View source for Manama

{{short description|Capital and largest city of Bahrain}}
{{About|the capital of Bahrain|the city in Ajman|Manama, Ajman|the similarly named song|Mah Nà Mah Nà}}
{{distinguish|Manana (disambiguation){{!}}Manana|Managua}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Manama
| native_name        = الْمَنَامَة
| native_name_lang   = ar
| settlement_type    = [[Capital city]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image | border = infobox | | perrow = 1/2/2 | total_width = 300 | align = center
| image1 = Manama,_Bahrain_Decembre_2014.jpg
| caption1 = [[List of tallest structures in Bahrain|Skyline of Manama]]
| image2 = Manama al-Fateh Grand Mosque Exterior Norden 3.jpg
| caption2 = [[Al Fateh Grand Mosque]]
| image3 = Bahrain_National_Museum_Exterior.jpg
| caption3 = [[Bahrain National Museum]]
| image4 = Avenues_coastline,_Bahrain.jpg
| caption4 = [[The Avenues, Bahrain|The Avenues]]
| image5 = BAQP_001.tif
| caption5 = [[Beit Al Quran]]
}}
| image_size         = 275px
| nickname           = 
| image_flag         = 
| image_caption      = '''Clockwise from top''': Skyline of Manama; Bahrain National Museum;Beit Al Quran; The Avenues Mall; Al Fateh Grand Mosque
| image_seal         = 
| pushpin_map        = Bahrain#Asia
| pushpin_relief = yes
| mapsize            = 
| map_caption        = Location of Manama in Bahrain
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Bahrain}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Governorates of Bahrain|Governorate]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Capital Governorate (Bahrain)|Capital]]
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 1345 or earlier
| leader_title       = Governor (King)
| leader_name        = Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 30
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| postal_code_type   = [[Block number (Bahrain)|Block number]]
| postal_code        = 3XX–4XX
| population_est     = 297,502
| pop_est_as_of      = 2024
| population_density_km2 = 5,200
| population_urban   = 727,000
| population_urban_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |title=Manama Population 1950-2024 |url=https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/20109/manama/population |website=Macrotrends |access-date=8 December 2024}}</ref>
| timezone           = GMT+3
| timezone_DST       = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|26|13|24|N|50|35|15|E|region:BH|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_m        = 
| website            = {{URL|capital.gov.bh}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Manama''' ({{langx|ar|الْمَنَامَة}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|el-Menâme}}'', <small>[[Bahrani Arabic|Bahrani]] pronunciation:</small> {{IPA|ar|elmɐˈnɑːmɐ|}}) is the capital and [[List of cities in Bahrain|largest city]] of [[Bahrain]], with an approximate population of 297,502 as of 2012. Long an important trading center in the [[Persian Gulf]], Manama is home to a diverse population. After periods of [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] and [[Persia]]n control and a short invasion from the ruling dynasty of [[House of Saud|Saudi Arabia]], followed by a longer invasion by Oman, Bahrain established itself as an [[sovereign state|independent nation]] in 1971 following a period of British hegemony.

Although the current twin cities of Manama and [[Muharraq]] appear to have been founded simultaneously in the 1800s,{{sfn|Ben Hamouche|2008|p=185}} Muharraq took prominence due to its defensive location and was thus the capital of Bahrain until 1923. Manama became the mercantile capital and was the gateway to the main [[Bahrain Island]].{{sfn|Ben Hamouche|2008|p=186}} In the 20th century, Bahrain's oil wealth helped spur fast growth and in the 1990s a concerted [[diversification (marketing strategy)|diversification]] effort led to expansion in other industries and helped transform Manama into an important financial hub in the [[Middle East]]. Manama was designated as the 2012 [[Arab Capital of Culture|capital of Arab culture]] by the [[Arab League]], and a [[Global city|beta global city]] by the [[Globalization and World Cities Research Network]] in 2018.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120207135843/http://www.manamaculture2012.bh/en/ Manama Capital of Arab Culture 2012]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.moc.gov.bh/en/MinistryNews/News/January2012/Name,6222,en.html |title=Ministry of Culture: Manama as the Bahraini Capital of Arab Culture |access-date=9 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911220834/http://www.moc.gov.bh/en/MinistryNews/News/January2012/Name%2C6222%2Cen.html |archive-date=11 September 2014 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

==Etymology==
The name "Manāmah" (without the Al-) was first recorded around the year 730 AH (approximately 1330 AD) during the visit of Turān Shah of [[Strait of Hormuz|Hurmuz]] to the island. At that time, it had already been annexed by his predecessor, Tahamtam II of Hurmuz.<ref name="Tajer2">{{cite book |last=Al-Tajer |first=Mahdi Abdulla |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BNs9AAAAIAAJ&q=bahrain+village+persian+name&pg=PA134 |title=Language & Linguistic Origins In Bahrain |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=1982 |isbn=9780710300249 |pages=134, 135}}</ref>{{rp||page=23}}

The name is claimed by some to be derived from the [[Arabic]] word الْمَنَامَة (''el-Menâme'') meaning "the place of rest" or "the place of dreams".{{sfn|Room|1997|p=223}}

Originally it was called simply "Manamah" before being renamed to Al-Manamah. In [[Persian language|Persian]], "man" (من) means "me," and "nameh" ([[:fa:نامه|نامه]]) means "letter," similar to the structure of words like "''[[Shahnameh|Shah Nameh]]''" (Book of Kings).

Bahrain’s historical connection with Persian culture, particularly through the Sassanian and [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid]] Empires,<ref name="iranians_bhuae">{{Cite book |last=McCoy |first=Eric |url=https://repository.arizona.edu/bitstream/handle/10150/193398/azu_etd_10189_sip1_m.pdf |title=Iranians in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates: Migration, Minorities, and Identities in the Persian Gulf Arab States |publisher=The University of Arizona |year=2008 |isbn=9780549935070 |pages= |language=en |oclc=659750775 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805072620/https://repository.arizona.edu/bitstream/handle/10150/193398/azu_etd_10189_sip1_m.pdf |archive-date=2024-08-05 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{rp||pages=|page=72}} has influenced many place names and cultural elements in the region,<ref name="Tajer2"/><ref name="achomi_fam">{{Cite web |last=ADMIN |date=2016-07-19 |title=Persian (Larestani/Khodmooni) Sunnis – A shaping force in Bahrain |url=https://sonsofsunnah.com/2016/07/19/sunni-larestanikhodmooni-persians-a-shaping-force-in-bahrain/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240625195510/https://sonsofsunnah.com/2016/07/19/sunni-larestanikhodmooni-persians-a-shaping-force-in-bahrain/ |archive-date=2024-06-25 |access-date=2024-09-07 |language=en}}</ref> supporting the possibility of Persian linguistic roots. Additionally, cities like [[Shakhura|Shah Khorah]] (شاه خورا) in Bahrain reflect this Persian influence.

==History==

===Pre-modern history===
There is evidence of human settlement on the northern coastline of Bahrain dating back to the [[Bronze Age]]. The [[Dilmun]] civilisation inhabited the area in 3000&nbsp;BC, serving as a key regional trading hub between [[Mesopotamia]], [[Majan (civilization)|Magan]] and the [[Indus Valley Civilisation]].{{sfn|Al-Nabi|2012|p=17}}{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=243}} Approximately 100,000 [[Dilmun burial mounds]] were found across the north and central regions of the country, some originating 5,000 years ago. Despite the discovery of the mounds, there is no significant evidence to suggest heavy urbanisation took place during the [[Dilmun]] era.{{sfn|Ben Hamouche|2008|p=184}} It is believed that the majority of the population lived in rural areas, numbering several thousand. Evidence of an ancient large rural population was confirmed by one of [[Alexander the Great]]'s ship captains, during voyages in the [[Persian Gulf]]. A vast system of [[aqueduct (water supply)|aqueduct]]s in northern Bahrain helped facilitate ancient horticulture and agriculture.{{sfn|Al-Nabi|2012|p=19}} 
{{quote box
| halign   = left
| border   = 2px
| bgcolor   = #c6dbf8
|align  = left
| width  = 30%
|quote     = <poem><span style="font-size:2em; font-family:'Times New Roman',serif; font-weight:bold;"></span>"The capital of [[Awal]]... is a town well populated whose environs are fertile and produce corn and dates in abundance."<span style="font-size:2em; font-family:'Times New Roman',serif; font-weight:bold;"></span></poem>
{{pad|1.6em}}—[[Al-Idrisi]]{{sfn|Al-Nabi|2012|p=19}} 
}}
[[File:Khamis Mosque 1956.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Khamis Mosque]] in 1956]]

The commercial network of Dilmun lasted for almost 2,000 years, after which the [[Assyria]]ns took control of the island in 700&nbsp;BC for more than a century. This was followed by [[Babylonia]]n and [[Achaemenid]] rule, which later gave way to Greek influence during the time of [[Wars of Alexander the Great|Alexander the Great's conquests]].{{sfn|Rice|2005|p=128}} In the first century AD, the Roman writer [[Pliny the Elder]] wrote of [[Tylos]], the Hellenic name of Bahrain in the [[classical era]], and its [[pearl]]s and cotton fields.{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=243}} The island came under the control of the [[Parthian Empire|Parthian]] and [[Sassanid]] empires respectively, by which time [[Nestorian Christianity]] started to spread in Bahrain. By 410–420&nbsp;AD, a Nestorian [[Episcopal see|bishopric]] and [[monastery]] was established in [[Al Dair]], on the neighbouring island of [[Muharraq]].{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=243}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Al A'ali|first=Mohammed|title=Protecting Bahrain's Christian heritage...|url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=359780|access-date=31 August 2013|newspaper=[[Gulf Daily News]]|date=24 August 2013|archive-date=25 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825003322/http://gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=359780|url-status=dead}}</ref> Following the conversion of Bahrain to [[Islam]] in 628&nbsp;AD, work on one of the earliest mosques in the region, the [[Khamis Mosque]], began as early as the seventh century AD. During this time, Bahrain was engaged in long distance marine trading, evident from the discovery of [[Ancient Chinese coinage|Chinese coins]] dating between 600 and 1200&nbsp;AD, in Manama.{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=243}}

[[File:Bahrain Fort overview.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Qal'at al-Bahrain|Portuguese Fort]], built by the [[Portuguese Empire]] while it ruled Bahrain from 1521 to 1602]]
In 1330, under the [[Jarwanid dynasty]], the island became a tributary of the [[Kingdom of Hormuz]]. The town of Manama was mentioned by name for the first time in a manuscript dating to 1345&nbsp;AD.{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=243}} Bahrain, particularly Manama and the nearby settlement of [[Bilad Al Qadeem]], became a centre of [[Shia]] scholarship and training for the [[ulema]], it would remain so for centuries. The ulema would help fund [[pearl hunting|pearling]] expeditions and finance grain production in the rural areas surrounding the city. In 1521, Bahrain fell to the expanding [[Portuguese Empire]] in the Persian Gulf, having already defeated Hormuz.{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=244}} The Portuguese consolidated their hold on the island by constructing the [[Bahrain Fort]], on the outskirts of Manama.{{sfn|Larsen|1983|p=68}} After numerous revolts and an expanding [[Safavid empire]] in Persia, the Portuguese were expelled from Bahrain and the Safavids took control in 1602.{{sfn|Larsen|1983|p=68}}

===Early modern history===

The Safavids, sidelining Manama, designated the nearby town of [[Bilad Al Qadeem]] as the provincial capital.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=18}}  The town was also the seat of the Persian governor and the [[Shaikh al-Islam]] of the islands. The position of Shaikh al-Islam lay under the jurisdiction of the central Safavid government and as such, candidates were carefully vetted by the [[Isfahan]] courts. During the Safavid era, the islands continued to be a centre for [[Twelver Shi'ism]] scholarship, producing clerics for use in mainland Persia.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=18}}  Additionally, the rich agricultural northern region of Bahrain continued to flourish due to an abundance of [[date palm]] farms and orchards. The Portuguese traveler [[Pedro Teixeira]] commented on the extensive cultivation of crops like [[barley]] and wheat. The opening of Persian markets to Bahraini exports, especially [[pearl]]s, boosted the islands' export economy. The yearly income of exported Bahraini pearls was 600,000 [[ducat]]s, collected by around 2,000 pearling [[dhow]]s.{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=244}} Another factor that contributed to Bahrain's agricultural wealth was the migration of [[Shia]] cultivators from [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]]-occupied [[Qatif]] and [[Al-Ahsa Oasis|al-Hasa]], fearing religious persecution, in 1537.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=18}} Sometime after 1736, [[Nader Shah]] constructed a fort on the southern outskirts of Manama (likely the Diwan Fort).{{sfn|Fuccaro|2005|p=42}}

Persian control over the Persian Gulf waned during the later half of the 18th century. At this time, Bahrain archipelago was a dependency of the emirate of [[Bushehr]], itself a part of [[Persia]]. In 1783, the [[Bani Utbah]] tribal confederation [[1783 Bani Utbah invasion of Bahrain|invaded]] Bahrain and expelled the resident governor [[Nasr Al-Madhkur]]. As a result, the [[Al Khalifa]] family became the rulers of the country, and all political relations with [[Bushehr]] and [[Persia]]/[[Iran]] were terminated.  [[Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Khalifa]] (later called Ahmed al-Fateh, lit. "Ahmed the conqueror") become the dynasty's first [[Hakim of Bahrain]]. Political instability in the 19th century had disastrous effects on Manama's economy; Invasions by the Omanis in 1800 and by the [[Emirate of Diriyah|Wahhabi]]s in 1810–11, in addition to a civil war in 1842 between Bahrain's co-rulers saw the town being a major battleground. The instability paralysed commercial trade in Manama; the town's port was closed, most merchants fled abroad to [[Kuwait]] and the Persian coast until hostilities ceased.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2005|p=43}} The English scholar [[William Gifford Palgrave]], on a visit to Manama in 1862, described the town as having a few ruined stone buildings, with a landscape dominated with the huts of poor fishermen and pearl-divers.{{sfn|Palgrave|1866}}{{sfn|Fuccaro|2005|p=43}}

