Muharraq

Al Muharraq
View of Muharraq, with the skyline of Manama in the background
Al Muharraq Location in Bahrain
Coordinates:
Country	Bahrain
Governorate	Al Muharraq Governorate

Muharraq (Arabic: المحرق‎) (meaning Place of Ashes), is Bahrain's second largest city, and served as its capital until 1923. The Muharraq Town was established by the Al Bin Ali Utub tribe as early as the late 17th Century. It has long been a centre of religiosity. The city is located on Muharraq Island.

The city's origins are ancient, going back to the time of Dilmun some five thousand years ago, but it came to prominence in the historical records during the era of Tylos when Bahrain came under domination of the Selucid Greeks, and Muharraq was the centre of a pagan cult dedicated to the shark god, Awal. The city's inhabitants, who depended upon seafaring and trade for their livelihood, worshipped Awal in the form of a large statue of a shark located in the city.

By the fifth century AD, Muharraq had become a major centre of Nestorian Christianity, which had come to dominate the southern shores of the Persian Gulf. As a sect, the Nestorians were often persecuted as heretics by the Byzantine Empire, but Bahrain was outside the Empire's control offering some safety. The names of several of Muharraq's villages today reflect this Christian legacy, with Al-Dair meaning 'the monastery' and Qalali meaning a 'monk's cloisters'.

Bahrain International Airport is located on the island. Near Muharraq there is a man made island called Amwaj Islands, which has many large buildings, hotels and beaches.

Muharraq is also known for its traditional market, or souq.

Muharraq island is also home to Muharraq Club, which is Bahrain's most successful football club.

Muharraq has been a place of arts and traditional music, Ali Bahar the most popular and successful Bahraini Singer is from Muharraq.

1 Economy
2 Education
3 See also
4 References

Economy

Gulf Air has its headquarters in Muharraq.^[1]

Education

The Ministry of Education operates government schools. Boys schools include Abu Farias Al-Hamdani Primary Boys School, Al-Maari Primary Boys School, Hassan bin Thabit Primary Boys School, Omer bin Abdulazeez Primary Boys School, Sheikh Mohammed bin Essa al-Khalifa Primary Boys School, Omer bin Al-Kattab Primary Intermediate Boys School, Abdul-Rahman Al-Nasser Intermediate Boys School, Tariq bin Zeyad Intermediate Boys School, and Moharraq Secondary Boys School. Girls schools include A'amena bint Wahab Primary Girls School, Al-Muharraq Primary Girls School, Mariam bent Omran Primary Girls School, Zubaida Primary Girls School, Istiklal, Khadija al-Kubra Intermediate Girls School, Zanoobia Intermediate Girls School, and Muharraq Secondary Girls School.^[2]

References

↑ Summers, Mark. "'It's business as usual' at Gulf Air." Gulf Daily News. Wednesday 25 July 2007. Retrieved on 24 September 2009.
↑ "Directory." Ministry of Education. Retrieved on 8 September 2009.

Governorates of Bahrain

Current divisions	Capital · Central · Muharraq · Northern · Southern

Former divisions	Al Hidd · Manama · Western Region · Central Region · Northern Region · Muharraq · Rifa and Southern Region · Jidd Haffs · Hamad Town · Isa Town · Hawar Islands · Sitra

ISO 3166-2:BH

Major cities of Bahrain

Al Hidd · Hamad Town · Isa Town · Jidd Haffs · Manama · Muharraq · Riffa · Sitra

Portuguese Empire

North Africa

15th century
1415–1640 Ceuta
1458–1550 Alcácer Ceguer (El Qsar es Seghir)
1471–1550 Arzila (Asilah)
1471–1662 Tangier
1485–1550 Mazagan (El Jadida)
1487– middle 16th century Ouadane
1488–1541 Safim (Safi)
1489 Graciosa

16th century
1505–1769 Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué (Agadir)
1506–1525 Mogador (Essaouira)
1506–1525 Aguz (Souira Guedima)
1506–1769 Mazagan (El Jadida)
1513–1541 Azamor (Azemmour)
1515 Sao Joao da Mamora (Mehdya)
1577–1589 Arzila (Asilah)

