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在线翻译:
szdaily -> Speak Shenzhen -> 
Ours. Yours. Bahrain
    2018-08-14  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

James Baquet

Bahrain is that rarest of things: an island country in the Middle East. Though Cyprus’s location in the eastern Mediterranean makes it a candidate for this honor as well, its credentials cannot compare to Bahrain’s, which is located in the Persian Gulf smack dab between Saudi Arabia on its west and south and Qatar on its east, with Iran north across the gulf. It’s connected to Saudi Arabia by a 25-kilometer causeway.

In many ways Bahrain conforms to the description of its eastern and western neighbors: Arabic speaking, and overwhelmingly Muslim. And like Qatar, its population is over 50 percent expatriates, largely South Asians.

Bahrain is the fourth-most densely populated country in the world. The only three with higher density — Monaco, Singapore and Gibraltar — are city-states. It is also, after the Maldives and Singapore, the third-smallest nation in Asia.

The site of modern Bahrain was once occupied by the ancient Dilmun civilization. It was one of the earliest regions to convert to Islam, just two decades after the death of Muhammad, in 628. After rule by Arabs, it was occupied by the Portuguese in 1521, then became part of the Persian Empire in 1602. Ruled by one royal family since 1783, it became a protectorate of the United Kingdom in the late 1800s, and declared independence in 1971.

The current head of that royal family, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, became the second Emir of Bahrain upon the death of his father in 1999. His father had taken that title in 1961 on the death of his father, who had been styled “Hakim” or “caretaker.” Hamad then declared himself king in 2002 and Bahrain, which had been an “emirate” until then, became a constitutional monarchy.

As king, Hamad appoints the prime minister and his ministers. He also commands the army, chairs the Higher Judicial Council, and appoints the parliament’s upper house. The lower house is elected, but can be dissolved on the king’s command.

In addition to oil production, Bahrain has been developing other sectors, notably banking and tourism, since the late 20th century.

Vocabulary:

Which word above means:

1. is similar in nature

2. called by a title

3. exactly, squarely (colloquial)

4. change to another religion

5. one who might be chosen

6. state ruled by an emir, a type of Islamic head of state

7. countries which are also cities

8. evidence of eligibility

9. highway raised above water

10. broken up, dismissed

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