[bah-reyn, -rahyn, buh-] 
| 1. | a sheikdom in the Persian Gulf, consisting of a group of islands: formerly a British protectorate; declared independent 1971. 603,318; 232 sq. mi. (601 sq. km). Capital: Manama. |
| 2. | the largest island in this group: oil fields. 265,000; 213 sq. mi. (552 sq. km). |
Bah·rain or Bah·rein (bä-rān')  (click for larger image in new window) A country comprising an archipelago of low sandy islands in the Persian Gulf between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. It was the first Arabian country to strike oil (1932). A British protectorate after 1861, Bahrain became independent in 1971. Manama, on Bahrain Island, the largest in the archipelago, is the capital. Population: 709,000. Bah·rain'i adj. & n. |