[[File:British political agency in Manama.png|right|thumb|The British political agency, {{c.|1900|lk=no}}]]

The [[Pax Britannica]] of the 19th century resulted in British consolidation of trade routes, particularly those close to the [[British Raj]]. In response to piracy in the Persian Gulf region, the British deployed warships and forced much of the Persian Gulf States at the time (including Bahrain) to sign the [[General Maritime Treaty of 1820]], which prohibited piracy and slavery.{{sfn|Dumper|Stanley|2007|p=244}} In 1861, the [[Perpetual Truce of Peace and Friendship]] was signed between Britain and Bahrain, which placed the British in charge of defending Bahrain in exchange for British control over Bahraini foreign affairs. With the ascension of [[Isa ibn Ali Al Khalifa]] as the Hakim of Bahrain in 1869, Manama became the centre of British activity in the Persian Gulf, though its interests were initially strictly commercial.{{sfn|Ben Hamouche|2008|p=192}} Trading recovered fully by 1873 and the country's earnings from pearl exports increased by sevenfold between 1873 and 1900.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2005|p=44}} Representing the British were native agents, usually from minorities such as [[Persians in Bahrain|Persians]] or [[Huwala]] who regularly reported back to British India and the [[Persian Gulf Residency|British political residency]] in [[Bushehr]].{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=64}} The position of native agent was later replaced by a British political agent, following the construction of the British political residency (locally referred to in {{langx|ar|بيت الدولة}}) in 1900, which further solidified Britain's position in Manama.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=64}}
{{wide image|Bahrainharbor.jpg|700px|align-cap=center|Manama harbour, {{c.|1870|lk=no}} }}

===Modern history===
[[File:Aerial view of Manama, 1936.png|thumb|Aerial view of Manama in 1936]]
Following the outbreak of [[World War I]] in 1914, the [[British Raj]] used Manama as a military base of operations during the [[Mesopotamian campaign]].{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=113}} Prompted by the presence of oil in the region, the British political agency in [[Bushire]] concluded an oil agreement with the Hakim to prohibit the exploration and exploitation of oil for a five-year period. In 1919, Bahrain was officially integrated into the [[British Empire]] as an overseas imperial territory following the Bahrain [[order-in-council]] decree, issued in 1913.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=113}} The decree gave the resident political agent greater powers and placed Bahrain under the [[residency of Bushire]] and therefore under the governance of the British Raj. The British pressured a series of [[Bahrain administrative reforms of the 1920s|administrative reforms in Bahrain during the 1920s]] (a move met with opposition from tribal leaders), during which the aging Hakim [[Isa ibn Ali Al Khalifa]] was forced to abdicate in favour of his reform-minded son [[Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa (1872–1942)|Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa]]. A municipal government was established in Manama in 1919, the Customs office was reorganised in 1923 and placed under the supervision of an English businessman, the pearling industry was later reformed in 1924. Earnings from the customs office would be kept in the newly created [[Treasury|state treasury]]. [[Civil law (common law)|Civil courts]] were established for the first time in 1923, followed by the establishment of the Department of Land Registration in 1924.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=114}} [[Charles Belgrave]], from the [[Colonial office]], was appointed in 1926 by the British to carry on further reforms and manage administration as a financial advisor to the King. He later organised the State Police and was in charge of the Finance and Land departments of the government.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=115}}

{{multiple image
| width1            = 220
| width2            = 180
| align             = left
| footer            = The newly formed Manama municipality (left) and the reorganised customs office of Manama (right)
| image1            = Manama municipality.png
| image2            = Manama customs office and sea port.jpg
}}

In 1927, the country's pearling economy collapsed due to the introduction of Japanese cultured pearls in the world market. It is estimated that between 1929 and 1931, pearling entrepreneurs lost more than two-thirds of their income. Further aggravated by the [[Great Depression]], many leading Bahraini businessmen, shopkeepers, and pearl-divers fell into debt.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=127-128}} With the [[First Oil Well, Bahrain|discovery of oil]] in 1932 and the subsequent production of oil exports in 1934, the country gained a greater significance in geopolitics. The security of oil supplies in the Middle East was a priority of the British, especially in the run-up to the Second World War.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=119}} The discovery of oil led to gradual employment of bankrupt divers from the pearling industry in the 1930s, eventually causing the pearling industry to disappear.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=163}} During the war, the country served as a strategic airbase between Britain and India as well as hosting [[RAF Muharraq]] and a [[HMS Jufair|naval base]] in [[Juffair]].{{sfn|Ben Hamouche|2008|p=201}} Bahrain was [[Bombing of Bahrain in World War II|bombed]] by the [[Regia Aeronautica|Italian Air Force]] in 1940. In 1947, following the end of the war and subsequent Indian independence, the British residency of the Persian Gulf moved to Manama from [[Bushire]].{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=119}}
{{wide image|Manama View 1945.jpg|700px|align-cap=center|Manama in 1945}}
[[File:View of Manama from the South, 1953.png|thumb|Aerial View of Manama, 1953]]
Following the rise of [[Arab nationalism]] across the Middle East and sparked by the [[Suez Crisis]] in 1956, anti-British unrest broke out in Manama, organised by the [[National Union Committee]]. Though the NUC advocated peaceful demonstrations, buildings and enterprises belonging to Europeans (the British in particular) as well as the main [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] church in the city and petrol stations, were targeted and set ablaze.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=185-186}} Demonstrations held in front of the British political residency called for the dismissal of Charles Belgrave, who was later dismissed by the direct intervention of the [[Foreign Office]] the following year.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=116}} A subsequent crackdown on the NUC led to the dissolution of the body. Another [[March Intifada|anti-British uprising]] erupted in March 1965, though predominately led by students aspiring for independence rather than by Arab nationalists.{{efn|These student protests were led by intellectuals and poets such as [[Qassim Haddad]].{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=227}} }} In 1968, the British announced their withdrawal from Bahrain by 1971.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=226}} The newly independent [[State of Bahrain]] designated Manama as the capital city.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=227}}
[[File:Manama Souq 1965.JPG|thumb|[[Manama Souq]] in 1965]]
Post-independence Manama was characterised by the rapid urbanisation of the city and the swallowing-up of neighboring villages and hamlets into a single urbanised area, incorporating new neighbourhoods such as [[Adliya]] and [[Salmaniya]]. The construction boom attracted large numbers of foreigners from the [[Indian subcontinent]] and by 1981, foreigners outnumbered Bahrainis two-to-one.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=229}} The construction of the [[Diplomatic Area]] district in the city's northeast helped facilitate diversification of the country's economy from oil by exploiting the lucrative financial industry. Financial institutions in the district numbered 187 by 1986. The scarcity of land suitable for construction led to [[land reclamation]].{{sfn|Ben Hamouche|2008|p=206}} Religious activism migrated from Manama to the suburban districts of [[Bani Jamra]], [[Diraz]] and [[Bilad Al Qadeem]], hotspots of unrest in the [[1990s uprising in Bahrain|1990s uprising]] that called for the reinstatement of an elected parliament.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=230}} In 2001, the [[National Action Charter of Bahrain|National Action Charter]], presented by King [[Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa]] was approved by Bahrainis. The charter led to the first [[Bahraini general election, 2002|parliamentary]] and municipal elections in decades.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=230}} Further elections in 2006 and 2010 led to the election of Islamist parties, [[Al Wefaq]], [[Al-Menbar Islamic Society|Al Menbar]], and [[Al Asalah]], as well as independent candidates.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2009|p=230}} In 2011, a [[Bahraini uprising (2011–present)|month-long uprising]] led to the intervention of [[Peninsula Shield Force|GCC forces]] and the proclamation of a three-month [[state of emergency]]. The [[Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry]] published a 500-page report on the events of 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry|url=http://www.bici.org.bh/|access-date=14 September 2013}}</ref>

== Government ==
{{See also|Governorates of Bahrain|Politics of Bahrain}}
[[File:Manama1926-EN.svg|thumb|300px|Manama in 1926]]
Historically, Manama has been restricted to what is now known as the [[Manama Souq]] and the Manama Fort (now the Ministry of Interior) to its south. However the city has now grown to include a number of newer suburban developments as well as older neighboring villages that have been engulfed by the growth of the city. The districts that make up Manama today include:
{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|
* Old Manama which include the following areas: 
** [[Manama Souq]]
** [[Fareej el-Fadhel]]
** [[Fareej el-Hammam]]
** [[Fareej el-Hatab]]
** [[Fareej el-Makharqa]]
** [[Fareej Mushbir]]
* [[Awadhiya]]
* [[Adliya]]
* [[Bu Ashira]]
* [[Bu Ghazal]]
* [[Diplomatic Area]]
* [[Ghuraifa]]
* [[Gudaibiya]]
* [[Gufool]]
* [[Hoora]]
* [[Juffair]]
* [[Mahooz]]
* [[Noaim]]
* [[Ras Rumman]]
* [[Seef]]
* [[Seqaya]]
* [[Sulmaniya]]
* [[Umm Al Hassam]]
* [[Zinj, Bahrain|Zinj]]
}}
{{Neighborhoods of Manama}}
Manama is part of the [[Capital Governorate (Bahrain)|Capital Governorate]], one of five [[Governorates of Bahrain]].  Until 2002 it was part of the municipality of Al-Manamah. Councils exist within the governorates; eight constituencies are voted upon within Capital Governorate in 2006.<ref name="bahrainnewsagency">{{cite web |author=Development Team at BNA |url=http://english.bna.bh/?action=elections |title=Bahrain News Agency&nbsp;– ELECTION 2006 (retrieved 2 December 2006) |access-date=28 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100703052640/http://english.bna.bh/?action=elections |archive-date=3 July 2010 }}</ref>

== Economy ==
{{Main|Economy of Bahrain}}
[[File:Manama Fog.jpg|thumb|left|Central Manama]]
[[File:BAHRAIN FINANCIAL HARBOUR.jpg|thumb|The [[Bahrain Financial Harbour]] in Manama.]]
Manama is the focal point of the Bahraini economy. While petroleum has decreased in importance in recent years due to depleting reserves and growth in other industries, it is still the mainstay of the economy. [[Heavy industry]] (e.g. aluminium [[smelting]], ship repair), banking and finance, and tourism are among the industries which have experienced recent growth. Several multinationals have facilities and offices in and around Manama.<ref name="cia">[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/bahrain/ CIA World Factbook&nbsp;– Bahrain (retrieved 2 December 2006)]</ref> The primary industry in Manama itself is financial services, with over two hundred financial institutions and banks based in the [[Central Business District, Manama|CBD]] and the [[Diplomatic Area]]. Manama is a financial hub for the Persian Gulf region and a center of [[Islamic banking]].  There is also a large retail sector in the shopping malls around [[Seef]], while the center of Manama is dominated by small workshops and traders.

Manama's economy in the early 20th century relied heavily on [[Pearl hunting|pearling]]; in 1907, the pearling industry was estimated to include 917 boats providing employment for up to 18,000 people. [[Shipbuilding]] also employed several hundred in both Manama and [[Muharraq]]. The estimated income earned from pearling in 1926 and subsequent years prior to the [[Great Depression]] was £1.5&nbsp;million annually. [[Custom duties]] and [[tariff]]s served as the prime source of revenue for the government. With the onset of the Great Depression, the collapse of the pearling industry and the [[First Oil Well, Bahrain|discovery of oil]] in 1932, the country's economy began to shift towards oil.{{sfn|Al-Nabi|2012|p=20}}

Historically, the ports at Manama were of poor reputation. The British described the ports importing systems as being "very bad – goods were exposed to the weather and there were long delays in delivery", in 1911. Indians began maintaining the ports and new resources were built on site, improving the situation. As of 1920, Manama was one of the main exporters of [[Bahrain Pearling Trail|Bahrain pearls]], attracting [[steamship]]s from India. During this time, they also imported goods from India and from other regional countries. They imported rice, textiles, [[ghee]], coffee, dates, tea, tobacco, fuel, and livestock. They exported less of a variety, with a focus on pearls, [[oyster]]s, and [[sailcloth]]. For the year of 1911–12, Manama was visited by 52 steamships, the majority being British and the rest Turkish-Arabian.<ref name=Prothero73>{{cite book|last=Prothero|first=G.W.|title=Arabia|year=1920|publisher=H.M. Stationery Office|location=London|page=73|url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11767/view/1/73/}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of Bahrain}}
{{Historical populations
|align=right
|1860s|8000|1904|25000|1941|27835|1950|39648|1959|61726|1965|79098|1971|88785|1981|121986|2010|329510
|footnote = Source:{{sfn|Ben Hamouche|2008|p=202}} [http://www.census2010.gov.bh/results_en.php Bahrain Census 2010]
}}

The role of Manama as a regional port city in the Persian Gulf made it a hub for migrant workers in search of a better living. As a result, Manama has often been described, both in the pre-oil and post-oil era, as a [[cosmopolitanism|cosmopolitan]] city.{{sfn|Ben Hamouche|2008|p=191}} In 1904, it was estimated that Manama's population numbered 25,000, out of which half were believed to have been foreigners from [[Basra]], [[Najd]], [[Al-Ahsa Oasis|al-Hasa]] and [[Iran]], as well as from India and Europe.{{sfn|Fuccaro|2005|p=44}}

===Religion===

The two main branches of [[Islam]], [[Shia Islam]] and [[Sunni Islam]], coexisted in Manama for centuries and are represented by distinct ethnic groups. The Shia community is represented by the native Arab [[Baharna]], the [[Al-Ahsa Oasis|Hasawis]] and [[Qatif]]is of mainland Arabia and the Persian [[Persians in Bahrain|Ajam]].{{sfn|Ben Hamouche|2008|p=191}} The Sunni community is represented by Arab [[Bedouin]] tribes who migrated in the eighteenth century along with the [[Bani Utbah]] and the [[Huwala]].

== Transport ==
{{Main|Transport in Bahrain}}

=== Road network ===
[[File:Manama (40513813472).jpg|thumb|left|Aerial view of Manama City]]
[[File:Avenues night.jpg|thumb|Manama night view]]
[[File:BBD birds eye view.jpg|thumb|Bahrain Bay overview]]
[[File:Manama, Bahrain Decembre 2014.jpg|thumb|Skyline of Manama]]

Manama is the main hub of the country's road network. At the moment the city's road network is undergoing substantial development to ameliorate the situation of traffic in the city.  Due to the fact that it is the capital and the main city in the country, where most of the government and the commercial offices and facilities are established, along with the entertainment centers, and the country's fast growth, vehicle population is increasing rapidly.

The widening of roads in the old districts of Manama and the development of a national network linking the capital to other settlements commenced as early as the arrival of the first car in 1914.<ref name=Yasser>{{cite book|last=Elsheshtawy|first=Yasser|title=The evolving Arab city: tradition, modernity and urban development|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1134128211|page=198|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O8Zz-2AtuIwC&pg=PA198 |year=2011}}</ref> The continuous increase in the number of cars from 395 in 1944,<ref name=Yasser/> to 3,379 in 1954 and to 18,372 cars in 1970<ref name=Yasser/> caused [[urban development]] to primarily focus on expanding the road network, widening [[carriageway]]s and the establishment of more parking spaces.<ref name=Yasser/> Many tracks previously laid in the pre-oil era (prior to the 1930s) were resurfaced and widened, turning them into 'road arteries'. Initial widening of the roads started in the [[Manama Souq]] district, widening its main roads by demolishing encroaching houses.<ref name=Yasser/>

A series of [[ring roads]] were constructed (Isa al Kabeer avenue in the 1930s, Exhibition avenue in the 1960s and Al Fateh highway in the 1980s<ref name=Yasser/>), to push back the [[coastline]] and extend the city area in belt-like forms.<ref name=Yasser/> To the north, the foreshore used to be around ''Government Avenue'' in the 1920s but it shifted to a new road, ''King Faisal Road'', in the early 1930s which became the coastal road.<ref name=Yasser/> To the east, a bridge connected Manama to Muharraq since 1929, a new causeway was built in 1941 which replaced the old wooden bridge.<ref name=Yasser/> Transits between the two islands peaked after the construction of the [[Bahrain International Airport]] in 1932.<ref name=Yasser/>

To the south of Manama, roads connected groves, lagoons and marshes of [[Hoora]], [[Adliya]], [[Gudaibiya]] and [[Juffair]].<ref name=Yasser/> Villages such as [[Mahooz]], [[Ghuraifa]], [[Seqaya]] served as the end of these roads. To the west, a major highway was built that linked Manama to the isolated village port of [[Budaiya]],<ref name=Yasser/> this highway crossed through the '[[green belt]]' villages of [[Sanabis]], [[Jidhafs]] and [[Duraz]].<ref name=Yasser/> To the south, a road was built that connected Manama to [[Riffa]]. The discovery of oil accelerated the growth of the city's road network.<ref name=Yasser/>

[[File:Muharraq and Manama.jpg|thumb|left|Muharraq]]

The four main islands and all the towns and villages are linked by well-constructed roads. There were {{convert|3164|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} of roadways in 2002, of which {{convert|2433|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} were paved. A [[causeway]] stretching over {{convert|2.8|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}, connect Manama with [[Muharraq Island]], and another bridge joins [[Sitra]] to the main island. A four-lane highway atop a {{convert|24|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} [[causeway]], linking [[Bahrain]] with the [[Saudi Arabia]]n mainland via the island of [[Umm an-Nasan]] was completed in December 1986, and financed by [[Saudi Arabia]]. In 2000, there were 172,684 passenger vehicles and 41,820 commercial vehicles.

Bahrain's port of [[Mina Salman]] can accommodate 16 oceangoing vessels drawing up to {{convert|11|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}. In 2001, Bahrain had a merchant fleet of eight ships of 1,000 [[Gross Tonnage|GT]] or over, totaling 270,784 GT. Private vehicles and taxis are the primary means of transportation in the city.

=== Buses ===
[[File:BahrainInternationalAirport01.jpeg|thumb|Bahrain International Airport]]
Manama has a bus service that launched on 1 April 2015, with a fleet of 141 [[MAN Truck & Bus|MAN buses]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Al Omari|first1=Ahmed|title=Clean, comfortable and punctual...|url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=396005|access-date=27 May 2015|agency=Gulf Daily News|date=16 February 2015}}</ref> Regulated by the [[Ministry of Transportation (Bahrain)|Ministry of Transportation]], bus routes extend across Bahrain and around Manama.

=== Air transport ===
[[Bahrain International Airport]] is located on the nearby [[Muharraq Island]], approximately {{convert|7|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} from the [[Central Business District, Manama|CBD]]. It is a premier hub airport in the Middle East. Strategically located in the Northern [[Persian Gulf]] between the major markets of [[Saudi Arabia]] and [[Iran]], the airport has one of the widest range and highest frequency of regional services with connections to major international destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.
Bahrain also has a military airbase, the [[Isa Air Base]], located in the south at [[Sakhir]]. This is the base of the Bahrain Defence Force, or BDF.

== Education ==
{{Main|Education in Bahrain}}
{{See also|List of schools in Bahrain}}

[[File:Applied Science University, Bahrain.jpeg|thumb|The clock tower of the Applied Science University building]]

Quranic schools were the only source of education in Bahrain prior to the 20th century; such schools were primarily dedicated to the study of the [[Qur'an]].<ref name=MoE>{{cite web|title=History |url=http://www.moe.gov.bh/en/history/Index.aspx |publisher=Ministry of Education – Bahrain |access-date=20 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118203321/http://www.moe.gov.bh/en/history/Index.aspx |archive-date=18 January 2013 }}</ref> The first modern school to open in the country was a [[missionary]] elementary school set up in 1892 (according to one account) in Manama by the [[Reformed Church in America]], with the school's syllabus comprising English, Mathematics and the study of Christianity. Leading merchants in the country sent their children to the school until it was closed down in 1933 due to financial difficulties.{{sfn|Shirawi|1987|p=59}} The school reopened some years later under the name of [[Al Raja School]] where it operates till the present day. In addition to the American Mission School, another foreign private school was opened in 1910; Al-Ittihad school, funded by the [[Persians in Bahrain|Persian community of Bahrain]].{{sfn|Shirawi|1987|p=60}}

