Bahrain is a small Arab monarchy with the first post-oil economy in the Persian Gulf region. [1] Since the late 20th century, Bahrain has invested in the banking and tourism sectors. [2] Many large financial institutions have a presence in Manama, the country's capital. Bahrain has a high Human Development Index and was recognised by the World Bank as a high income economy.
This list includes notable companies with primary headquarters located in the country. The industry and sector follow the Industry Classification Benchmark taxonomy. Organizations which have ceased operations are included and noted as defunct.
| Name | Industry | Sector | Headquarters | Founded | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC Islamic Bank | Financials | Banks | Manama | 1998 | Islamic bank |
| Al Baraka Banking Group | Financials | Banks | Manama | 1978 | Investment banking |
| Al Muntazah | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Muharraq | 1984 | Supermarket chain |
| Aluminium Bahrain | Basic materials | Aluminum | Askar | 1968 | Aluminium products |
| Arab Banking Corporation | Financials | Banks | Manama | 1980 | Bank |
| Bahrain Air | Consumer services | Airlines | Muharraq | 2008 | Airline, defunct 2013 |
| Bahrain Bourse | Financials | Investment services | Manama | 1987 | Primary Bahrain stock exchange |
| Bahrain Petroleum Company | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Awali | 1929 | National oil company |
| Banagas | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Southern Governorate | 1979 | Natural gas |
| Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait | Financials | Banks | Manama | 1971 | Bank |
| Batelco | Telecommunications | Mobile telecommunications | Hamala | 1981 | Mobile and fixed |
| BMMI | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Sitra | 1883 | Retail group |
| Central Bank of Bahrain | Financials | Banks | Manama | 1973 | Central bank |
| DHL International Aviation ME | Industrials | Delivery services | Muharraq | 1979 | Cargo carrier |
| Fakhro Group | Conglomerates | - | Manama | 1888 | Automotive, industrial, technology, restaurants, shipping |
| Gulf Air | Consumer services | Airlines | Muharraq | 1950 | Flag carrier airline |
| Gulf Aviation | Consumer services | Airlines | Muharraq | 1949 | Airline, defunct 1974, now part of Gulf Air |
| Gulf Traveller | Consumer services | Airlines | Manama | 2003 | Airline, defunct 2007 |
| Investcorp | Financials | Nonequity investment instruments | Manama | 1982 | Investments |
| Ithmaar Bank | Financials | Banks | Manama | 1982 | Retail bank |
| Khaleeji Commercial Bank | Financials | Banks | Manama | 2004 | Retail bank |
| Mumtalakat Holding Company | Financials | Real estate holding & development | Manama | 2005 | Holding company |
| Nass Corporation | Industrials | Heavy construction | Manama [3] | 1963 | Construction |
| National Bank of Bahrain | Financials | Banks | Manama | 1957 | Bank |
| Shamil Bank of Bahrain | Financials | Banks | Manama | 1982 | Retail bank |
| Stc Bahrain | Telecommunications | Mobile telecommunications | Manama | 2010 | Commercial telecommunications |
| Swiftair Bahrain | Industrials | Delivery services | Manama | 2008 | Cargo airline, defunct 2012 |
| T’azur Company | Financials | Full line insurance | Manama | 2007 [4] | Islamic insurance products |
| The Benefit Company | Financials | Financial services | Manama | 1997 | Money movement |
| Western Gulf Advisory | Financials | Asset managers | Manama | 2008 | Asset management, defunct 2011 |
The economy of Jordan is classified as an emerging market economy. Jordan's GDP per capita rose by 351% in the 1970s, declined 30% in the 1980s, and rose 36% in the 1990s. After King Abdullah II's accession to the throne in 1999, liberal economic policies were introduced. Jordan's economy had been growing at an annual rate of 8% between 1999 and 2008. However, growth has slowed to 2% after the Arab Spring in 2011. The substantial increase of the population, coupled with slowed economic growth and rising public debt led to a worsening of poverty and unemployment in the country. As of 2019, Jordan has a GDP of US$44.4 billion, ranking it 89th worldwide.
