Al Hidd
Al Hidd is a coastal town in the Muharraq Governorate of Bahrain, situated on a sand spit extending into the Arabian Gulf at the southeastern tip of Muharraq Island, covering approximately 15 square kilometers.[1] It functions as both a residential community with a population exceeding 14,000 and an economic hub centered on maritime industries, including shipbuilding, repair, and logistics.[1] The town blends historical ties to fishing and pearl diving with modern infrastructure, such as dry docks and housing projects, making it a vital part of Bahrain's northern coastal development.[1] The Al Hidd Municipality was established on January 4, 1945, by order of Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, with initial oversight from the Muharraq Municipality until its independent operation began in 1963.[2] It was led by figures such as the first president, Sheikh Rashid bin Salman Al Khalifa, and later unified with surrounding municipalities in 1973 under Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid Al Khalifa, focusing on local services like cleanliness and coordination.[2] Historically, the area's economy revolved around sea-based livelihoods, evolving into a center for industrial activities post-establishment.[1] Economically, Al Hidd is renowned for its maritime sector, hosting the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (ASRY), founded in 1977 as a multinational facility for ship repair, conversion, fabrication, and engineering services in the Arabian Gulf.[3] ASRY, located in the town's industrial precinct with duty-free zone status, supports Bahrain's role in global shipping by servicing tankers, rigs, and naval vessels.[4] The area also features the Logistics Village for trade and distribution, alongside government-backed housing initiatives like the East Hidd City project, which includes new villa developments and enhanced access roads.[5][6] Notable landmarks and amenities in Al Hidd include Al Hidd Park, offering green spaces, restaurants, and shops for recreation, and Prince Khalifa bin Salman Park, a larger public area approximately 30 minutes from the town center.[1] The region benefits from connectivity via major routes like Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Highway, multiple bus stops, and proximity to beaches such as Dry Dock Beach, supporting both local residents and visitors interested in coastal activities.[1]History
Early settlement
Al Hidd originated as a fishing village situated on a sand spit at the southeastern extremity of Muharraq Island, with its early settlement emerging in the 18th century alongside the Al Khalifah family's establishment of control in Bahrain in 1783.[7] Tied closely to the island's ancient maritime traditions dating back millennia, the community's founding reflected the broader pearling and fishing economy of Muharraq, which traces its roots to Dilmun-era settlements around 5,000 years ago.[8] As a tribal outpost, Al Hidd developed through migrations of Sunni Arab groups, integrating fishing with nascent seafaring activities that supported local sustenance and trade.[7] Prior to the 1930s oil discovery, Al Hidd played a pivotal role in Bahrain's pearl diving industry, serving as the second-largest and richest pearling center after Muharraq.[7] Boats departed from its ports in late April or early May for the four-month season, crewed by local divers who plunged to depths of up to 12 meters without breathing apparatus, enduring risks of shark attacks, decompression sickness, and exhaustion.[9] Traders and captains, often from prominent Sunni tribes like the al-Dawawdah, managed operations under a system of advance payments that frequently trapped divers in debt bondage, while families onshore prepared provisions and processed hauls of oysters for pearl extraction.[7] This cycle defined daily life, blending communal solidarity with the perils of Gulf waters, as pearls—Bahrain's primary export—fueled regional commerce until the industry's collapse in the 1920s due to cultured pearl competition.[9] The town's traditional neighborhoods, or firjan, arose organically around these pearl production networks in the late 19th century, forming tight-knit quarters that emphasized tribal al-‘asabiyyah (solidarity) among divers, clients, and freed slaves.[7] Al Hidd's conservative Sunni community structure, dominated by tribes such as the Al Ibn 'Ali, distinguished it from Shi'a agricultural villages, with social cohesion reinforced through majlis gatherings in sheikhly homes that served as hubs for decision-making and religious observance.[7] These firjan preserved a hierarchical yet interdependent society, where pearl merchants and captains held influence, fostering a culturally insular environment amid Bahrain's sectarian landscape. Shipbuilding emerged as a vital craft supporting Al Hidd's maritime focus, with local artisans constructing wooden dhows essential for pearling fleets and trade voyages.[10] Rooted in Gulf seafaring traditions, this skill involved hand-hewing timber like teak and acacia using age-old techniques passed through generations, enabling the community's self-sufficiency before mechanized alternatives. Al Hidd endures as one of Bahrain's last bastions for this heritage, where traditional dhow construction continues to evoke the pre-oil era's reliance on skilled woodworking and naval architecture.[10]20th-century development
The discovery of oil in Bahrain in 1932 fundamentally transformed the kingdom's economy, initiating a shift away from traditional industries like pearl diving, in which Al Hidd had long served as a key coastal hub and dormitory settlement for divers from Muharraq Island.[11][12] As the first major oil find in the Arabian Gulf, it spurred rapid modernization, but the concurrent rise of cultured pearls from Japan in the late 1920s accelerated the collapse of natural pearl diving by the 1940s, rendering it economically unviable and leading to widespread unemployment among divers in communities like Al Hidd.[13] Administrative developments also marked this period, with the Al Hidd Municipality established on January 4, 1945, by order of Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Initially overseen by the Muharraq Municipality, it began independent operations in 1963 and was unified with surrounding municipalities in 1973 under Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid Al Khalifa, emphasizing local services such as cleanliness and coordination.