KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

KEY FACTS

Official Name : Kingdom of Bahrain
Capital : Manama
Loation : Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands in the Arabian Gulf between the Qatar peninsula and Saudi Arabia
Area : Bahrain has a total land area of 770 sqm
Total Population : 1,039,297
Official Language : The official language is Arabic. English is widely spoken and is
the principal language of commerce.
Currency & Taxation : Bahrain’s currency is the Bahrain Dinar (BD), which is pegged to the US Dollar and there is no personal income tax and no tax on capital gains
Time Zone : GMT +3 hours
Climate : Bahrain has hot summers and pleasant winters, with temperatures ranging between 18 degrees Celsius to 36-40 degrees celsius in the height of the summer months (July and August).

Government : Bahrain has a bicameral legislature with a lower house, the hamber of Deputies, elected by universal suffrage and the upper house, the Shura council, appointed by His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, he King of Bahrain. Both houses have forty members. The inaugural elections were held in 2002, with parliamentarians serving four year terms.

Kingdom of Bahrain

Derived from Arabic word for “two seas”, Bahrain is blessed with a unique natural phenomenon where fresh water springs are found in the middle of the Gulf creating a natural habitat for the rarest type of natural pearls.

History and geography have played a part in shaping the Kingdom of Bahrain into a unique destination for business and pleasure. Its location in the very heart of the Arabian Gulf gives it a certrality that connects this archipelago of 33 islands with the markets of Asia, Europe and North Africa. This connection echoes the ancient trading links that Bahrain, home to the renowned Dilmun civilization, had with the Mesopotamian and Indus Valley civilizations.

The tradition continues, and today, the Kingdom of Bahrain charts a ‘business friendly’ vision that has seen the kingdom emerge as one of the most attractive economies for local, regional and international investors. Co