BH
Kingdom of Bahrain
Bahrain
Summary
Official Name
Kingdom of Bahrain
International Conventions
CSICH (2014), ICCPR (2006), UNCRPD (2011), UNDRIP (2007)
Population
1,543,000
Principal Languages
Baharna Spoken Arabic, English, Standard Arabic
Literacy Rate
98% (2018 UNESCO)
General References
Al-Tajir 1982, Fischer and Jastrow 1980, Holes 1990, Johnstone 1967
Language Counts
The number of established languages listed for Bahrain is 6. All are living languages. Of these, 1 is indigenous and 5 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional, 2 are developing, and 1 is vigorous. Also listed are 9 unestablished languages.
Languages
- Arabic, Baharna Spoken abv
- Widespread. Users: 872,000 in Bahrain (2019). Total users in all countries: 889,900. Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Alternate Names: Baharna, Baharna Arabic, Baharnah, Bahraini Arabic, Bahraini Shi’ite Arabic, Bahrani, Bahrani Arabic Autonym: البحرانية (al-bahrania) Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
- Arabic, Gulf Spoken afb
- Widespread. Users: 218,000 in Bahrain (2019). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Gulf Arabic Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
- Arabic, Standard arb
- Widespread. Users: 612,000 in Bahrain (2013 SIL), all users. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2002, Constitution, Article 2). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
- English eng
- Widespread. Users: 23,100 in Bahrain (2019). Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
- Gujarati guj
- Scattered. Users: 26,200 in Bahrain (2019). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Gujarati
- Kerinci kvr
- Users: 25,000 in Bahrain (2004). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
- Korean kor
- Users: 2,600 in Bahrain (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Koreanic
- Kurdish, Northern kmr
- Users: 54,500 in Bahrain (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish
- Malayalam mal
- Users: 14,400 in Bahrain (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Malayalam
- Persian, Iranian pes
- Al-Manāmah and Al-Muharraq governorates. Users: 174,000 in Bahrain (2019). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Ajamic Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian
- Tagalog tgl
- Users: 47,900 in Bahrain (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Greater Central Philippine, Central Philippine, Tagalog
- Tamil tam
- Users: 13,100 in Bahrain (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil
- Telugu tel
- Users: 14,100 in Bahrain (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, South-Central, Telugu
- Urdu urd
- Users: 65,400 in Bahrain (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani
Languages by Status
Arabic, Standard
[arb] 1 (National). Statutory national language (2002, Constitution, Article 2). 612,000 in Bahrain (2013 SIL), all users.
Gujarati
[guj] 5* (Dispersed). 26,200 in Bahrain (2019).
Persian, Iranian
[pes] 5* (Dispersed). 174,000 in Bahrain (2019).
Arabic, Gulf Spoken
[afb] 6a* (Vigorous). 218,000 in Bahrain (2019).
Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates
Language Vitality Profile
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Language Status Profile
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