The Middle East

Horses are believed to have been part of Bahrain’s culture for as long as 4000 years, dating back to the Dilmun civilisation. This chapter examines how equestrian sports have become a popular leisure activity in the Kingdom. The chapter also includes a listing of the country’s leading hotels and resorts, as well as useful telephone numbers and facts for visitors, including information about...

With major infrastructure and industrial projects now being undertaken across the Kingdom, a flexible but robust legal framework has developed to meet challenges and efficiently minimise risks. For those advising on project financing, full recovery of the extended finances, along with the profit or interest returns, remains a primary concern. This chapter outlines the different forms of...

Bahrain has the lowest corporate and personal taxes of all the GCC states. There is no personal income tax; no tax on capital gains; no withholding tax; no restriction on repatriation of capital, profits or dividends and very few indirect taxes. This chapter outlines rules and regulations for corporate and labour taxation, and provides an analysis of the significant changes proposed for the...

The Bahraini government is working to create favourable conditions for encouraging growth in the private sector and is taking steps to shift the state’s role from provider to regulator. The promotion of the health care sector is in line with the priorities set forth in Economic Vision 2030. Accordingly, the state has undertaken and made plans for a number of initiatives to expand and upgrade the...

As a central pillar of the reforms outlined in Economic Vision 2030, the Bahraini government’s long-term development plan, education plays a key role in the economy. Indeed, having recognised the importance of human capital development, the government has taken significant steps in recent years to improve its public schools and higher education institutions. These include reform efforts at the...

After a difficult year in 2011, the return of the Formula 1 (F1) Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in late April 2012 signalled a possible turning point for the country’s tourism sector – a sign that, perhaps, things are now on a path towards renewed growth after what has been, by all accounts, a difficult year. However, not all of the Kingdom’s tourism segments were affected, nor have the fundamental...