The year 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Sultanate of Oman, making it the longest continually independent Arab country in modern history. The year also marks the passing of Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, who died on 10 January. He is succeeded by his cousin and the former minister of culture, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said.
Bahrain pioneered oil production in the Middle East beginning in the 1930s, establishing the region’s initial framework for the petroleum industry. Some 90 years later oil and gas operations comprise 18% of GDP, with the economy well diversified to host established financial services and industrial sectors, as well as unique tourism offerings.
Articles & Analysis | Affordable housing and high-end commercial space drive real estate expansion in Bahrain from The Report: Bahrain 2020
Real estate in Bahrain has remained resilient in the face of successive macroeconomic challenges, maintaining a positive – albeit subdued – growth trajectory in recent years even as rental and occupancy rates declined across the residential, commercial, and hospitality segments. While developers have struggled with persistent oversupply and...
Articles & Analysis | Urbanisation and youthful populations put pressure on emerging markets' housing supply from The Report: Bahrain 2020
Urbanisation is a mega-trend redefining contemporary life in both developed and emerging markets across the world. This mass rural-to-urban movement of people and expansion of cities to absorb formerly isolated villages is a relatively recent phenomenon, at least in the developing world. According to the UN, in 1950, 751m people lived in urban...
Interviews & Viewpoints | Mohammed Khalil Alsayed, CEO, Ithmaar Development Company: Interview from The Report: Bahrain 2020
How are land scarcity, rising utility costs and a bear market affecting home ownership and lifestyle expectations among the youth population?
Interviews & Viewpoints | Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, CEO, Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA): Interview from The Report: Bahrain 2020
How is real estate performing currently, and what input will the RERA have in shaping the future of the real estate market in Bahrain?