9%
55	Colombia	49.8%
56	Oman	47.9%
	Asia Avg	46.4%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. Bahrain's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#bahrain #charity #corruption #extremism #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #internationalism #life_expectancy #morals #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#bahrain #charity #corruption #happiness #internationalism #morals #politics

World Giving Index Higher is better66
Pos.		2022 %66
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
28=	Mongolia	46.0
28=	Denmark	46.0
28=	Uganda	46.0
31=	Bahrain	45.0
31=	Malta	45.0
31=	Singapore	45.0
31=	Macedonia	45.0
31=	Venezuela	45.0
	Asia Avg	37.9
	World Avg	39.6
q=125. Also scored for 2010s.

Corruption Higher is better67
Pos.		2022 Points67
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
68=	Cuba	45.0
69=	Jamaica	44.0
69=	Oman	44.0
69=	Bahrain	44.0
72=	Senegal	43.0
72=	S. Africa	43.0
72=	Bulgaria	43.0
72=	Benin	43.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Bahrain's score on the Corruption Perception Index declined terribly; it was amongst the 10 countries with the worse rise in perceived corruption in both of those decades.

Happiness Higher is better68
Pos.		2024 Score68
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
56	Bosnia & Herzegovina	6.1
57	Philippines	6.1
58	S. Korea	6.0
59	Bahrain	6.0
60	Portugal	6.0
61	Colombia	6.0
62	Ecuador	6.0
63	Honduras	6.0
	Asia Avg	5.41
	World Avg	5.58
q=147. Also scored for 2010s.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better39
Pos.		2017 Rank39
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
102	Vietnam	102
103	Armenia	103
104	Ghana	104
105	Bahrain	105
106	Ecuador	106
107	Uganda	107
108	Lesotho	108
109	Georgia	109
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better69
Pos.		Total Q69
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
103	Fiji	88.5
104=	Botswana	86.8
104=	Jamaica	86.8
106	Bahrain	85.8
107	Romania	82.7
108	Saudi Arabia	82.3
109	Taiwan	80.8
110	Thailand	79.5
	Asia Avg	85.1
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better39
Pos.		2017 Rank39
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
154	Paraguay	154
155	Grenada	155
156	Venezuela	156
157	Bahrain	157
158	Mauritania	158
159	Brunei	159
160	Algeria	160
161	Papua New Guinea	161
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index Lower is better70
Pos.		2023 Score70
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
105=	Togo	2.13
106	Guyana	2.13
107	Sri Lanka	2.14
108	Bahrain	2.15
109	Swaziland	2.17
110	Benin	2.18
111	Lesotho	2.19
112	Djibouti	2.20
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163. Also scored for 2010s.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better39
Pos.		2017 Rank39
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
156	Swaziland	156
157	Yemen	157
158	Iraq	158
159	Bahrain	159
160	Slovenia	160
161	Tonga	161
162	Marshall Islands	162
163	Guinea-Bissau	163
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better39
Pos.		2017 Rank39
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
74	Albania	74
75	Botswana	75
76	Lebanon	76
77	Bahrain	77
78	Sri Lanka	78
79	Algeria	79
80	Ecuador	80
81	Kuwait	81
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better71
Pos.		2019 Score71
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
87	Jordan	3.09
88	Italy	3.11
89	Paraguay	3.12
90	Bahrain	3.20
91	Tanzania	3.27
92	Spain	3.35
93	Bolivia	3.39
94	Algeria	3.41
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#health #inequality #life_expectancy

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better72
Pos.		201972
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
41=	Bosnia & Herzegovina	5.40
41=	Latvia	5.40
43=	Lithuania	5.50
43=	Bahrain	5.50
45	Qatar	5.70
46	Kuwait	5.90
47	Maldives	6.00
48=	Malaysia	6.10
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#bahrain #buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₇₃:

	2010	2020
Muslim	70.2%	74%
Christian	15.7%	13.7%
Hindu	12.9%	11.2%
Other	0.615%	0.605%
Unaffiliated	0.368%	0.32%
Buddhist	0.183%	0.16%
Jewish	<0.1%	<0.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)₇₄.

Often, rulers in Bahrain have been more liberal than the public, but generally Islamic radicalist and fundamentalist pressure groups are simply too powerful for the government to resist₇₅.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₇₆, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Bahrain states:

“The constitution does not explicitly protect freedom of religion or belief, but it does make provision for the freedom of conscience, the inviolability of places of worship, and the freedom to perform religious rites and hold religious parades and meetings, in accordance with the customs observed in the country. The constitution stipulates that there shall be no discrimination in the rights and duties of citizens on grounds of religion. However, the constitution also states that Islam is the official religion and that Islamic law is a principal source for legislation.

By declaring Islam as the state religion and Islamic law as the source of legislation, the constitution implies that Muslims are forbidden to change their religion (since Sharia outlaws apostasy). The constitution imposes no restrictions on non-Muslims' right to choose, change, or practice their religion or belief, including the study, discussion, and promulgation of those beliefs. The constitution prohibits discrimination in the rights and duties of citizens on the basis of religion or belief; however, there are no further laws to prevent discrimination, nor procedures to file a grievance.

The civil and criminal legal systems consist of a complex mix of courts based on diverse legal sources, including both Shiite and Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence, tribal law, and other civil codes. Sharia governs personal status, and a person's rights can vary according to Shiite or Sunni interpretation, as determined by the individual's faith or by the courts. In May 2009, the government adopted the country's first personal status law, which regulates family matters such as inheritance, child custody, marriage, and divorce. The law is only applicable to the Sunni population as Shiite clerics and lawmakers opposed legislation that would have applied to Shiite courts.

The press and publications law prohibits anti-Islamic media, and mandates imprisonment for "exposing the state's official religion for offense and criticism." The law states that "any publication that prejudices the ruling system of the country and its official religion can be banned from publication by a ministerial order." The law allows the production and distribution of religious media and publications. Islamic studies are a part of the curriculum in government schools and mandatory for all public school students. In 2011, Bahrain experienced prolonged unrest as protestors, predominantly from the majority Shia community, demanded political reform and an end to the political hegemony of the Sunni minority. The sectarian dimension of the political uprising resulted in substantial intra-Muslim conflict, including government attacks on Shi'ite religious buildings and the violent oppression of Shi'ite protestors. Violence has diminished in 2012, but the simmering sectarian tensions remain alongside the demands for political reform.

Cases of Discrimination

In August, 2012, a Bahraini court sentenced a man to two years in prison for making insulting comments about one of the Prophet Mohammad's wives. The man reportedly insulted Aisha in comments online.

”

"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₇₇

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems