Bahrain consists of a small group of islands making up a very modest area of 665 square kilometers. It has a rich history spanning back some 5000 years to the Kings of Delmon, which is documented by the numerous ancient burial mounds still found across the island. Was the referral to Paradise in the Old Testament in fact a referral to Bahrain? We will never know but the Kingdom of Delmon was mentioned and the fact that Bahrain was an amazing oasis with more than 1.5 million palm trees in the middle of an extraordinary dry environment must have made it a very imposing sight. The word "Bahrain" is in fact Arabic for "Two Seas" referring to the abundant availability of fresh water within the oasis and the presence of the very salty Arabian Gulf around the island. Bahrain's modern history was launched with the arrival of the Al-Khalifa family in 1783 - following a Portuguese presence. Traditional crafts, pearl diving and shipping were means of income and in 1884 the first post office was opened in Bahrain under the management of the postmaster in Bushire and part of the Bombay Circle. The development of manufactured pearls in Japan resulted in difficult times for Bahrain but in 1932 oil was struck in commercial quantities - Bahrain being the first place in the Gulf. The country adapted building its future around the oil industry and under the protection of the British. Bahrain became an independent nation in 1971.
