Manama

Manama is a large city in the Capital Governorate of Bahrain, spreading across a flat peninsula along the northeastern shore of the island. The city extends along the Persian Gulf coast, mixing modern towers with older neighborhoods of narrow lanes.

The settlement got its name around 1330 when Turān Shah of Hurmuz visited and named it after Arabic words meaning resting place. Later the harbor grew into a center of the pearling trade before oil and banking reshaped the economy.

The name comes from Arabic words meaning place of rest, recalling days when caravans paused here before moving on along ancient trade routes. Today that role as a crossroads lives on in the busy souks, where merchants sell spices and textiles from across the region.

Buses connect the main districts and run from a central terminal near Bab Al Bahrain, serving many routes across the city. Most sights lie along the waterfront and can be reached on foot or with short rides.

More than two hundred banks and financial institutions operate here, making the city one of the main money centers in the Gulf. This shift from pearl diving to high finance happened in less than a century.