Little rain falls, so farming is only possible on irrigated, or watered, land. Bahrain was one of the first Arab states to discover oil in the 1930s. Its oil reserves are now running out. As Bahrain's oil runs low, traditional industries such as pearling are once again growing in importance. The pearl season lasts from June to September.
Divers descend on weighted ropes, equipped only with nose-clips, knives, and collecting bags.
The most valuable pearls are bright white, tinged with pink. The main island of Bahrain is linked by a series of road causeways to the neighbouring islands of Al Muharraq and Sitrah, and to the Saudi Arabian mainland, with which Bahrain has close relations.