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 Riffa Fort, which is also known as Sheikh Salman Bin Ahmad Al Fateh Fort. 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.[4]
Even though East Riffa has predominantly been an urban working class area,[5] 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,[6][7] especially due to the government housing projects.[8][9][10] 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.[11] A new development, created by Arcapita, called Riffa Views, is a large residential and commercial center.[12] The project includes artificial lakes, an international school,[13] 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.
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.
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ a b EB (1878).
- ^ National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- ^ World gazetteer [dead link]
- ^ 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
Bibliography
[edit]- , Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. III, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1878, p. 240.