Muharraq Island
Native name: جزيرة المحرق (Arabic) | |
|---|---|
  Muharraq Location of Muharraq Island in Bahrain | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Persian Gulf |
| Coordinates | 26°15′N 50°39′E / 26.25°N 50.65°ECoordinates: 26°15′N 50°39′E / 26.25°N 50.65°E |
| Archipelago | Bahrain |
| Adjacent bodies of water | Persian Gulf |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Major islands |
|
| Area | 72.05 km2 (27.82 sq mi) |
| Length | 18 km (11.2 mi) |
| Width | 5.5 km (3.42 mi) |
| Coastline | 50 km (31 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 10 m (30 ft) |
| Highest point | Al Muharraq |
| Administration | |
| Governorate | Muharraq Governorate |
| Largest settlement | Al Muharraq (pop. 100,000) |
| Demographics | |
| Demonym | Bahraini |
| Population | 200,000 [1] (2014) |
| Pop. density | 4,057/km2 (10508/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
| ISO code | BH-14 |
| Official website | www |
Muharraq Island (Arabic: جزيرة المحرق), formerly known as Moharek,[2] is the second largest island in the archipelago of Bahrain after Bahrain Island. It lies 4 km (2.5 mi) east of the capital, Manama, on Bahrain Island.
History[]
It is named after Muharraq City, the former capital of Bahrain. The Al Khalifa dynasty settled there in the nineteenth century and resided there until 1923. The island dominated trade, fishing and especially pearls industries in Bahrain. The Pearl center was made a UNESCO world heritage site in 2012.[3] In recent years, north of Muharraq Island have a major reclamation of some artificial islands like Amwaj Islands. The south of the island, at , the new of the free zone (BIIP) was built.[4] And in the far south, new , which opened in 2009.
Demography[]
There are several towns and villages located on the Island, including:
- Al Muharraq
- Al Dair
- Arad, formerly a separate island of its own[2]
- Busaiteen
- Hidd
- Galali
- Halat Bu Maher
- Samaheej
Administration[]
The island belongs to Muharraq Governorate.
Transportation[]
The island has the 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) Bahrain International Airport (IATA: BAH, ICAO: OBBI) that follows the long east–west axis. The island has the 900 metres (3,000 ft) Muharraq Airfield (ICAO code:none) adjacent to Bahrain International Airport. There are three causeways connecting Muharraq Island with Manama on Bahrain Island:
- : From Muharraq City to Diplomatic Area
- Shaikh Isa bin Salman Causeway: From Muharraq City/Busaiteen to Diplomatic Area
- : From Hidd to Juffair
Image gallery[]
Map 1
District Map
Muharraq in the foreground; Manama on Bahrain Island in the background
Shaikh Isa bin Salman Causeway
Citations[]
- ^ World Gazetter Archived 2013-02-09 at archive.today
- ^ Jump up to: a b EB (1911).
- ^ UNESCO
- ^ [1]
Bibliography[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Muharraq Island. |
- Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878), , Encyclopædia Britannica, 3 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 240.
- Holdich, Thomas Hungerford (1911), , in Chisholm, Hugh (ed.), Encyclopædia Britannica, 3 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 212.
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