Cruises from Bahrein

Bahrain, formerly an emirate, became a kingdom in 2002, constituted as a constitutional monarchy. The State is ruled by the Āl Khalīfa royal family and the current king is Ḥamad bin ʿĪsā Āl Khalīfa, while the government is chaired by Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. It has an area of 750 km² and is inhabited, according to estimates made in 2010, by 1,214,705 inhabitants, of whom 235,108 are foreigners. Its territorial waters border those of Saudi Arabia to the west and those of Qatar to the south. The most important island is Bahrain, which together with the islands of Sitra and Muharraq forms the most important core of the archipelago. Also noteworthy are the small islands of Nabih Saleh, the prison of Jidda, Umm al-Nasan. To the south-east, moreover, extends the Hawar archipelago. Known for its oil and pearls, Bahrain is also home to many large structures, including the Bahrain World Trade Center and the Bahrain Financial Harbour, in which the Murjan Tower (1,022 m) should be built. The Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit.