Page 184 - DILMUN NO 19

he Economic istoyr of ahrain

E ECOOIC IOY OF I

r. Jasim . ١١
Uniersity of ahrain

ahrain has been able to adapt to changing economic conditions throughout
its long histoy. he emphasis has shitfed from trade to pearl actiity and then
to oil. in particular, the discoeyr of oil has transformed the economy with its
income allowing the goernment to spend on infrastructures including
schools and road networks. ut limited oil reseres eentually forced the
authorities to pursue economic diersification.

1٠٥ E
ahrain has seed as a major potr-of-call sering trade routes bewteen
umer Ira) and the lndus alley lndia, akistan) around 3000 C.' he
territoyr was used as a transit point for transferring goods, especially copper,
spices and woods as well as luuayr items. ome contend that ilmun was
the nucleus of the first trading center in the ancient world.2 he territoyr was
at crossroads bewteen the Far East, lndia, ed ea and the eastern coast of
frica? seing as a retreat in a harsh enironment.

Karen ojgaard, "ental anthropological inestigations on ahrain," eds., aya ١i ١
Khalifa and ichael ice, ahrain through the ages: the rchaeology ondon: KI
imited, 16), 64.

2 ichael Jenner, ahrain: Gulf eritage in ransition Esse,England: onman Group
imited, 14), 7.

3 John . iedercorn, " reconsturction of the prehistoyr of ahrain, landing place of oah,"
eds., Jeffrey . ugent and heodore . homas, ahrain and the Gulf: ast erspcelies
and ltematie Futures ew York: t. artin's ress, in,c 1), 1.

.r Jasim usaln li ‫ﺃ‬s assistant protessor in the college of usiness dministartion
at the Uniersiyt of ahraln. r ‫ﺃ‬١ can be -emailed la jaslmallobuss.uob.bh or
jaslmali@ hotmall.com