Manama

Manama

Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain. It is located at the northeastern tip of the island of Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf. About one fifth of the country's population lives in the city. It was first mentioned in Islamic chronicles around 1345 AD, before being occupied by the Portuguese and Persians. It has been ruled by the Āl Khalīfah dynasty since 1783, with brief interruption. Manama has long been an important commercial center of the northern Persian Gulf, and its economy has traditionally been based on pearling, fishing, shipbuilding and import trade. Port facilities were poor and ocean-going vessels had to anchor in the open roadside seaport. The discovery of oil in Bahrain in 1932 revolutionized the city's economy and appearance. Manama has developed as a commercial, financial and trading center, it is home to several banks. Manama was declared a free port in 1958, and in 1962 the deep-water port facilities of Mīnāʾ Salmān were opened in the sheltered bay of Al-Qulayʿah Inlet. With storage and refrigeration facilities, as well as facilities for the berthing and repair of large ocean-going vessels, it is now one of the most important ports in the Persian Gulf.