Following the end of the [[First World War]], [[Western culture|Western ideas]] became more widespread in the country, culminating in the opening of the first [[state school|public school]] of Bahrain, Al-Hidaya Al-Khalifia Boys school, in the island of [[Muharraq]] in 1919.<ref name=MoE/> The school was founded by prominent citizens of Muharraq and was endorsed by the [[Al Khalifa|Bahraini royal family]]. The country's first Education Committee was established by several leading Bahraini merchants, headed by Shaikh Abdulla bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the son of the then-ruler of Bahrain [[Isa ibn Ali Al Khalifa]], who acted as the de facto [[Minister of Education]]. The Education Committee was also responsible for managing the Al-Hidaya Boys school.<ref name=MoE/> The school was, in fact, the brainchild of Shaikh Abdulla, who suggested the idea after returning from post-World War I celebrations in England.{{sfn|Shirawi|1987|p=61}}

In 1926, a second public school for boys opened up in Manama called the Jafaria School. Two years later, in 1928, the first public school for girls was established. Due to financial constraints suffered by the Education Committee, the Bahraini government took control of the schools in 1930.<ref name=MoE/>

Presently, Manama has a wide range of private and public universities and colleges such as [[Ahlia University]], [[Applied Science University (Bahrain)|Applied Science University]], [[Arab Open University]], [[Arabian Gulf University]], [[Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance]], and the [[College of Health and Sport Sciences]]. Other notable primary and secondary schools situated in the city include the [[Bahrain School]], the [[Indian School, Bahrain|Indian School]], [[Al Raja School]] amongst others.

== Geography ==
{{Main|Geography of Bahrain}}

The city is located in the north-eastern corner of [[Bahrain]] on a small peninsula. As in the rest of Bahrain, the land is generally flat (or gently rolling) and [[arid]].

{{wide image|Manama Skyline.jpg|1200px|align-cap=center|A panoramic view of the skyline of Manama from left to right:1. The [[List of twin structures in the world|twin towers]] of the [[Bahrain World Trade Center|Bahrain WTC]].<br/>2. The [[List of twin structures in the world|twin towers]] of the [[Bahrain Financial Harbour|Bahrain Financial Harbor (BFH)]].<br/>3. The [[National Bank of Bahrain|NBB]] tower (short building next to BFH).<br/>4. The [[Almoayyed Tower]] (tallest in the photo, center of image).<br/>5. The [[Abraj Al Lulu]] residential project (three towers) under-construction on the far-right).}}

=== Climate ===
{{Main|Climate of Bahrain}}

Manama has an [[arid climate]]. In common with the rest of [[Bahrain]], Manama experiences extreme climatic conditions, with summer temperatures up to {{convert|45|C|F|0}}, and winter as low as {{convert|7|C|F|0}} with even [[hail]] on rare occasions. Average temperatures of the summer and winter seasons are generally from about 17&nbsp;°C (63&nbsp;°F) to about 34&nbsp;°C (93&nbsp;°F). The most pleasant time in Bahrain is spring when sunshine is comparatively low, coupled with mild temperatures moderated by soft breezes.

{{Weather box
|location = Manama ([[Bahrain International Airport]]) 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1902–present
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 29.7
|Feb record high C = 34.7
|Mar record high C = 38.1
|Apr record high C = 41.3
|May record high C = 46.7
|Jun record high C = 47.3
|Jul record high C = 47.5
|Aug record high C = 45.6
|Sep record high C = 45.5
|Oct record high C = 42.8
|Nov record high C = 37.2
|Dec record high C = 30.6
|year record high C = 47.5
|Jan high C = 20.7
|Feb high C = 22.0
|Mar high C = 25.5
|Apr high C = 30.6
|May high C = 36.1
|Jun high C = 38.6
|Jul high C = 39.7
|Aug high C = 39.6
|Sep high C = 37.7
|Oct high C = 34.0
|Nov high C = 28.0
|Dec high C = 22.9
|year high C = 
|Jan mean C = 17.5
|Feb mean C = 18.4
|Mar mean C = 21.3
|Apr mean C = 26.0
|May mean C = 31.1
|Jun mean C = 34.0
|Jul mean C = 35.1
|Aug mean C = 35.1
|Sep mean C = 33.2
|Oct mean C = 29.9
|Nov mean C = 24.6
|Dec mean C = 19.7
|year mean C = 
|Jan low C = 14.5
|Feb low C = 15.4
|Mar low C = 18.1
|Apr low C = 22.4
|May low C = 27.2
|Jun low C = 30.0
|Jul low C = 31.4
|Aug low C = 31.5
|Sep low C = 29.5
|Oct low C = 26.4
|Nov low C = 21.6
|Dec low C = 16.8
|year low C = 
|Jan record low C = 2.7
|Feb record low C = 7.9
|Mar record low C = 10.9
|Apr record low C = 10.8
|May record low C = 18.7
|Jun record low C = 18.4
|Jul record low C = 25.3
|Aug record low C = 21.8
|Sep record low C = 18.9
|Oct record low C = 18.8
|Nov record low C = 11.7
|Dec record low C = 6.4
|year record low C = 2.7
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 18.1
|Feb precipitation mm = 13.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 14.7
|Apr precipitation mm = 7.5
|May precipitation mm = 8.0
|Jun precipitation mm = 0.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 0.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 0.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 0.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 0.9
|Nov precipitation mm = 16.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 15.2
|year precipitation mm = 
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 2.5
|Feb precipitation days = 1.9
|Mar precipitation days = 2.5
|Apr precipitation days = 1.3
|May precipitation days = 0.3
|Jun precipitation days = 0.0
|Jul precipitation days = 0.0
|Aug precipitation days = 0.0
|Sep precipitation days = 0.0
|Oct precipitation days = 0.2
|Nov precipitation days = 1.6
|Dec precipitation days = 2.3
|year precipitation days = 
 | Jan humidity = 69.1
 | Feb humidity = 67.2
 | Mar humidity = 61.5
 | Apr humidity = 54.4
 | May humidity = 47.6
 | Jun humidity = 46.2
 | Jul humidity = 50.7
 | Aug humidity = 58.0
 | Sep humidity = 59.2
 | Oct humidity = 62.3
 | Nov humidity = 63.6
 | Dec humidity = 68.7
 | year humidity = 59.0
 | Jan dew point C = 11.5
 | Feb dew point C = 11.8
 | Mar dew point C = 13.1
 | Apr dew point C = 15.4
 | May dew point C = 17.8
 | Jun dew point C = 19.9
 | Jul dew point C = 22.5
 | Aug dew point C = 25.0
 | Sep dew point C = 23.7
 | Oct dew point C = 21.5
 | Nov dew point C = 17.0
 | Dec dew point C = 13.7
 | year dew point C = 17.7
|Jan sun = 232
|Feb sun = 221
|Mar sun = 245
|Apr sun = 256
|May sun = 316
|Jun sun = 344
|Jul sun = 337
|Aug sun = 334
|Sep sun = 316
|Oct sun = 306
|Nov sun = 249
|Dec sun = 235
|year sun = 
|source 1 = NOAA,<ref name = NOAA >
{{cite web
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Bahrain/CSV/BahrainInternationalAirport_41150.csv
| title = Bahrain International Airport Climate Normals 1991–2020
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = 10 October 2023}}</ref> Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)<ref name = meteoclimat>
{{cite web 
| url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1500
| title = Station Bahrain
| publisher = Météo Climat 
|language = fr 
| access-date = 14 October 2016}}</ref>
}}

== Culture ==
[[File:BabAlBahrain1.jpg|thumb|300px|Bab Al Bahrain]]
The country attracts a large number of foreigners and foreign influences, with about half of the population hailing from abroad.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Manama {{!}} Bahrain, Population, & Map {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Manama |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Alcohol is legal in the country, with bars and nightclubs operating in the city. Bahrain gave women the right to vote in elections for the first time in 2002. [[Association football|Football]] is the most popular sport in Manama (and the rest of the country), with three teams from Manama participating in the [[Bahraini Premier League]].

