Moving to Bahrain

Bahrain is a 33-island archipelago that takes an old Semitic term, Bahrain, to be its name. It means "two seas" - mythically described as sweet water springs and surrounding salty waters. Today, Bahrain has more than two seas to offer expats.

It lies close to the Arabian Peninsula and is strategically within the Persian Gulf. It is the fastest growing economy among the Arab countries and the freest according to the Wall Street Journal's Index of Economic Freedom.

In addition, the City of London's Global Financial Centres Index named Bahrain as the fastest growing financial hub in the world. Marked regional progress in the country has been noted in the financial banking and financial services sector, especially Islamic institutions, while its petroleum empire is responsible for at least 50% of export receipts, 60% of government income and 30% of the GDP. These economic achievements inevitably attract expats looking for a peaceful and productive life that Bahrain is famous for offering.

Twenty-four miles to the East of Saudi Arabia and about 28 kilometers from Qatar, the archipelago has a total land area of 691 square kilometers. Longitudinally, the country spans 49 kilometers with 83% of this area belonging to the main island, Bahrain Island.

Bahrain has a rich and colorful culture that includes the claim based on biblical reports that Bahrain is where human history began. Bahrain's long and deep friendship with the Arabs paved the way for Islam to be its most widely practiced religion.

Bahrain boasts magnificent museums and historical attractions. Expats arriving in Bahrain for the first time will be awed by the rich heritage of Bahrainis, perfectly captured in the National Museum in Manaman. The old and classic houses in Muharraq allow a peek into the nation's history, while the unique burial mounds at Sar provide a close encounter with those who have come and passed. Bahrain's modern-day jewels are the Bahrain World Trade Centre and the King Fahd Causeway.

Bahrain is another Arab country whose people are an interesting mix of natives and expats, including people from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines and Indonesia. However, Bahrainis are loyal to the Arabic culture and rarely bend to any changes brought about by outside influences. Bahraini men and women still dress conservatively. However, expats are not subject to any clothing restriction, which means anyone, expat or local, may dress as he pleases, within reason.

Another thing expats will value is Bahrain's advanced educational system that is entirely financed by the government. Those who move to Bahrain with children will find this a great advantage. The government is actually campaigning for the further development of the system by encouraging the proliferation of higher learning institutions while banking on expatriates and locals who have come to or returned to the country with advanced degrees obtained from a foreign land.

As a powerful force in the world oil industry, Bahrain is globally recognized as the first Arab country to discover an oil reservation in 1932. To institutionalize this momentous fragment of history, the Bahraini government erected the Oil Museum and filled it with photos, documents, exhibits and more that show Bahrain's development into a premiere oil-exporting country. The display pays special tribute to 'Well No. 1,' the country's first ever oil well located just underneath the Jebel Dukhan.

Expats looking for a new place to call home will find it in Bahrain where people, history, culture and modernity all combine to make life here a realization of dreams.