Governorates of Bahrain

Governorates of Bahrain
محافظات البحرين (Arabic)
CategoryUnitary state
LocationKingdom of Bahrain
Number4 Governorates
Populations268,106 (Muharraq Governorate) – 534,939 (Capital Governorate)
Areas30.39 sq mi (78.71 km2) (Capital Governorate) – 188.75 sq mi (488.85 km2) (Southern Governorate)
Government
Subdivisions
  • Municipalities (Madinat)

The Kingdom of Bahrain is divided into four governorates: the Capital, Northern, Southern and Muharraq. The Central Governorate was abolished in September 2014.[1]

Each governorate is governed by a governor, appointed by the prime minister, and has its own municipality council, with separate elections for them. The first municipal elections in Bahrain held after independence in 1971, was held in conjunction with the 2002 Bahraini general election.[2] The most recent was held in conjunction with the 2022 Bahraini general election.

Governorates

The governorates are the Northern Governorate, Southern Governorate, Muharraq Governorate, and Capital Governorate:[3]

Map Governorates
1 – Capital Governorate
2 – Muharraq Governorate
3 – Northern Governorate
4 – Southern Governorate

Constituencies

Each governorate is divided into a varying number of constituencies for the election of the country's Council of Representatives. Elections are held in these constituencies every four years, with each constituency electing one member. Only Bahraini citizens are entitled to stand for and to vote at elections.

History

Municipalities

The first municipality in Bahrain was the eight-member Manama municipality which was established in July 1919.[4][5] Members of the municipality were elected annually; the municipality was said to have been the first municipality to be established in the Arab world.[4] The municipality was in charge of cleaning roads and renting buildings to tenants and shops. By 1929, it undertook road expansions as well as opening markets and slaughterhouses.[4][5] In 1958, the municipality started water purification projects.[4] In 1960, Bahrain comprised four municipalities: Manama, Hidd, Al Muharraq, and Riffa.[6] Over the next 30 years, the 4 municipalities were divided into 12 municipalities as settlements such as Hamad Town and Isa Town grew.[6] These municipalities were administered from Manama under a central municipal council whose members are appointed by the king.[7]

The first municipal elections to be held in Bahrain after independence in 1971, was in 2002.[8] The municipalities were:

Map Former Municipality
1. Al Hidd
2. Manama
3. Western Region
4. Central Region
5. Northern Region
6. Muharraq
7. Rifa and Southern Region
8. Jidd Haffs
9. Hamad Town (not shown)
10. Isa Town
11. Hawar Islands
12. Sitra

Governates

After 3 July 2002, Bahrain was split into five administrative governorates, each of which has its own governor.[9] These governorates were abolished in September 2014. These governorates were:

Map Former Governorates
1. Capital Governorate
2. Central Governorate
3. Muharraq Governorate
4. Northern Governorate
5. Southern Governorate

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Gulf Daily News". Archived from the original on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2014-12-27.
  2. ^ "Three Polls, Three Different Approaches". The Estimate. 17 May 2002. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  3. ^ "Central Governorate dissolved". Gulf Daily News. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d "History of Municipalities". Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning – Kingdom of Bahrain. Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  5. ^ a b "History of Municipalities". Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning – Kingdom of Bahrain. Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Governorates of Bahrain". Statoids. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  7. ^ "Bahrain Government". Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations. Archived from the original on 3 June 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  8. ^ "Three Polls, Three Different Approaches". The Estimate. 17 May 2002. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  9. ^ "Decree No.17 for 2002" (PDF). Capital Governorate. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 January 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2012.