Manama

Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain.

It sits on the northeastern coast of Bahrain Island along the Persian Gulf. As of a 2025 estimate, the city has a population of approximately 743,066 people. Manama serves as a vital gateway for the region. It has evolved from a small trading port into a major modern financial hub.

The city is recognized globally for its economic importance. In 2018, the Globalization and World Cities Research Network named it a beta global city. This status shows how connected Manama is to the rest of the world.

The geography of Manama is defined by its low-lying terrain. The city is located in a desert climate. This means summers are extremely hot and winters are mild. Annual rainfall is very low in this region.

Because space is limited on the island, the city has grown through land reclamation. This process involves creating new land from the sea to expand the coastline. This allows for rapid urban and economic development. Modern infrastructure and financial districts now spread into the desert outskirts. Some residential and business areas are even built on offshore artificial islands.

Manama's history begins thousands of years ago. Evidence of human settlement exists on the northern coast dating back to the Bronze Age. The Dilmun civilisation inhabited the area around 3000 BC. They functioned as a key regional trading hub. They connected Mesopotamia, Magan, and the Indus Valley Civilisation. Archaeologists have found about 100,000 Dilmun burial mounds in the north and central regions. These mounds date back as far as 5,000 years. While the population was mostly rural, a large number of people lived in the area.

Following the Dilmun era, many different empires controlled the island. The Assyrians ruled for over a century starting in 700 BC. Later, the Babylonians, Achaemenids, and Greeks all had influence here. During the classical era, the Roman writer Pliny the Elder called the island Tylos. He wrote about its famous pearls and cotton fields. After the conversion of Bahrain to Islam in 628 AD, the region changed again. Work on the Khamis Mosque began as early as the seventh century AD.

Manama was first mentioned by name in a manuscript in 1345 AD.

Control of the city shifted frequently between various powers. The Portuguese Empire took control of Bahrain in 1521. They built the Bahrain Fort to consolidate their power on the outskirts of Manama.

The Safavid Persians expelled the Portuguese in 1602. During the Safavid era, the islands remained a center for Twelver Shi'ism scholarship. The economy flourished through date palm farms and the export of pearls. At one time, the yearly income from exported pearls reached 600,000 ducats. This was supported by about 2,000 pearling dhows.

In the 19th century, political instability affected the local economy. Invasions by the Omanis and Wahhabis made Manama a major battleground. This instability caused the port to close and many merchants to flee. However, British influence eventually brought more stability to the region. Britain signed the Perpetual Truce of Peace and Friendship with Bahrain in 1861. This agreement placed Britain in charge of defending the islands. By 1919, Bahrain was officially integrated into the British Empire as an overseas imperial territory.

The 20th century brought massive changes through the discovery of oil. This wealth spurred very fast growth across the country. In the 1990s, Bahrain began a concerted effort to diversify its economy. This helped transform Manama into a major financial hub in the Middle East. The city has moved away from relying solely on oil and pearls. It now focuses on many different industries.

Today, the city is a mix of historic sites and modern skylines. It remains a central part of the Persian Gulf's economy and culture.