Sitra
Encyclopedia
Sitra is an island
in the Central Governorate
of Bahrain
, just east of Bahrain Island
in Persian Gulf
. It lies south of Manama
and Nabih Saleh
. The island's western coast forms the boundary of Tubli Bay
.
Most of the inhabitants of the island live in seven historic villages: Wadyan, Kharijiya, Marguban, Qurayya, Mahazza, Sufala, and Abul Aish. The population is almost entirely Shia Baharna
.
The island used to be covered in date palm
groves
and farms, watered by several freshwater springs, and the island's economy used to be based on agriculture and fishing. Mangrove
s used to line the western coast, however they have almost disappeared due to development.
The northern section of the island has been turned into an industrial area. Bapco
oil storage reservoirs are located in the south. Sitra is also the terminus of the 42-km Dhahran-Sitra natural gas
pipeline
, which connects it to Dahran in Saudi Arabia
.
Several car and furniture showrooms also make up the new development on the island.
The Sitra Causeway connects the north of the island to Nabih Saleh
and to Umm al Hussam (Manama
) on Bahrain Island
. A small bridge on the south west of the Sitra also joins Bahrain Island, near the villages of Ma'ameer
and Eker.
The Sitra Club is a cultural and sports club for the island.
Also, Sitra is the site of many school campuses such as Al Noor International School
and Indian School, Bahrain
.
, Eker and Nuwaidrat
.
The area covered by Sitra Municipality handles Bahrain's entire petroleum production. It is also the export centre for the oil fields in northeastern Saudi Arabia
.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in 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....
of 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...
, just east of Bahrain Island
Bahrain Island
Bahrain Island is the largest island within the archipelago of Bahrain, and forms the bulk of the country's land mass while hosting the majority of its population. Around most of the Island of Bahrain is a relatively shallow inlet of the Persian Gulf known as the Gulf of Bahrain...
in Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. It lies south of Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
and Nabih Saleh
Nabih Saleh
Nabih Saleh is an island of Bahrain in Persian Gulf. It lies in the Tubli Bay, east of Bahrain Island. It is connected to Bahrain Island and Sitra through the Sitra Causeway....
. The island's western coast forms the boundary of Tubli Bay
Tubli Bay
Tubli Bay is a bay in the east of Bahrain, between Bahrain Island and Sitra island. The body of water is directly south of the Manama peninsula. The island of Nabih Saleh lies in the bay....
.
Most of the inhabitants of the island live in seven historic villages: Wadyan, Kharijiya, Marguban, Qurayya, Mahazza, Sufala, and Abul Aish. The population is almost entirely Shia Baharna
Baharna
The Bahrani are the indigenous Shi'a inhabitants of the archipelago of Bahrain and the oasis of Qatif on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia . The term is sometimes also extended to the Shi'a inhabitants of the al-Hasa oasis. They are all Arabic speaking, and some claim descent from Arab tribes...
.
The island used to be covered in date palm
Date Palm
The date palm is a palm in the genus Phoenix, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, it probably originated from lands around the Persian Gulf. It is a medium-sized plant, 15–25 m tall, growing singly or forming a clump with...
groves
Groves
-Places:* Groves, Texas, a city in Texas in the United States* The Groves, an area of York, England* See :Category:Sacred groves for various places considered sacred groves* Pleasant Groves, Alabama, a town in Alabama in the United States...
and farms, watered by several freshwater springs, and the island's economy used to be based on agriculture and fishing. Mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
s used to line the western coast, however they have almost disappeared due to development.
The northern section of the island has been turned into an industrial area. Bapco
Bapco Bahrain
Bahrain Petroleum Company , wholly owned by the government of Bahrain, is a fully integrated oil company. Its activities include oil and gas exploration and production, refining, storage and distribution of petroleum products and natural gas, and sales and exports of crude oil and refined...
oil storage reservoirs are located in the south. Sitra is also the terminus of the 42-km Dhahran-Sitra natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
pipeline
Pipeline transport
Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
, which connects it to Dahran in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
Several car and furniture showrooms also make up the new development on the island.
The Sitra Causeway connects the north of the island to Nabih Saleh
Nabih Saleh
Nabih Saleh is an island of Bahrain in Persian Gulf. It lies in the Tubli Bay, east of Bahrain Island. It is connected to Bahrain Island and Sitra through the Sitra Causeway....
and to Umm al Hussam (Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
) on Bahrain Island
Bahrain Island
Bahrain Island is the largest island within the archipelago of Bahrain, and forms the bulk of the country's land mass while hosting the majority of its population. Around most of the Island of Bahrain is a relatively shallow inlet of the Persian Gulf known as the Gulf of Bahrain...
. A small bridge on the south west of the Sitra also joins Bahrain Island, near the villages of Ma'ameer
Ma'ameer
Ma'ameer is a village in the island-kingdom of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. Ma'ameer Industrial Area consists of the Bahrain Petroleum Company Oil Refinery and a large number of factories, production units such as Awal Readymixed Concrete , Eastern Asphalt, and Al Zamil Aluminium.*...
and Eker.
The Sitra Club is a cultural and sports club for the island.
Also, Sitra is the site of many school campuses such as Al Noor International School
Al Noor International School
Al Noor International School is a private school in Bahrain which was created on 6 September 1993 by private investors with a view to providing good education to children of different nationalities within the Kingdom of Bahrain...
and Indian School, Bahrain
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...
.
Sitra Municipality
Sitra was also the name of a municipality in Bahrain before they were re-organized as governorates. The Sitra Municipality consisted of the island of Sitra and three villages close to it on the main island of Bahrain: Ma'ameerMa'ameer
Ma'ameer is a village in the island-kingdom of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. Ma'ameer Industrial Area consists of the Bahrain Petroleum Company Oil Refinery and a large number of factories, production units such as Awal Readymixed Concrete , Eastern Asphalt, and Al Zamil Aluminium.*...
, Eker and Nuwaidrat
Nuwaidrat
Nuwaidrat is a village located in Bahrain, close to Sitra; it was formerly part of the Sitra Municipality.On February 14, 2011, police used tear gas against protesters in the village; they were participating in country-wide protests. The village is mostly Shia Muslim; the marchers were demanding...
.
The area covered by Sitra Municipality handles Bahrain's entire petroleum production. It is also the export centre for the oil fields in northeastern Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.