Notable cultural sites within Manama include the [[Bab Al Bahrain]] and the adjacent [[souq]] area. In the 2010s, the historic core of Manama underwent revitalisation efforts alongside the [[Manama souq]], which were due to be completed in 2020.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Report: Bahrain 2012 |date=2012 |publisher=Oxford Business Group |isbn=978-1-907065-58-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bZlnZ4j_fJYC&q=manama+culture+revitalisation&pg=PA178 |access-date=11 March 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Manama Souq revamp will be finished by mid-2020 |url=https://www.timeoutbahrain.com/news/428537-manama-souq-revamp-will-be-finished-by-mid-2020 |access-date=11 March 2020 |work=Time Out Bahrain }}</ref> The [[Manama souq|central areas]] of Manama are also the main location for [[Muharram in Bahrain|Muharram processions in the country]], attracting hundreds of thousands of people annually from Bahrain and across the Gulf.

==Notable people==
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a person to this list if they already have their own article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦---> 
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦--->
{{colbegin}}
*[[Khalid Abdul Rahim]] (born 1962), business magnate and construction tycoon
*[[Mahdi Abduljabbar]] (born 1991), footballer 
*[[Muhammad Abdul Ghaffar Abdulla]] (born 1949), diplomat 
*[[Hasan Abdulnabi]] (born 1989), tennis player 
*[[Ayad Al Adhamy]] (born 1985), American multi-instrumentalist, producer
*[[Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo]], merchant and trader 
*[[Khalid Ahmed Mohamed]] (born 1976), sport shooter 
*[[Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed]] (born 1975), politician and Minister for Oil and Gas
*[[Sayed Shubbar Alawi]] (born 1985), footballer 
*[[Mohammed Tayeb Al Alawi]] (born 1989), footballer
*[[Salah Ali (Bahraini politician)|Salah Ali]] (born), politician
*[[Thuraya AlArrayed]] (born 1948), Saudi poet and writer 
*[[Adel Al Asoomi]] (born 1969), businessman and politician
*[[Zainab Al Askari]] (born 1974), actress and screenwriter
*[[Kamil Al-Aswad]] (born 1994), footballer
*[[Ali Assadalla]] (born 1993), Qatari footballer 
*[[Khalid Baba]] (born 1996), swimmer
*[[Hussain Ali Baba]] (born 1982), footballer
*[[Ali Bahar]] (1960-2011), musician 
*[[Ibrahim Bahar]] (1956-2019), actor 
*[[Ahmed Al-Bahar]], politician 
*[[Taqi Baharna]] (born 1930), poet, diplomat and businessman
*[[Abdul Rahman Al Bakir]] (1917-1971), activist and independence leader
*[[Sayed Baqer]] (born 1994), footballer
*[[Ebrahim Bashmi]] (born 1947), politician, novelist, journalist
*[[Ahmed Behzad (Bahrain)|Ahmed Behzad]], politician 
*[[Faisal Buressli]] (born 1961), former basketball player and current coach
*[[Sabrin Burshid]] (1985-2019), actress and broadcaster
*[[Gayan de Silva (Bahraini cricketer)|Gayan de Silva]] (born 1988), cricketer
*[[Ahmed Al Derazi]] (born 1990), basketballer
*[[Cyriaco Dias]] (born 1937), Indian actor and playwright
*[[Mohamed Duaij Mahorfi]] (born 1981), footballer
*[[Kenny Ejim]] (1994-2022), Canadian basketballer
*[[Karim Fakhrawi]] (c.1962-2011), publisher
*[[Hamad Al Fardan]] (born 1987), racing driver
*[[Tareq Al-Farsani]] (born 1972), bodybuilder
*[[Jacqueline Fernandez]] (born 1985), Sri Lankan actress and model
*[[Naeema al-Gasseer]], nurse and midwife 
*[[Parween Habib]] (born 1969), journalist and poet 
*[[Habib Haroon]] (born 2000), footballer 
*[[Alawi al-Hashimi]] (born 1948), poet and academic
*[[Mohammed Hadi Al Halwaji]], poet and politician
*[[Abd al-Hussein al-Hilli]] (1883-1956), Iraqi Ja’afari jurist and poet
*[[Rashed Al-Hooti]] (born 1989), footballer
*[[Mahdi Al-Humaidan]]  (born 1993), footballer
*[[Mohamed Husain]] (born 1980), footballer
*[[Sami Al-Husaini]] (born 1989), footballer
*[[Ahmed Juma]] (born 1999), footballer 
*[[Ali Al Jallawi]] (born 1975), poet, researcher
*[[Ahmed Salman Kamal]] (1930-2017), politician, journalist, writer, and broadcaster
*[[Hassan Salman Kamal]] (born 1942), poet and broadcaster
*[[Saud Kanoo]] (born 1959), businessman and politician 
*[[Abdul Latif Jassim Kanoo]] (born 1935), structural engineer and writer
*[[Saud Kanoo]] (born 1959), politician
*[[Hussain Karimi]] (born 1983), racing drive
*[[Abdurahman Khadr]] (born 1982), Guantanamo detainee
*[[Ahmed Al Khalifa]] (1929-2004), poet 
*[[Meriam bint Abdullah Al Khalifa]] (born 1980), member of the Bahraini Royal House of Al-Khalifa
*[[Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa]] (born 1960), diplomat and former foreign affairs Minister
*[[Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa]] (born 1952), member of the Bahraini royal family
*[[Abdullah bin Isa Al Khalifa]] (1883-1966), politician and judge 
*[[Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa]] (born 1965) diplomat and prince of the Kingdom of Bahrai
*[[Abdullah bin Mohammad bin Rashed Al Khalifa]] (born 1960), diplomat 
*[[Mubarak bin Rashid Al Khater]] (1935-2001), historian and writer 
*[[Ebrahim Al-Khattal]] (born 2000), footballer
*[[Jasim Khelaif]] (born 1998), footballer
*[[Ebrahim Lutfalla]] (born 1992), footballer
*[[Phoebe Licence]] (born 1999), English footballer
*[[James Love (rugby union, born 1987)|James Love]] (born 1987), English rugby union player 
*[[Khalid Al Maskati]] (born 1959), businessman and politician 
*[[Ahmed Merza]] (born 1991), footballer 
*[[Mamta Mohandas]] (born 1984), Indian actress and film producer 
*[[Aqeel al-Mosawi]] (born 1966), novelist, photographer and endodontist
*[[Abdullah Al Muharraqi]] (born 1939), artist
*[[Isa Ali Abdullah al Murbati]] (born 1965), Guantanamo detainee
*[[Fahad Al Musalam]] (born 1974), racing driver
*[[Dhiyaa Al-Musawi]] (born 1970), politician and former cleric
*[[Ahmed Nabeel]] (born 1995), footballer 
*[[Abdulla Majid Al Naimi]] (born 1982), Guantanamo detainee
*[[Houda Nonoo]] (born 1964), diplomat
*[[Rachel Peters]] (born 1991), Filipino model and beauty pageant titleholder
*[[Yusuf Qaed]] (born 1994), tennis player 
*[[Khalifah Hassan Qassim]] (1940-2005), poet, journalist, and naval officer 
*[[Abdul Rahman Rafi]] (1936-2015), poet
*[[Mohamed Al-Romaihi]] (born 1990), footballer 
*[[Abdulwahab Al-Safi]] (born 1984), footballer
*[[Amin Saleh]] (born 1950), author, scriptwriter, poet
*[[Mamdouh Abbas Al Saleh]] (born 1973), art director and politician
*[[Ahmed Al-Salloum]],  politician and businessman 
*[[Hashim Sayed Isa]] (born 1998), footballer
*[[Mohamed Ali Al-Shaaban]] (born 1986), television personality and surgeon
*[[Mohammed Shahid (MMA)|Mohammed Shahid]] (born 1989), businessman and mixed martial artist
*[[Jasim Al-Shaikh]] (born 1996), footballer 
*[[Karim Ebrahim Al-Shakar]] (born 1945), diplomat 
*[[Abdulla Shallal]] (born 1993), footballer
*[[Abdul Hakim Al-Shammari]] (born 1965), businessman and politician 
*[[Hamad Al-Shamsan]] (born 1997), footballer 
*[[Ali Al Shargawi]] (born 1948), poet, lyricist and playwright
*[[Ibrahim Sharif]] (born 1957), opposition political activist 
*[[Sadiq Al Shehabi]] (1944–2017), politician 
*[[Cecile Sinclair]] (born 1987), British-Dutch model 
*[[Fawziyya al-Sindi]] (born 1957), poet and activist
*[[Vikramjit Singh Rooprai]] (born 1983), Indian author and educator
*[[Ghanem Al Sulaiti]] (born 1956),  Qatari playwright and actor
*[[Ahmed Al-Taan]] (1835-1898), cleric and jurist
*[[Bassam Al-Thawadi]] (born 1960), filmmaker and film director 
*[[Hala Al Turk]] (born 2002), actress and singer 
*[[Frank Turner]] (born 1981), English punk and folk singer-songwriter
*[[Manasy Veetinal]], Indian actress
*[[Abdulla Yaser]] (born 1988), footballer
*[[Afnan Al Zayani]], chef
{{colend}}

