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Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands in the Arabian Gulf, situated between Saudi Arabia’s east coast and the Qatar peninsula with Manama, as the capital city. At the centre of the island is the highest point, Jebel Dukhan. The majority of Bahrain’s oil wells are to be found in this area.

The main island has the valuable asset of an adequate supply of fresh water, unique in the region, both on land and offshore. There are extensive date gardens to the north with irrigated vegetable and fruit gardens. The strategic 24km- (15-mile-) long King Fahad Causeway links Bahrain with Saudi Arabia.

This group of 35 islands lies in the Persian Gulf, close to the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia and not far from the western coast of Qatar. Bahrain, the main island from which the country took its name, is connected to Saudi Arabia by a causeway. Another causeway links Bahrain with Al Muharraq, the second largest island in the group. The capital city of Manama is located in the main island. All the islands are low-lying; the highest point is 400 ft (122 m). Most of the land is naturally barren. However, drainage and other schemes have increased the amount of cultivable land. Summers are extremely hot and humid, and there is virtually no rain between June and November. Wintertime temperatures remain around 65ºF (18ºC).

Getting Around Bahrain

Getting There by Air: The national airline serving Bahrain is Gulf Air (GF). Several flights a week leave from Bahrain International Airport for other destinations within Bahrain.

Main Airports: Bahrain International (BAH) (Muharraq) is 6.5km (4 miles) northeast of Manama. Bus and taxi services run across the causeway to the main island (journey time – 15 minutes). Banks/bureaux de change, duty-free shops, first aid, bars, snack bars, restaurants, nursery, prayer room, tourist information, post office, car hire and car parking are located alson in main airports. Routes serve most towns and villages.

Getting There by Road: A car drive to Dhahran (Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia) takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes from Bahrain using the King Fahad Causeway. A toll fee of approximately BD2 is payable by persons driving out of Bahrain. Normal Saudi Arabian visa regulations apply.Traffic drives on the right. Manama is served by an excellent road system. Road signs are written in English and Arabic.Metered taxis are readily available. They can be hired in the street or from stands outside hotels and at major tourist attractions. They are identifiable by their orange side-wings and yellow number plates. Taxis waiting outside hotels may charge more. Share-taxis which carry up to five passengers are also available. These are recognisable by a yellow circle with the licence number in black painted on the driver’s door and by their white and orange number plates. There are several designated pick-up points. Meters are not used and fares should always be agreed beforehand. Radio cabs are also available.Speed limits are 100kph (62mph) on highways and between 50-80kph (31-50mph) on all other roads.

Getting There by Water: Main ports: Mina Salman, Mina Manama and Mina Muharraq. These ports offer a quick and efficient entry into the country from all parts of the world. Passenger ferries operate between Iran and Bahrain (journey time – 16 hours). A port tax may be payable.Transport between the smaller islands is by motorboat or dhow.

Language. A long tradition of association with other cultures, a stable government and a strong sense of national identity make Bahrain a pleasant place to live. It is one of the few countries in the Gulf where the nationals represent the majority.Arabic is the official language of Bahrain. Farsi is not uncommon, and English is widely used in business.