Page 125 - Life & Land Use on the Bahrain Islands (Curtis E Larsen)

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natural stage in the evolution of a mature economy with the region on the
threshold of greater development. Smith (1971) points out, however, that nearly all
of the nations showing primacy or which are at what Berry calls the ’’takeoff” stage
were once colonized. TTius, there is an historic variable to be considered.
When modem Bahrain is analyzed in this manner, a three-tiered
distribution is visible (fig. 18). TTie primate city of Manama and the second city of
Muharraq fall on the predicted ideal rank-size curve. The other centers and
villages did not. A condition of primacy was noted, but the remaining settlements
show a tendency for subordinate rank-size distributions. Villages through Pg
and villages Pjq through P23 each have distributions that parallel the ideal

rank-size rule for Manama. The physical relationships of these two groups of
settlements with the urban center are of interest. The first group of villages is
located at a mean distance (X^) of 6.53 km from the primate city, while the second
group is somewhat farther away (X^ = 9.78 km). For comparison, the ideal
rank-size rule for 1880, when Manama had an estimated population of 8000, is
shown.
Modern Bahrain appears in an intermediate condition between rank-size
and primacy. The primate city is in certain evidence, but the subordinate centers
are clearly hierarchically arranged. It appears on the surface, that Berry’s
conception of a primate system has validity for Bahrain, which is on the threshold
of rapid and greater development, but it was also recently part of the British
colonial system, a condition which may relate to still other influences related to a
colonial economic system. Alternatively, the major population growth on Bahrain
over the past century has taken place in Manama and Muharraq and not the
surrounding villages. This presents a demographic explanation for the differences
observed. Rank-size analysis signifies that, first and foremost, modern Bahrain is a
developing system undergoing myraid changes. Among these are a shift away from
agriculture and a seemingly synchronous abandonment of traditional farming areas.
Because the latter changes definitely occurred in the past, it is possible to perceive
the land-use fluctuations of the previous 6,000 years as components in the
evolution of a market system. Since we must deal with the past, we must also be