Manama
Manama (Arabic: المنامة, transliterated as El-Manāmah or Manāmah) is the capital of Bahrain, located on the shores of the Persian Gulf, in the northeast of the island. It is the largest city in the country, with an estimated population of 156,872 inhabitants for 2009 (approximately one fifth of the country's population), a figure that increases to 679,467 inhabitants in its urban agglomeration.
Manama has been mentioned in Islamic chronicles since at least 1345. It was taken by the Portuguese in 1521 and later by the Persians in 1602. The Al Khalifah dynasty has ruled the country since 1783 with minor interruptions. Manama was declared a free port in 1958 and, in 1971, it became the capital of independent Bahrain.
The economic base of Manama, like that of the rest of the country, is the oil industry, also highlighting fishing and obtaining pearls. In Manama is the headquarters of the University of Bahrain, founded in 1986. Manama is served by the Bahrain International Airport on the island of Al Muharraq.
Toponymy
It is not known with certainty where the name of Manama comes from, what is known is that it was adopted after the name of the area was changed several times by the different invaders that attacked the islands, and therefore, due to its strategic occupation, also Manama.
History
The north of the main island of Bahrain, which is dominated by Manama, has had human activity for about 5,000 years, as indicated by remains around the Bahrain Fort.
The Dilmun civilization built their capital in this area and buried their dead further south in the tombs of A'ali. The islanders were troubled by a series of invaders who came here by sea, starting with the Assyrians during a period BC and ending with the Arabs. This civilization was on the island for many centuries and its name was being changed according to the new invaders that arrived.
From the beginning Manama was key in the commercial development of the island. Manama and its inhabitants first discovered Islam during the 7th century.
Manama was first mentioned by Islamic chroniclers around the year 1345. The city was conquered by Portugal in 1521, crushing small local forces, and then by the Persians in 1602. During colonial times, the < i>Fort Bahrain. Since 1783 it has been under the control of the Al-Khalifah dynasty, which is the one that rules in Bahrain.
Before World War II, more specifically in 1931, oil was discovered on the island about 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Manama, so it began to flourish rapidly. After World War II, Bahrain slowly moved towards independence, and finally in 1971 the British withdrew, leaving Manama to run its own affairs. This was the beginning of a period in which the city has grown and flourished, mainly thanks to considerable wealth accumulated through oil production and processing.
Manama was declared a free trade zone in 1958, and in 1971 it became the capital of independent Bahrain.
Education
Manama has a wide range of schools, some of the most popular and important universities and institutes are:
- Ahlia University
- AMA International University, Bahrain
- Applied Science University
- Arab Open University
- Arabian Gulf University
- Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF)
- College of Health Sciences
- Delmon University
- The Kingdom University
- New York Institute of Technology
The city also has the most prestigious university in all of Bahrain, the University of Bahrain.
Economy
Manama is the focal point of the country's economy. Although oil has declined in importance in recent years due to depleting reserves, it remains the mainstay of the country's economy, while heavy industry (eg aluminum smelting, ship repair), banking, finance, and tourism are increasingly important.
Several multinationals have built their facilities and offices in and around Manama. The economic base for Manama is financial services, with more than two hundred financial institutions and banks based in the CBD and Diplomatic Zone. There is also a large distribution in shopping malls throughout the city, while downtown Manama is dominated by small workshops and individual traders.
Tourism
Tourism in the city has increased a lot in recent years and has already become one of the most important economic activities, contributing a large part of the money generated by the economy. The city has a large number of two, three, four and five star hotels: one, four, fifteen and three respectively.
Transportation
Road network
Manama is the main hub of the country's highway network. At the moment, the city's road network is under a huge wave of development, as the Ministry of Public Works is rushing action to improve the road network in Manama, due to the fact that It is the capital and main city of the country as well as where most of the governments, commercial offices and facilities are located along with the entertainment centers.
Several plans and projects have also been established in order to improve the traffic situation in the city and remove most of the city's roundabouts and replace them with signalized traffic junctions. In addition, some of the junctions on the city's main routes are being replaced in addition to the improvement of interchanges, tunnels, bridges and flyover exits.
