Riffa
Riffa
الرفاع | |
|---|---|
 Riffa Fort | |
| Nickname(s): رفاع العز Riffa Glory and History | |
  Riffa Location in Bahrain | |
| Coordinates: 26°7′48″N 50°33′18″E / 26.13000°N 50.55500°E | |
| Country |  Bahrain |
| Governorate | Southern Governorate |
| Settled | 1811 |
| Government | |
| • Governor | His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa |
| • Deputy Governor | Brigadier General Hamad Al Khayyat |
| Area | |
| • Land | 15.8 sq mi (41 km2) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 115,495 |
| Time zone | UTC + 3 |
Riffa (Arabic: الرفاع, Ar-Rifāʿ)[1] is the second largest city in the Kingdom of Bahrain in terms of area.[2] The city is divided into three parts: East Riffa, West Riffa and North Riffa. All three parts are located in the Southern Governorate.
The city is growing fast: during the 2001 census, the population was recorded as 79,550 but by 2008 it was estimated at 111,000.[3]
History
[edit]Riffa was formerly the principal settlement on Bahrain Island, before being supplanted by the port of Manama over the course of the 19th century.[1]
East Riffa
[edit]East Riffa has many attractions; one such attraction is the Bahrain National Stadium, along with a thriving restaurant scene.[4] The city is also home to stores such as East Riffa Market and Carrefour Market, along with providing entertainment services such as Iron Man Gym and Gaga Zumba Hop. The city is also home to the Al Rayan Medical Complex Hospital.[5] The city has several shopping malls and two main shopping streets; Riffa Market (سوق الرفاع, Souk ar-Rifa) and Bukuwara Street Market. The former is larger, while the latter is more organised and modernised. Playing golf in the Royal Golf Club is considered one of the top activities to do in the area.[6]
Even though East Riffa has predominantly been an urban working class area,[7] as of recent times, more people are relocating to East Riffa due to East Riffa being one of the most affordable places to live in Bahrain,[8][9] especially due to the government housing projects.[10][11][12] East Riffa is also becoming more popular with locals and expats due to the number of new developments and projects being launched, which in turn has grown its real estate market.[13] A new development, created by Arcapita, called Riffa Views, is a large residential and commercial center.[14] The project includes artificial lakes, an international school,[15] commercial districts, supermarkets, and will have access to the recently opened Royal Women's University. Enma Mall and Lulu Hypermarket Mall are new additions to the rapidly increasing commercial centers in East Riffa.
East Riffa has previously been known as one of the most dangerous cities in Bahrain,[16] particularly in relations with the political tension within Sunni-Shiite clashes due to the sectarian conflict, along with anti-government protests and demonstrations where as many as hundreds of injuries would occur,[17] much like it's neighboring village Ma'ameer. These clashes and protests dates back to the 1990s after the Gulf War,[18] but received the most media coverage during the Arab Spring in 2011.[19][20][21]
West Riffa
[edit]West Riffa is predominantly a residential area. Most of the ruling family, ministers and business investors live in West Riffa. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain lives there, as well as the Prime Minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. Riffa's famous clock tower is located in the centre of West Riffa.
West Riffa also has various landmarks including the Riffa Palace, where the former rulers of Bahrain, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad and Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa lived. West Riffa also is home to well-known springs, Al Hunaynya and Umm Ghwayfa, once considered to be Bahrain's purest and finest water. West Riffa is also home to one of the city's most iconic buildings known as the clock tower, as well as the Riffa Fort, which is also known as Sheikh Salman Bin Ahmad Al Fateh Fort.[22]
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ a b EB (1878).
- ^ National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- ^ World gazetteer [dead link]
- ^ Apen-Sadler, Dianne (2019-12-31). "Bahrain area guides: Riffa | Time Out Bahrain". www.timeoutbahrain.com. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ root (2022-09-06). "A Guide to East Riffa in the Southern Governorate". Area Guide - OpenSooq. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ The Royal Golf Club
- ^ "Al-Rifāʿ | Middle Eastern City, Ancient History & Archaeology | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
- ^ "Your Guide for Best 6 places to Rent in Bahrain". Weetas Real Estate Blog, Market Stats, Real Estate Analysis. 2019-10-27. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
- ^ "Affordable Neighborhoods in Bahrain: Where to Live on a Budget". Arab MLS.
- ^ سكن, مدونة (2022-04-10). "Things You Need to Know About Khalifa Town in Bahrain". مدونة سكن. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
- ^ "Construction of government-funded Bahrain homes 98% complete - Construction Week Online". 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
- ^ "Bahrain ministry to distribute 5,000 units in Riyadh Askar project - Construction Week Online". 2020-02-25. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
- ^ Nagar, Tarun (2023-03-14). "Top 20 Cities in Bahrain to Launch Real Estate App". Dev Technosys UAE. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
- ^ www.riffaviews.com
- ^ www.rvis.edu.bh
- ^ Team, Travel Safe (2023-04-28). "10 Most Dangerous Cities in Bahrain". Travel Safe - Abroad. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "Hundreds injured during clashes between rival groups in Bahrain". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "Police, protesters clash near Bahrain palace". CTVNews. 2011-03-11. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "IMAGO". www.imago-images.com. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ Baker, Aryn (2011-03-11). "Tensions Mount in Bahrain as Friday Protests Get Underway". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ Collett-White, Mike. "Timeline: The 2011 uprising in Bahrain and what's happened since". Reuters.
- ^ Apen-Sadler, Dianne (December 31st, 2019). "Bahrain area guides: Riffa Everything you need to know about Bahrain's second largest city". TimeOut.
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Bibliography
[edit]- , Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. III, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1878, p. 240.