The Kingdom of Bahrain is a group of 33 islands in the Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia /Middle East. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain by the 25 km-long King Fahd Causeway, whilst Qatar is to the south across the Persian Gulf. The recently approved Qatar-Bahrain Friendship Bridge (40 km in length) will connect Bahrain to Qatar as the longest fixed link in the world.

Bahrain's reputation as a relatively liberal and modern Persian Gulf state has made it a favourite with travellers in the region and an excellent introduction to the Gulf. It was once the seat of one of the great trading empires of the ancient world, and is redolent of the past.

While their neighbours staked everything on oil, the Bahrainis diversified their economy and created some of the region's best education and health systems. Years of British influence have made English widely spoken. Development has been swift, but it hasn't swallowed up everything.