Bahrain, with its relatively small land area, is one of the countries with the highest proportion of reclaimed land-area in the world, with land area estimated to have increased from 650 km² to 731km² between 1987 and 2013.
One of the most eye-catching additions to Bahrain’s land area has been several clusters of artificial islands, often formed into convoluted shapes to maximize the net gains in coastline.
The Amwaj project, which commenced in 2002, was the first major project for constructing artificial islands. It added 2.8 million m² of land to Bahrain’s land mass and an extra 9.5km of additional coastline. A three kilometre connected Amwaj islands to the island of Muharraq. The Amwaj project gave rise to hundreds of new homes – initially 1,350 beachfront residences.
Amwaj represents the first such project in Bahrain, the first to offer 100% freehold land ownership to expatriates residents and represents a large increase in highly-demanded waterfront properties.
The success of Amwaj has given rise to a number of extensions to the original project and a number of entirely new artificial island housing projects and initiatives.
Diyar al-Muharraq is set to be Bahrain’s largest reclamation project to date, with the 12 km² developmentenvisaged to cater for 130,000 residents, making the eventual finished result equivalent to the size of Manama.
The ongoing Durrat al-Bahrain project is best appreciated from the skies, with its spectacular land design attracting global attention. This is another luxury development featuring hotels, golf courses and top of the range apartments. The 21 km² of additional land area consists of 14 islands and will include around 1,000 new homes.
With Bahrain seeking to generate future revenues from tourism, these attractive new coastal areas – complete with leisure facilities, hotels and restaurants – will play a large part in helping make Bahrain the destination of choice for millions of tourists around the world; providing jobs, income and diverse business opportunities.
Bahrain is a popular destination of choice for expatriate residents and with its own rapidly-growing population, Bahrain will continue to require innovative solutions to its housing challenges.
First for Bahrain
- Bahrain’s first mosque
- First artificial islands
- Female president of UN General Assembly
- First nation to host Gulf Cup
- First mention in historical record
- First modern schools
- First causeway
- First oil well in the region
- First media outlets
- Bahrain’s first lady
- Women in medicine
- International Airshow
- First referendum
- First Grand Prix