The main island lies in the Persian Gulf about halfway between Saudi Arabia to the west and Qatar to the east.
Most development is concentrated on the northern third of the island.
Bahrain has long been famous for its greenery in the midst of the region's deserts. Recently, however, this has been changing. Though parts of the island are still thickly covered in date palms, the island is a lot less lush than it used to be. Some of the trees have been cut down, while others have died as increasing demands are made on the underground springs that water them. Aside from domesticated donkeys, you won't see many animals outside the Al-'Areen Wildlife Sanctuary.