imported>HtialilwW at 22:54, 5 December 2024

2024-12-05T22:54:53Z

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{{short description|none}} 
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name = Governorates of Bahrain {{nobold|{{native name|ar|محافظات البحرين}}}}
| alt_name =
| map = [[File:New Governorates of Bahrain 2014.svg|250px]]
| category = [[Unitary state]]
| territory = [[Kingdom of Bahrain]]
| start_date =
| current_number = 4 Governorates
| number_date =
| population_range = 268,106 ([[Muharraq Governorate]]) – 534,939 ([[Capital Governorate, Bahrain|Capital Governorate]])
| area_range = {{Convert|78.71|km2|sqmi|order=flip|abbr=on}} ([[Capital Governorate, Bahrain|Capital Governorate]]) – {{Convert|488.85|km2|sqmi|order=flip|abbr=on}} ([[Southern Governorate]])
| government = governate government, [[Government of Bahrain|National government]]
| subdivision = Municipalities (Madinat)
}}

The [[Bahrain|Kingdom of Bahrain]] is divided into four [[governorate]]s: the [[Capital Governorate, Bahrain|Capital]], [[Northern Governorate|Northern]], [[Southern Governorate|Southern]] and [[Muharraq Governorate|Muharraq]]. The [[Central Governorate, Bahrain|Central Governorate]] was abolished in September 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=386389|title=The Gulf Daily News|access-date=2014-12-27|archive-date=2017-10-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010152732/http://archives.gdnonline.com/NewsDetails.aspx?date=04%2F07%2F2015&storyid=386389|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Each governorate is governed by a governor, appointed by the [[Prime Minister of Bahrain|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]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Three Polls, Three Different Approaches |url=http://www.theestimate.com/public/051702.html |publisher=The Estimate |access-date=5 July 2012 |date=17 May 2002 |archive-date=17 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117000004/http://www.theestimate.com/public/051702.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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, Bahrain|Capital Governorate]]:<ref name="Central Governorate dissolved">{{cite web |title=Central Governorate dissolved |url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=386389 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010152732/http://archives.gdnonline.com/NewsDetails.aspx?date=04%2F07%2F2015&storyid=386389 |archive-date=10 October 2017 |access-date=27 December 2014 |work=Gulf Daily News}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!Map
!Governorates
|-
| rowspan="4" |[[File:New_Governorates_of_Bahrain_2014.svg|364x364px]]
| 1 – '''[[Capital Governorate, Bahrain|Capital Governorate]]'''
|-
| 2 – '''[[Muharraq Governorate]]'''
|-
| 3 – '''[[Northern Governorate]]'''
|-
| 4 – '''[[Southern Governorate]]'''
|}

==Constituencies==
Each governorate is divided into a varying number of [[constituency|constituencies]] for the election of the country's [[Council of Representatives (Bahrain)|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.<ref name="MMAUP2">{{cite web |title=History of Municipalities |url=http://websrv.municipality.gov.bh/mun/pages/History_en.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213042316/http://websrv.municipality.gov.bh/mun/pages/History_en.jsp |archive-date=13 December 2012 |access-date=5 July 2012 |publisher=Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning – Kingdom of Bahrain}}</ref><ref name="MMAUP">{{Cite web |title=History of Municipalities |url=http://websrv.municipality.gov.bh/mun/pages/History_en.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213042316/http://websrv.municipality.gov.bh/mun/pages/History_en.jsp |archive-date=13 December 2012 |access-date=5 July 2012 |publisher=Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning – Kingdom of Bahrain}}</ref> Members of the municipality were elected annually; the municipality was said to have been the first municipality to be established in the [[Arab world]].<ref name="MMAUP2" /> 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 [[Slaughterhouse|slaughterhouses]].<ref name="MMAUP2" /><ref name="MMAUP" /> In 1958, the municipality started [[water purification]] projects.<ref name="MMAUP2" /> In 1960, Bahrain comprised four municipalities: Manama, Hidd, Al Muharraq, and Riffa.<ref name="Statoids2">{{cite web |title=Governorates of Bahrain |url=http://www.statoids.com/ubh.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120706055947/http://statoids.com/ubh.html |archive-date=6 July 2012 |access-date=5 July 2012 |publisher=Statoids}}</ref> Over the next 30 years, the 4 municipalities were divided into 12 municipalities as settlements such as [[Hamad Town]] and [[Isa Town]] grew.<ref name="Statoids2" /> These municipalities were administered from [[Manama]] under a central municipal council whose members are appointed by the king.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bahrain Government |url=http://www.un.int/bahrain/government.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603152143/http://www.un.int/bahrain/government.html |archive-date=3 June 2012 |access-date=5 July 2012 |publisher=Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations}}</ref>

The first municipal elections to be held in Bahrain after independence in 1971, was in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |date=17 May 2002 |title=Three Polls, Three Different Approaches |url=http://www.theestimate.com/public/051702.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117000004/http://www.theestimate.com/public/051702.html |archive-date=17 January 2013 |access-date=5 July 2012 |publisher=The Estimate}}</ref> The municipalities were:
{| class="wikitable"
!Map
!Former Municipality
|-
| rowspan="12" |[[File:Bahrain_municipalities_numbered.png|327x327px]]
|'''1.''' [[Al Hidd]]
|-
|'''2.''' [[Manama]]
|-
|'''3.''' [[Western Region, Bahrain|Western Region]]
|-
|'''4.''' [[Central Region, Bahrain|Central Region]]
|-
|'''5.''' [[Northern Region, Bahrain|Northern Region]]
|-
|'''6.''' [[Muharraq]]
|-
|'''7.''' [[Riffa & Southern Region, Bahrain|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]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Decree No.17 for 2002 |url=http://www.capital.gov.bh/pages/pdf/govlawe.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130108030817/http://www.capital.gov.bh/pages/pdf/govlawe.pdf |archive-date=8 January 2013 |access-date=24 June 2012 |publisher=Capital Governorate}}</ref> These governorates were abolished in September 2014. These governorates were:
{| class="wikitable"
!Map
!Former Governorates
|-
| rowspan="5" |[[File:Governorates_of_Bahrain.svg|379x379px]]
|'''1.''' [[Capital Governorate, Bahrain|Capital Governorate]]
|-
|'''2.''' [[Central Governorate, Bahrain|Central Governorate]]
|-
|'''3.''' [[Muharraq Governorate]]
|-
|'''4.''' [[Northern Governorate]]
|-
|'''5.''' [[Southern Governorate]]
|}
== See also ==
* [[Geography of Bahrain]]
* [[ISO 3166-2:BH]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{cite web|url= http://www.capital.gov.bh/pages/pdf/govlawe.pdf |title=Decree-Law establishing governorates }}
* [http://www.statoids.com/ubh.html Divisions of Bahrain]
{{Governorates of Bahrain}}
{{Bahrain topics}}
{{Articles on first-level administrative divisions of Asian countries}}

[[Category:Governorates of Bahrain| ]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of Bahrain]]
[[Category:Lists of administrative divisions|Bahrain, Governorates]]
[[Category:Administrative divisions in Asia|Bahrain 1]]
[[Category:First-level administrative divisions by country|Governorates, Bahrain]]
[[Category:Bahrain geography-related lists]]
[[Category:Governorates|Bahrain]]

Governorates of Bahrain - Revision history

imported>HtialilwW at 22:54, 5 December 2024