Bahrain is the smallest island country in the Persian Gulf by total area.
The Kingdom of Bahrain is an archipelago covering roughly 780 square kilometres, including substantial reclaimed land. Its largest island is Bahrain Island, and its capital, Manama, is located on the northern coast.
Bahrain is sometimes confused with Qatar because both are small Gulf monarchies with peninsular or island geography. Qatar is much larger and occupies a peninsula extending from Arabia. Bahrain’s island setting has shaped its maritime history, trade and strategic importance.
Bahrain became independent from the United Kingdom in 1971. It was historically known for pearling before oil transformed its economy. Today, finance, manufacturing, services and energy all contribute to national life.