Timeline: Bahrain

A chronology of key events:

1913 - Britain and the Ottoman government sign a treaty recognising the independence of Bahrain but the country remains under British administration.

Manama is a major port city, commercial centre Lies on the north-east tip of Bahrain island Declared a free port in 1958 Population: 135,000

1931 - The Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), a subsidiary of the Standard Oil Company of California (Socal), discovers oil at Jabal al-Dukhan and production begins the following year.

1939 - Britain decides that the Hawar Islands which lie in the Gulf of Bahrain between Bahrain and Qatar belong to Bahrain not Qatar.

1961 - Sheikh Isa Bin-Salman Al Khalifah becomes ruler of Bahrain.

Britain moves bases

1967 - Britain moves its main regional naval base from Aden to Bahrain.

1968 16 January - Britain announces it will close its bases east of Suez by 1971.

1970 19 January - The Administrative Council becomes a 12-member Council of State, headed by a president, the ruler's brother, Sheikh Khalifah Bin-Salman Al Khalifah.

1970 May - Iran renounces its claim to sovereignty over Bahrain after a United Nations report shows that Bahrainis want to remain independent.

Independence

1971 15 August - Bahrain declares independence and signs a new treaty of friendship with Britain. Sheikh Isa becomes the first Emir and the Council of State becomes a cabinet.

1971 16 December - Bahrain gains formal independence from Britain.

Bahrain was the first Gulf state to sign a free trade pact with the US

1971

23 December - Bahrain and the US sign an agreement which permits the US to rent naval and military facilities.

1972 December - Elections are held for a Constituent Assembly. Only Bahraini males over 20 can vote.

1973 December - After the constitution comes into force on 6 December, elections are held on 7 December for a National Assembly, an advisory legislative body, with 44 members (14 cabinet members and 30 elected by male voters) .

Assembly dissolved

1975 26 August - Following claims by prime minister Sheikh Khalifah Bin-Salman Al Khalifah that the National Assembly is impeding the work of the government, the Emir dissolves the assembly and rules by decree.

1981 25 May - Bahrain joins the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, more usually known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which also includes Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

1981 13 December - Seventy-three people, said to be members of the Tehran-based Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain, headed by Iranian cleric, Hojjat ol-Eslam Hadi al-Mudarrisi, are arrested and accused of conspiring to overthrow the government on 16 December, Bahrain's National Day.

1986 In April, Qatari troops occupy Fasht al-Dibal Island but withdraw in June after mediation by Saudi Arabia.

1986 26 November - Opening of the King Fahd causeway which links Bahrain to the mainland of Saudi Arabia.

Operation Desert Storm

Allied jet in Bahrain: The country is a key US ally

1991

January/February - As part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Peninsula Shield Force, Bahrain participates in the coalition "Operation Desert Storm" against Iraq (the Gulf War)

1991 July - Qatar takes its territorial claim to the Hawar Islands, Fasht al-Dibal and Qitat Jaradah before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague but Bahrain rejects the claims.

Defence agreement with US

1991 27 October - Bahrain signs a defence cooperation agreement with the United States providing for port facilities and joint military exercises.

1992 20 December - The establishment of a 30-member Consultative Council, appointed by the emir for a four-year term.

1994 December - Demonstrations follow the arrest on 5 December of Shia cleric, Sheikh Ali Salman, who calls for the restoration of the National Assembly and criticises the ruling family.

1995 15 January - Sheikh Ali Salman is deported and seeks asylum in Britain.

1995 15 February - Bahrain rejects International Court of Justice (ICJ) mediation in its dispute with Qatar.

1995 26 June - After a reshuffle, the cabinet includes five Shia ministers.

1995 25 September - A Shia cleric, Sheikh Abd-al-Amir al-Jamri, arrested in April, is released from prison.

1996 January/February - After bomb explosions in Manama's business quarter, Al-Jamri is arrested again on 18 January. A Sunni lawyer and poet, Ahmad al-Shamlan, is also detained on 8 February, but released in April.

'Coup plot' uncovered

1996 3 June - The government says it has uncovered a coup plot by an Iranian-backed group, Hezbollah-Bahrain. Bahrain recalls its ambassador to Iran and downgrades its representation to charge d'affaires level.

1996 28 September - The Consultative Council members are increased from 30 to 40.

PRO-DEMOCRACY CLERIC Abdul Amir al-Jamri led protests demanding return of parliament Democracy campaigner dies

1997

1 April - Bahrain acquires sole ownership of Bapco.

1998 February - Sheikh Khalid Bin-Muhammad Bin-Salman Al Khalifah replaces British citizen, Ian Henderson, as Director of the Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) .

1998 16 -19 December - Bahrain provides military facilities for "Operation Desert Fox", the US and UK bombing campaign against Iraq.

1999 6 March - The emir, Sheikh Isa, dies and is succeeded by his eldest son, Sheikh Hamad. On March 9, Sheikh Hamad's son, Sheikh Salman, becomes Crown Prince.

1999 July - Sheikh Abd-al-Amir al-Jamri is sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment but is pardoned by the new Emir.

1999 29 December - The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin-Khalifah Al Thani, visits. Both countries establish committee to settle territorial disputes.

2000 September - Emir appoints for the first time non-Muslims and women to the Consultative Council, including four women - one of whom is a Christian - and a Jewish businessman.

Political reform

2001 February - Referendum on political reform; Bahrainis overwhelmingly back proposals under which Bahrain would become constitutional monarchy with elected lower chamber of parliament and independent judiciary.

2002 14 February - Bahrain turns itself into a constitutional monarchy and allows women to stand for office in a package of reforms.

2002 May - Local elections are held, Bahrain's first poll for almost 30 years. For the first time women vote and stand as candidates, but fail to win a seat.

2002 October - Parliamentary elections held, the first for nearly 30 years. Authorities say the turnout was more than 50% despite a call by Islamists for a boycott.

Political grievances are aired during protest marches

2003

May - Thousands of victims of alleged torture petition king to cancel law which prevents them from suing suspected torturers.

2004 April - Nada Haffadh is made health minister - the first woman to head a government ministry.

2004 May - Protests in Manama against fighting in the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf, Karbala. The king sacks the interior minister after police try to prevent the protest.

Trade deal

2004 September - Bahrain and US sign free trade pact; Saudi Arabia condemns the move, saying it hinders regional economic integration.

2005 March-June - Thousands of protest marchers demand a fully-elected parliament.

2006 January - US President George W Bush signs a bill to enact the 2004 US-Bahrain free-trade agreement after it is approved by the US Congress.

2006 March - A pleasure boat capsizes off the Bahrain coast, claiming the lives of 58 passengers.

2006 November - The Shia opposition wins 40% of the vote in a general election. A Shia Muslim, Jawad bin Salem al-Oraied, is named as a deputy prime minister.

2007 September - Thousands of illegal foreign workers rush to take advantage of a government-sanctioned amnesty.

2008 May - A Jewish woman, Houda Nonoo, is appointed Bahrain's ambassador to the USA. She is believed to be the Arab world's first Jewish ambassador.

2008 December - Authorities arrest several people who allegedly planned to detonate homemade bombs during Bahrain's national celebrations.

2009 April - King pardons more than 170 prisoners charged with endangering national security, including 35 Shi'ites being tried on charges of trying to overthrow the state.