Traffic jams are frequent due to the rapid increase in vehicles in the city, making it difficult for authorities to deal with the traffic problem. The outline of the current road network dates back to the early 1930s, shortly after the discovery of oil. The main means of transportation in the city are private vehicles and taxis.
Buses
Manama has an extensive bus service that is much cheaper than other modes of transportation. A minimum fare of 150-200 fils allows you to travel by bus. There are bus routes to other cities like Al Muharraq and Isa Town.
Air traffic
Bahrain International Airport is located on the island of Al Muharra about 7 km (4 miles) from downtown Manama. It is one of the major airports in the Middle East. Strategically located in the north of the Persian Gulf between the main markets of Saudi Arabia and Iran, the airport has one of the widest ranges and the highest frequency of regional services in connections with the main international destinations in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Geography
The city is located in the far northeast corner of Bahrain on a small peninsula, due to this fact the city has a pleasant waterfront. As in the rest of Bahrain, the land is generally flat (or gently movable) and arid.
Climate
In Manama, as in the rest of Bahrain, there are extreme weather conditions with temperatures ranging from a maximum of 48 degrees Celsius (118 °F) in summer to a minimum of 15 degrees Celsius (59 °F) in winter with hail sometimes. The average temperatures in winter are 17 degrees Celsius (63 °F) and in summer 45 degrees Celsius (113 °F). The most pleasant season in the capital of Bahrain is autumn, when the sun is low, along with warm temperatures, moderated by a gentle breeze.
 Average climate parameters of Manama, Baréin | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Ene. | Feb. | Mar. | Open up. | May. | Jun. | Jul. | Ago. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Annual |
| Average temperature (°C) | 20.0 | 21.2 | 24.7 | 29.2 | 34.1 | 36.4 | 37.9 | 38.0 | 36.5 | 33.1 | 27.8 | 22.3 | 30.1 |
| Temp. medium (°C) | 14.1 | 14.9 | 17.8 | 21.5 | 26.0 | 28.8 | 30.4 | 30.5 | 28.6 | 25.5 | 21.2 | 16.2 | 23.0 |
| Total precipitation (mm) | 14.6 | 16.0 | 13.9 | 10.0 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 10.9 | 70.8 |
| Precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 9.9 |
| Hours of sun | 226.3 | 223.2 | 238.7 | 255.0 | 306.9 | 339.0 | 331.7 | 331.7 | 312.0 | 303.8 | 261.0 | 226.3 | 3355.6 |
| Source No. 1: Ministry of Transportation (Bahrain) | |||||||||||||
| Source No. 2: Hong Kong Observatory | |||||||||||||
Politics
Manama is the capital of Bahrain and part of Bahrain Governorate, which is one of Bahrain's five governorates. Until 2002 Manama was a part of the Al-Manama Municipality. The vote on whether councils should exist within the provinces, along with eight constituencies was voted on in the Capital Governorate in 2006.
Sports
As in the rest of the country, soccer is the most practiced sport and the city has three teams that play in the Bahrain Premier League, the highest category of professional soccer in that country. Those three teams are: Al Ahli Club, Al Najma Club and Al Shabab Club.
In addition to football, many other sports are also practiced in the city, most of them in the Al Ahli Stadium, which is a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity for approximately 10,000 people.
Culture
Manama like the rest of Bahrain is not entirely Islamic and Arab, the country that attracts a large number of foreigners, at least ⅓ of the population has a large number of different cultural traditions and currents. Alcohol is legal in the country and bars and nightclubs operate in the city, in contrast to neighboring Saudi Arabia, which prohibits alcohol in all circumstances. This for the majority of the population is seen as a sign that the country is strongly Islamic but open-minded and tolerant of others and other cultures. The traditional sports of the area together with the variety of foods that are available are also part of the culture of the city and the country.
Twin cities
Kuwait (city), Kuwait.
Doha, Qatar.
Tunisia (city), Tunisia.
Tripoli, Lebanon.
Chicago, USA.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Chiang Mai, Thailand.
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