Isa Town is a middle class suburb in Bahrain

Bahrain

' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...

 in the north central part of the country. The name Isa refers to Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifah

Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifah

Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, GCB, GCMG was the monarch or emir of Bahrain from 1961 until his death. Born in the town of Jasra, he became emir upon the death of his father, Salman ibn Hamad. On May 8, 1949, he married his only wife, Shaikha Hessa bint Salman Al Khalifa .Isa's reign saw Bahrain gain...

, the ruler of Bahrain from 1961 to 1999.

Isa Town largely comprises affluent newly constructed villas, and is home to many members of Bahrain's educated middle classes. In 2002's election it was one of the few areas of Bahrain not to be entirely represented by an Islamist or right wing MP, with Abdnabi Salman of the formerly communist Democratic Bloc

Democratic Bloc

Democratic Bloc was a political alliance and an electoral bloc in Ukraine founded during the election campaign to participate in the parliamentary election held during March 4-18, 1990.-History:...

 winning the seat. In 2006's election

Elections in Bahrain

The National Assembly is bicameral with the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, having 40 members elected in single-seat constituencies for a four year term. The upper house, the Shura Council, has 40 members appointed by the King of Bahrain, with the stated aim of giving a voice to minority...

, ex-Harvard academic, Dr Munira Fakhro

Munira Fakhro

Munira Fakhro, is a Bahraini academic and was a candidate in Bahrain's 2006 general election for the opposition Waad.Dr Fakhro is Associate Professor at the University of Bahrain, having received her Doctorate in Social Policy, Planning and Administration from Columbia University where she has...

 of Waad

National Democratic Action

The National Democratic Action Society - Wa'ad is Bahrain's largest leftist political party. It emerged out of the Popular Front, a radical clandestine opposition movement of Maoist, socialist and Arab nationalist orientation...

 lost in controversial circumstances to Sunni Islamist Dr Salah Ali of Al-Menbar Islamic Society

Al-Menbar Islamic Society

Al Menbar National Islamic Society is the political wing of the Al Eslah Society in Bahrain, associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. A Sunni Islamist party, it is well organised through a network of mosques and seek to promote a conservative social agenda while not directly challenging the...

.

Isa Town is famous for the traditional marketplace. Isa Town also houses most of the private schools in Bahrain, with the Indian School

Indian School, Bahrain

The Indian School, is a CBSE affiliated school located in Bahrain. It is one of the largest expatriate schools in the Persian Gulf region, with a strength of around 9000 students across two campuses...

, The New Indian School, Pakistan Urdu School

Pakistan Urdu School, Bahrain

Pakistan Urdu School is a private institution functioning in Isa Town, Bahrain. The school was founded in 1956 by a panel of Bahraini and Pakistani trustees who agreed to establish it as an alternative English medium school for the Pakistani community in Bahrain...

, Sacred Heart School

Sacred Heart School (Bahrain)

The Sacred Heart School is located in the educational city of Isa Town, the Kingdom of Bahrain.The school was established in 1953 & till date is one of the finest schools in the kingdom, offering a high quality British education at a very reasonable pricing....

, Ibn Khuldoon National School

Ibn Khuldoon National School

The Ibn Khuldoon National School is a school in Isa Town, Bahrain. The school is private, coeducational, non-profit, self-supporting, and bilingual.-Background:...

, Pakistan School, the Bahrain Bayan School, the Naseem International School and the St. Christopher's School

St. Christopher's School, Bahrain

St. Christopher's School is a private school located in Isa Town, Bahrain and Saar, Bahrain , offering British curriculum education. It offers primary to secondary education ranging from reception to Sixth form. Students sit GCSE and A-level examinations...

, all concentrated into a small zone which also includes the Isa Town campus of the University of Bahrain

University of Bahrain

The University of Bahrain , a public university in the Kingdom of Bahrain, is the largest university in Bahrain. In post-nominals the University of Bahrain is typically abbreviated as UoB....

. The National Driving School and the Directorate of Road Traffic have their headquarters in Isa Town. Other offices include the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Information, which includes the Bahrain Radio & TV broadcasting station, in Isa Town. Besides the market, the main landmark is the Bahrain National Stadium

Bahrain National Stadium

The Bahrain National Stadium is the national stadium of Bahrain, located in East Riffa. It can accommodate 35,000 people and is used mostly for football matches. It was built in 1982. Various aspects of the stadium will be renovated, such as the seats and roof.-External links:**...

. The new Bahrain Polytechnic

Bahrain Polytechnic

Bahrain Polytechnic is a government-owned tertiary education institute located in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It has been established by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa; King of Bahrain by Royal Decree in July 2008. It is conisdered a key initiative for the Education and Training Development Committee; a...

 has also opened on the site of the old Bahrain University.

Saudi singer, Rashed Al-Majed

Rashed Al-Majed

Rashed Abdul-Rahman Al-Majed is a Saudi Arabian singer, musician, and record producer.Al Majed's single Mashkalni Hubbak hit #5 on the Saudi music charts in 2002.-External links:*...

, the Bahraini guitarist Khalid Al-Thawadi and the Brothers Band drummer, Wajeeh Hassan live in Madinat Isa.

It was one of the twelve municipalities of Bahrain after being split off of the municipality of al Mintaqah al Wusta in 1988, and is now part of the Central Governorate

Central Governorate

The Central Governorate is one of the five governorates of Bahrain. It includes parts of the former municipalities of Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Madinat 'Isa, Sitrah and A'ali....

.