Bahrain

Bahrain's population is split between citizens — a Sunni-ruled but Shia-majority Arab population — and a very large expatriate workforce from South Asia and elsewhere, who make up roughly half of all residents. Arabic is official and English is widely used.

Islam is the state religion, and sectarian tensions between the Sunni monarchy and the Shia majority have periodically erupted, notably in the 2011 Arab Spring protests.

Society

Bahrain has high literacy and living standards for citizens, with the economy and daily life heavily dependent on foreign labor.