[2] By the 1940s and 1950s, the oil boom prompted significant migration shifts in Al Hidd, as former pearl divers and fishermen sought employment in emerging sectors such as oil refining and related services, contributing to population redistribution toward central urban and industrial zones while straining local resources in peripheral towns.[14] This period also saw community consolidation, exemplified by the formation of Al Hidd Sports Club in 1945, which became a vital social and cultural anchor fostering local identity amid economic upheaval.[15] Following Bahrain's independence from British protection in 1971, Al Hidd experienced accelerated urban and industrial development, including extensive land reclamation efforts in the 1970s and 1980s to support expansion on Muharraq Island.[16] Key initiatives involved reclaiming approximately 30 hectares for the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (ASRY), operational from 1977, which not only boosted maritime industry but also drove ancillary growth in petrochemicals, such as the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) established in 1979 on a 60-hectare reclaimed site nearby.[12] These projects marked Al Hidd's transition into a mixed industrial-residential area, with the South Hidd Industrial Area planned in the late 1970s to accommodate marine and heavy industries on reclaimed land. To address the growing population—rising from 5,269 in 1971 to over 11,000 by the early 2000s—public housing initiatives proliferated in the late 20th century, including the construction of 122 single-family houses between 1976 and 1980, followed by seven apartment blocks completed from 1975 to 1999, providing essential accommodations for workers and families drawn by industrial opportunities.[12] These efforts laid the groundwork for larger-scale developments, such as the East Hidd City project initiated in the early 21st century on additional reclaimed land, reflecting ongoing commitments to affordable housing amid demographic pressures.[17]Geography
Location and environment
Al Hidd is situated on the southeastern extremity of Muharraq Island in Bahrain, at approximately 26°15′N 50°39′E, with an average elevation of 3 meters above sea level. The town lies south of Bahrain International Airport and the adjacent village of Arad, forming part of the Muharraq Governorate's coastal fringe along the Arabian Gulf. This positioning places Al Hidd in close proximity to the Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Causeway, which links Muharraq Island to the mainland near Juffair. Geologically, Al Hidd occupies a low-lying sand spit extending into the Arabian Gulf, characterized by sandy coastal terrain with minimal topographic variation, typically from sea level to about 10 meters (33 feet) in the surrounding area.[18] The surrounding waters feature clear blue seas typical of the Gulf's shallow marginal environment, supporting coastal ecosystems such as seagrass beds and nearby coral reefs that serve as habitats for diverse marine species.[19] These ecosystems host rich marine life, including brachyuran crabs like sand-bubbler species, which inhabit the intertidal zones and contribute to the area's biodiversity.[19] The broader Hidd region encompasses approximately 15 km², much of which includes reclaimed land developed for industrial purposes, altering the original coastal landscape through dredging and infilling since the mid-20th century.[20] This reclamation has expanded available land while impacting local marine habitats, though the area's hot desert climate exacerbates environmental pressures on these ecosystems. Desalination facilities in Al Hidd, including the Al Hidd Power and Desalination Complex, discharge brine that contributes to declining local fisheries and over 95% loss of mangrove cover since 1967.[21][19]Climate
Al Hidd experiences a hot desert climate classified as BWh under the Köppen-Geiger system, characterized by extreme heat and aridity. The average annual temperature is approximately 26.2°C, with summer months from May to September seeing daytime highs frequently exceeding 40°C, often reaching up to 43°C or more during peak heatwaves. Winters are mild, with average temperatures ranging from 15°C to 20°C, and daytime highs typically around 20-22°C in December and January.[22][23][24] Annual precipitation is low, averaging about 66 mm, with most rainfall occurring sporadically during the winter months of December to March, contributing to persistently arid conditions and a heavy reliance on desalination for water supply. The scarcity of rain, combined with high evaporation rates, results in minimal vegetation and frequent dust accumulation across the landscape.[22][25] Seasonal shamal winds, blowing from the northwest, influence the coastal areas of Al Hidd, particularly intensifying during summer and bringing dust storms that can reduce visibility and stir sand. These winds, combined with the area's proximity to the Arabian Gulf, lead to elevated humidity levels of 60-90% near the sea, especially in the evenings and during mornings, amplifying the perceived heat through the hot, moist air.[26][27] As a low-lying sand spit extending into the Gulf, Al Hidd faces environmental challenges from rising sea levels driven by climate change, with projections indicating potential inundation of coastal zones by 2100 under moderate scenarios of 0.5-1 meter rise, threatening erosion and habitat loss. Bahrain's overall vulnerability to such changes, due to its flat topography, heightens risks for areas like Al Hidd.[28][29]Demographics
Population statistics
Al Hidd's estimated population exceeds 14,000 as of recent guides, representing a modest share within Muharraq Governorate's overall figure of 267,847 residents recorded in the national census of 2020.[1][30] The town's population has shown consistent growth since the 1970s, driven primarily by opportunities in the adjacent industrial zone and associated housing expansions that accommodated both local and incoming residents. Census records indicate a rise from 5,300 inhabitants in 1971 to 7,100 in 1981, 8,600 in 1991, and 11,600 in 2001, reflecting broader urbanization trends in Bahrain where the national rate reached 89.4% by 2020.[31] This expansion has been bolstered by migration patterns, including a notable influx of expatriate workers drawn to employment in the industrial area, such as shipbuilding and repair at the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (ASRY).[32][3]| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1971 | 5,300 |
| 1981 | 7,100 |
| 1991 | 8,600 |
| 2001 | 11,600 |