== Twin towns and sister cities ==
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|
*[[Kuwait City]], Kuwait
*[[Doha]], Qatar
*[[Tunis]], [[Tunisia]] (1999)
*[[Tripoli, Lebanon]] (1977)
*[[Chicago]], United States (2004)
*[[Dubai]], United Arab Emirates
*[[Chiang Mai]], Thailand
*[[Amman]], Jordan
*[[Ta'if]], Saudi Arabia
*[[Singapore]]
|}

== See also ==
* [[Outline of Bahrain]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist|25em}}

=== Bibliography ===

==== Primary sources ====
*{{cite book|last=Palgrave|first=William Gifford|author-link=William Gifford Palgrave|year=1866|title=Narrative of a Year's Journey through Central and Eastern Arabia (1862–1863)|volume=II|publisher=Macmillan & Co.|location=London}}

==== Secondary sources ====
*{{cite book|last=Al-Nabi|first=Mohammed Noor|title=The History of Land Use and Development in Bahrain|year=2012|publisher=[[Information Affairs Authority]]|isbn=9789995801298|url=http://www.housing.gov.bh/en/PublicationsLibrary/6681%20book%20resized.pdf|access-date=16 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001195649/http://www.housing.gov.bh/en/PublicationsLibrary/6681%20book%20resized.pdf|archive-date=1 October 2018|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite book|last=Ben Hamouche|first=Mustapha|title=Manama: The Metamorphosis of an Arab Gulf City|year=2008|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781134128211|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O8Zz-2AtuIwC}}
*{{cite book|last1=Dumper|first1=Michael|title=Cities of the Middle East and North Africa: A Historical Encyclopedia|year=2007|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781576079195|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/28301049/Cities-Middle-East-Africa |first2=Bruce E. |last2=Stanley}}
*{{cite book|last=Fuccaro|first=Nelida|title=Mapping the transnational community: Persians and the space of the city in Bahrain, c. 1869–1937|year=2005|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9780415331357}}
*{{cite book|last=Fuccaro|first=Nelida|title=Histories of City and State in the Persian Gulf: Manama Since 1800|year=2009|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521514354}}
*{{cite book|last=Larsen|first=Curtis E.|title=Life and Land Use on the Bahrain Islands: The Geoarchaeology of an Ancient Society|year=1983|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=9780226469065|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q65mRSPPU6UC}}
*{{cite book|last=Rice|first=Michael|title=Traces of Paradise: The Archaeology of Bahrain, 2500 BC to 300 AD|year=2005|publisher=I.B. Tauris|isbn=9781860647420|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y6KeP3v79MQC&pg=PA128 }}
*{{cite book|last=Room|first=Adrian|title=Placenames of the world: origins and meanings of the names for over 5000 natural features, countries, capitals, territories, cities and historic sights|year=1997|publisher=McFarland|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|isbn=9780786418145|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PzIer-wYbnQC&pg=PA223}}
*{{cite book|last=Shirawi|first=May Al-Arrayed|title=Education in Bahrain—1919–1986 An Analytical Study of Problems and Progress|url=http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/6662/1/6662_3966.PDF?UkUDh:CyT|year=1987|publisher=Durham University}}

== External links ==
{{Commons}}
{{wikivoyage|Manama}}
*{{Official website|http://www.capital.gov.bh}} {{in lang|ar}}

{{Governorates of Bahrain}}
{{Cities of Bahrain}}
{{List of Asian capitals by region}}
{{Capitals of Arab countries}}
{{Arab Capital of Culture}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Manama| ]]
[[Category:Capitals in Asia]]
[[Category:Former municipalities (regions) of Bahrain]]
[[Category:Former British colonies]]
[[Category:European colonisation in Asia]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Bahrain]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Capital Governorate, Bahrain]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the Persian Gulf]]