The Middle East

The Kingdom’s insurance industry has traditionally been strong, regularly posting double-digit year-on-year growth, mirroring the expansion of the wider financial sector. The global financial crisis and recent political unrest, however, have presented the industry with a number of challenges in recent years. For example, the unrest made the implementation of the planned new mandatory health law...

A history of clear regulation and prudent oversight has served the Islamic financial services sector well in the challenging years since the onset of the global economic downturn. It also accounts for the sense of optimism within the sector, despite the challenges that are facing the broader global finance industry. In 2011 the opening of the Bahrain Financial Exchange added new depth to the...

With new regulations, the continued implementation of development strategies and the historic opening of the nation’s second exchange holding the interest of market participants, Bahrain’s capital markets have been receiving significant attention from investors. However, a number of challenges have presented themselves. The European debt crisis, local and regional unrest, and the lingering...

Famously one of the most diverse in the region, the Bahraini banking sector is composed of local, regional and international firms that have flourished in a liberal but well-regarded regulatory environment. The past year has been a challenging one for the industry, particularly given the unrest in the early months, yet most licensed lenders in Bahrain entered 2012 on the back of robust financial...

Financial services, industrial manufacturing and a business-friendly environment have traditionally differentiated the island Kingdom from other GCC states. Lacking the hydrocarbons of its neighbours, Bahrain has spent years diversifying its economy to meet future challenges. This made it one of the first GCC states to move its economy beyond a traditional reliance on hydrocarbons exports, and...

This chapter includes information about Bahrain’s history, economy, government, financial services sector (including Islamic financial services), population, climate, natural resources, language and culture. It also includes a viewpoint with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Abdul Latif bin Rashed Al Zayani, Secretary-General of the GCC. This section also includes an interview with Princess...