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 200,000 people as of 2020. Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population. After periods of Portuguese and Persian control and invasions from the ruling dynasties of Saudi Arabia and Oman, Bahrain established itself as an independent nation in 1971 after a period of British hegemony.
The Economy of Qatar is one of the highest in the world based on GDP per capita, ranking generally among the top ten richest countries on world rankings for 2015 and 2016 data compiled by the World Bank, the United Nations, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The country's economy has grown despite sanctions by its neighbors, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Mainly because the country exports primarily to Japan, South Korea, India and China, making the sanctions effectively redundant as neither Saudi Arabia nor the United Arab Emirates have imposed trading penalties such as tariffs or embargoes on either of these countries for trading with Qatar, or offering incentives such as discounts for their own energy exports to reduce Qatari exports.
The economy of Saudi Arabia is the largest in the Middle East and the eighteenth largest in the world. A permanent and founding member of OPEC, Saudi Arabia is also a member of the G20 forum as one of the world's largest economies.
The economy of Bahrain is heavily dependent upon oil and gas. The Bahraini Dinar is the second-highest-valued currency unit in the world. Since the late 20th century, Bahrain has heavily invested in the banking and tourism sectors. The country's capital, Manama is home to many large financial structures. Bahrain's finance industry is very successful. In 2008, Bahrain was named the world's fastest growing financial center by the City of London's Global Financial Centres Index. Bahrain's banking and financial services sector, particularly Islamic banking, have benefited from the regional boom driven by demand for oil. Petroleum is Bahrain's most exported product, accounting for 60% of export receipts, 70% of government revenues, and 11% of GDP. Aluminium is the second most exported product, followed by finance and construction materials.
The Arab states of the Persian Gulf refers to a group of Arab states which border the Persian Gulf. There are seven member states of the Arab League in the region: Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Yemen is bound to the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, based on history and culture.
The economy of the Middle East is very diverse, with national economies ranging from hydrocarbon-exporting rentiers to centralized socialist economies and free-market economies. The region is best known for oil production and export, which significantly impacts the entire region through the wealth it generates and through labor utilization. In recent years, many of the countries in the region have undertaken efforts to diversify their economies.
According to the Fourth Five-Year Economic Development Plan (2005–2010), the Privatization Organization of Iran affiliated with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance is in charge of setting prices and ceding shares to the general public and on the Tehran Stock Exchange. The privatization effort is primarily backed by reformist members of the Iranian government and society who hope that privatization can bring about economic and social change.
Arcapita founded in 1997, is an asset management firm. Headquartered in Manama, Bahrain, Arcapita also operates from its offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore. The firm serves a group of investors in the Middle East region including investment firms, family offices, high net-worth individuals, and sovereign wealth funds. Arcapita completed over 100 investments in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia for a total transaction value exceeding $30 billion. The board of directors contain nine members, mainly from the Gulf Cooperation Council. Members are chairs, previous chairpersons, or current Chief Executive Officers of sovereign wealth funds, regional investment firms or global financial services firms.
Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island which makes up around 83 per cent of the country's landmass. Bahrain is situated between Qatar and the northeastern coast of Saudi Arabia, to which it is connected by the King Fahd Causeway. The current population of Bahrain is 1,870,817 as of May 14, 2023, based on elaborations of the latest United Nations data, of whom 712,362 are Bahraini nationals. Bahrain spans some 760 square kilometres (290 sq mi), and is the third-smallest nation in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore. The capital and largest city is Manama.
Gulf International Bank (GIB) was established in 1976 during the first oil boom and is incorporated in the Kingdom of Bahrain as a conventional wholesale bank. It is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain and is headquartered in Manama in Bahrain.
The Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) is a development finance institution established to by the Government of Bahrain to promote investments in the country. BDB is registered with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain as a conventional retail bank.
Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat) is the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain. It was established by Royal Decree in 2006 and is wholly owned by the Government. Mumtalakat actively sought investment opportunities locally, regionally and internationally.