Portuguese possessions in Morocco 1415-1769.jpg

Sub-Saharan Africa

15th century 1455–1633 Arguin 1470–1975 São Tomé¹ 1474–1778 Annobón 1478–1778 Fernando Poo (Bioko) 1482–1637 Elmina (São Jorge da Mina) 1482–1642 Portuguese Gold Coast 1496–1550 Madagascar (part) 1498–1540 Mascarene Islands	16th century 1500–1630 Malindi 1500–1975 Príncipe¹ 1501–1975 Portuguese E. Africa (Mozambique) 1502–1659 St. Helena 1503–1698 Zanzibar 1505–1512 Quíloa (Kilwa) 1506–1511 Socotra 1557–1578 Accra 1575–1975 Portuguese W. Africa (Angola) 1588–1974 Cacheu² 1593–1698 Mombassa (Mombasa)	17th century 1642–1975 Cape Verde 1645–1888 Ziguinchor 1680–1961 São João Baptista de Ajudá 1687–1974 Bissau² 18th century 1728–1729 Mombassa (Mombasa) 1753–1975 São Tomé and Príncipe 19th century 1879–1974 Portuguese Guinea 1885–1975 Portuguese Congo (Cabinda)
¹ Part of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1753. ² Part of Portuguese Guinea from 1879.

Southwest Asia

16th century
1506–1615 Gamru (Bandar-Abbas)
1507–1643 Sohar
1515–1622 Hormuz (Ormus)
1515–1648 Quriyat
1515–? Qalhat
1515–1650 Muscat
1515?–? Barka
1515–1633? Julfar (Ras al-Khaimah)
1521–1602 Bahrain (Muharraq and Manama)
1521–1529? Qatif
1521?–1551? Tarut Island
1550–1551 Qatif
1588–1648 Matrah

17th century
1620–? Khor Fakkan
1621?–? As Sib
1621–1622 Qeshm
1623–? Khasab
1623–? Libedia
1624–? Kalba
1624–? Madha
1624–1648 Dibba Al-Hisn
1624?–? Bandar-e Kong

Indian subcontinent

15th century
1498–1545 Laccadive Islands (Lakshadweep)

16th century
Portuguese India
   1500–1663 Cochim (Kochi)
   1502–1661 Quilon (Coulão/Kollam)
   1502–1663 Cannanore (Kannur)
   1507–1657 Negapatam (Nagapatnam)
   1510–1962 Goa
   1512–1525 Calicut (Kozhikode)
   1518–1619 Paliacate (Pulicat)
   1521–1740 Chaul
   1523–1662 Mylapore
   1528–1666 Chittagong
   1531–1571 Chalium
   1534–1601 Salsette Island
   1534–1661 Bombay (Mumbai)
   1535–1739 Baçaím (Vasai-Virar)
   1536–1662 Cranganore (Kodungallur)
   1540–1612 Surat
   1548–1658 Tuticorin (Thoothukudi)
   1559–1962 Daman and Diu
   1568–1659 Mangalore
   1579–1632 Hugli
   1598–1610 Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam)
1518–1521 Maldives
1518–1658 Portuguese Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
1558–1573 Maldives

17th century
Portuguese India
1687–1749 Mylapore

18th century
Portuguese India
1779–1954 Dadra and Nagar Haveli

East Asia and Oceania

	16th century 1511–1641 Portuguese Malacca 1512–1621 Moluccas (Maluku Islands) 1522–1575 Ternate 1576–1605 Ambon 1578–1650 Tidore 1512–1665 Makassar 1553–1999 Macau 1533–1545 Ningbo 1571–1639 Decima (Dejima, Nagasaki)	17th century 1642–1975 Portuguese Timor (East Timor)¹ 19th century Macau 1864–1999 Coloane 1849–1999 Portas do Cerco 1851–1999 Taipa 1890–1999 Ilha Verde 20th century Macau 1938–1941 Lapa and Montanha (Hengqin)
¹ 1975 is the date of East Timor's Declaration of Independence and subsequent invasion by Indonesia. In 2002, the independence of East Timor was recognized by Portugal and the rest of the world.

North America and the North Atlantic Ocean

15th century
1420 Madeira
1432 Azores

16th century
1500–1579? Terra Nova (Newfoundland)
1500–1579? Labrador
1516–1579? Nova Scotia

Central and South America

16th century
1500–1822 Brazil
1536–1620 Barbados

17th century
1680–1777 Nova Colônia do Sacramento

19th century
1808–1822 Cisplatina (Uruguay)

Portuguese colonization of the Americas

Theory of Portuguese discovery of Australia

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Muharraq

Contents

Economy

Education

See also

References