Bahraini people are ethnically diverse. Roughly half of the population is Arab, and most inhabitants are native-born Bahrainis, but some are Palestinians, Omanis, or Saudis. Shia Bahrainis are divided into two main ethnic groups: Baharna and Ajam. The Shia Bahrainis are Baharna (Arab), and the Ajam are Persian Shias. Sunni Bahrainis are mainly divided into two main ethnic groups: Arabs (al-Arab) and Huwala. Sunni Arabs, while a minority, are the most influential ethnic group in Bahrain.
Foreign-born inhabitants, constituting about half of the population, are mostly from Iran, India, Pakistan, Britain, and the United States.
Ethnic Percentage
- Bahraini Arab – 46%
- Asians (mostly South Asians) – 45.5%
- Other Arab – 5.4%
- African – 1.6%
- Europeans – 1%
- Others – 0.5%
Source: The World Factbook