Geography & environment — Bahrain
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Bahrain: Middle East
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Middle East
- Geographic Coordinates
26 00 N, 50 33 E
- Total Area
293 Square Miles 760 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
293 Square Miles 760 Square Kilometers
- Coastline
100 Miles 161 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
Mostly low desert plain rising gently to a low central escarpment
- Highest Point
122 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
- Lowest Point Location
Persian Gulf 0 m
- Natural Resources
Oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
- Irrigated Land
15 Square Miles 40 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Bahrain, with a desert climate, is one of the world's hottest areas. Its hottest and most humid weather is from June through September with temperatures over 110°F most days. The weather is pleasant from November through May (55°-85°F) with infrequent rainfall. The combination of poor soil drainage and few storm sewers can result in muddy city streets and puddles. A narrow strip of land along the northern and northwestern coasts of Bahrain Island is cultivated with date palms, alfalfa, and vegetables. These garden areas are rapidly disappearing due to depleted water resources and development. A desert, punctuated by a north-south plateau, extends south of the cultivated area. Surrounding this plateau is a rolling basin surrounded by overhanging bluffs sloping into the sea. The ground is hard and infertile with a gravel surface until the spring when a pale, soft green covering appears in the desert following the winter rains. It provides a welcome contrast to the summer's aridity. The highest point in Bahrain is the Jebel Dukhan, 134 meters above sea level. The majority of Bahrain's oil wells are in this area. The Arabian Gulf has an average depth of only 35 meters but is much shallower in the vicinity of Bahrain.
- Terrain
Mostly low desert plain rising gently to a low central escarpment
- Location
The Middle East, an archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
- Total Area
293 Square Miles 760 Square Kilometers
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
- Desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms
- coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations
- lack of freshwater resources, groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs
- Environment - International Agreements
- Party To: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed,
- but not ratified: none of the selected agreements