Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait B.S.C.

 Sheraton Bahrain Hotel

 John J. Nowell and Zodiac Publishing

 Arab Banking Corporation (B.S.C)

 ABC Islamic Bank (E.C.)

 First Islamic Investment Bank E.C.

 Al-Ahi Bank

 Arados Car Hiring

 The Bahrain Petroleum Company B.S.C. (Closed)

 Abdulla Ahmed Nass Group

 Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co. (B.S.C.)

 Khazana

 Bahrain Tourism Affairs

 Le Royal Meridien

Bab el Bahrain and the souk

There is no more central shopping location in Bahrain than ‘Bab el-Bahrain,’ and it is here one finds a labyrinth of successive lanes of the souk. The souk has managed to retain its atmosphere in spite of many modern shops and malls throughout the city.

The Bab’s narrow lanes are full of merchants and merchandise with a combination of tourists and locals jostling for a special find. But there are still plenty of intriguing alleys and lanes with bewildering, but impressive, displays of goods. Each lane harbors shops of a certain specialty: brightly colored materials, gold and jewelry, spices, sandals, plastic bowls and buckets, metal pots and pans, money-changers and perfume shops; all have their corner.

Certainly one of the most popular shopping areas with visitors is the gold souk. There are dozens of gold and jewelry shops here, offering a range of ornaments, stones, designs and prices to suit every budget. Here one can still find a great deal of traditional jewelry in Bahrain, although designers are also creating more practical pieces. The stunning array of gold, which differs from shop to shop, is said to be the best priced in the region, and many of Bahrain’s neighbors come to Manama to buy gold.

Gold jewelry is priced according to its weight and number of carats. Bahrainis and Arabs prefer 22-carat gold to the American’s 14-carat.

Table of Contents

The Al Khalifa Dynasty - Ruling Bahrain Since 1783

H. H. Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister

Johnny Young, U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain

The most liberal economy in Arab world

Bahrain: The financial hub of the Middle East

About Bahrain

Arab Banking Corporation and Arab Banking Corporation Islamic Bank

A Regional Leader with an International Network

The Growing Years

ABC Islamic Bank E.C.

Islamic banks in Bahrain

First Islamic Bank expects continued growth

The Bankers’ Society of Bahrain

Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait

Al-Ahli Commercial Bank embraces the New Millennium

Bapco - Bahrain's oil industry keeping ahead of the times

Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company

ALBA - Bahrain's Aluminum Industry: Keeping Ahead of the Pack

The Abdulla Ahmed NASS Group

The Dilmun Civilization (3200 - 1600 B.C.)

Dilmun cats - a rare Bahraini breed

Pearls

The Jews of Bahrain

“Management, without creativity, is very sterile”

Le Royal Meridien Bahrain

Bab el Bahrain and the souk

Promoting the land of a thousand smiles

Dhows - Bahrain’s Heritage

Transforming Bahrain’s Sheraton Hotel