Geography of Bahrain
The Kingdom of Bahrain consists of Bahrain Island and 33 of the 37 Bahrain Islands, lying in the Persian Gulf's Gulf of Bahrain off the north shore of West Asia's Arabian Peninsula. Bahrain's capital city is Manama. The islands are about 24 kilometers (15 mi) off the east coast of Saudi Arabia and 28 kilometers (17 mi) from Qatar. The total area of the country is about 694 square kilometers (268 sq mi), about four times the size of the District of Columbia. Bahrain underwent considerable land reclamation since the 20th century, adding at least 80 square kilometres to the country's land area.
Bahrain Island accounts for about 78% of the kingdom's land area, comprising 604 square kilometers (233 sq mi). It is 48 kilometers (30 mi) long from north to south and at its widest point stretches 16 kilometers (10 mi) from east to west. The island is surrounded by several of West Asia's large petroleum fields and commands a strategic position amid the Persian Gulf's shipping lanes.