Interesting Facts

• Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands
• The largest age group in Bahrain is 25-54 and the majority of the population are men, there are almost twice as many men to woman
• Their world trade centre is the first sky scraper in the world to integrate wind turbines into its architecture
• Bahrain’s flag used to be the largest flag in the world setting a world record in 2004

Key Market Alerts

Most people living in Bahrain have cars, often two or more per family. Driving is erratic and it can take some time getting used to it. Traffic is heavy during rush hours. There is a skeleton bus service, and taxis are expensive.

An Overview of Bahrain

Bahrain is made up from 33 islands situated in the Persian Gulf, just off the Saudi Arabian east coast and there is a 15-mile-long causeway which links Bahrain it to the mainland of Saudi Arabia. Plans are in place for a similar causeway to link it to Qatar. Some of the islands are reclaiming land from the shallow waters surrounding them and some of the islands are man-made.

The time zone is GMT +3 and the population of the country is less than three quarters of a million people with just over 150,000 of these living in the capital. The currency is the dinar. A dinar is worth approximately 50 British pence and around 35 US cents.

Living in Bahrain

The official language of Bahrain is Arabic; however, English is widely spoken throughout all communities and businesses. The Island is home to many nationalities and it is not unusual to hear any number of languages spoken on a daily basis from Urdu and Hindi to French and Spanish. The capital is Manama and boasts both ultra-modern and traditional buildings. The skyline of the capital is very similar to Manhattan.

Housing in Bahrain

Bahrain has a wide variety of housing available for the expatriate market, ranging from modern, newly-built high-rise apartments in the city to large villas with gardens and pools in the suburbs. Apartments are often furnished to a high standard, while villas are mostly unfurnished. Rentals vary accordingly.

Rents are paid monthly or quarterly in advance (as negotiated with the landlord). Payments are usually made by direct transfer to the Landlord’s bank account; however, cash payment is still widely acceptable.

All rented properties in Bahrain are very well maintained by the Landlords. Landlords are responsible for property agent’s fee.

Schooling in Bahrain

Bahrain has a good standard of international schooling, however, there are always waiting lists for entry and all children are required to sit entry tests. Applications are made online together with a mandatory, non-refundable deposit of approximately 50BD per child. All relevant information regarding school fees are available on the school websites.