Safest cities in Bahrain
1 city with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in BahrainTerrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Bahrain.
Political situation
- Demonstrations and protests take place. This can cause:
Crime
- Crime is low in most areas, but you should take normal precautions to protect your belongings. For personal safety, only use reputable taxi companies.
Laws and cultural differences
- Security sites and incidentsFilming, photography, publishing or redistributing photos or videos of security and military sites, operations or incidents is prohibited. This includes the promotion of unverified or fabricated content pertaining to events, attacks or acts of aggression against Bahrain. Violation of this prohibition risks arrest and prosecution.
- Social mediaRespect the local culture and public security rules when using social media. It could amount to a crime if you post online any message, video or photograph, that:
- Personal IDYou must carry photo ID such as a passport by law. You could be fined up to 300 Bahraini dinars if you cannot show photo ID if asked by the Bahraini authorities.
- Dress codeDress conservatively in public places, particularly religious sites.
- Respect for religionIslamic religious values are respected in Bahrain. Any disrespect towards religious beliefs or practices is considered deeply offensive and will likely lead to a heavy fine or a prison sentence.
- RamadanRamadan is a holy month for Muslims. The dates vary by year and country. During this time, do not:
- Public offencesOffensive language, spitting and aggressive behaviour (including ‘road rage’ hand gestures) are seen as seriously offensive and can result in a prison sentence and deportation.
Alcohol laws and bans
- Illegal drugs and prison sentencesIllegal drugs are strictly forbidden, even a residual amount. Consuming or carrying illegal drugs, even if you are travelling through the airport, can lead to a prison sentence and deportation. Buying or selling illegal drugs and narcotics is illegal and can lead to a life sentence.
- Drones and UAVsIt is illegal to fly drones or remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle flying devices without a valid licence or in restricted airspace. See the Bahrain Civil Aviation Authority for further details.
- LGBT+ travellersSame-sex sexual activity between consenting adults who are at least 21 years old is not prohibited by law. However, public displays of affection can cause offence and are illegal. While arrests are rare, there are some reported cases of individuals punished for same-sex activity.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Bahrain, see information on driving abroad.
- Sea travelThere is a curfew on the waterways around Bahrain between 6.30pm to 4am.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Bahrain, updated 2026-08-20 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 0.2 /100k2022
- Income inequality
- no data
- Human development
- HDI 0.8992023
- Income
- $65,500/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 5.2 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 61/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 60/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 50/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 1.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.77GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 56.6 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 99%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 0.7 doctors /1k1.8 hospital beds per 1,000
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Bahrain (as of 2025).
How Bahrain compares
| Measure | Bahrain | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.2 /100k | 2.4 /100k | −2.2 /100k — better for Bahrain |
| Income inequality (Gini) | no data | 35.2 | — |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.899 | 0.763 | +0.136 — better for Bahrain |
| Road deaths | 5.2 /100k | 15.4 /100k | −10.2 /100k — better for Bahrain |
| Rule of law | 60/100 | 52/100 | +8/100 — better for Bahrain |
| Corruption perceptions | 50/100 | 39/100 | +11/100 — better for Bahrain |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 56.6 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +36.9 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 1.8/10 | 3.8/10 | −2.0/10 — better for Bahrain |
| Measure | Bahrain | Asia median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.2 /100k | 1.8 /100k | −1.6 /100k — better for Bahrain |
| Income inequality (Gini) | no data | 33.5 | — |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.899 | 0.766 | +0.133 — better for Bahrain |
| Road deaths | 5.2 /100k | 15.3 /100k | −10.1 /100k — better for Bahrain |
| Rule of law | 60/100 | 52/100 | +8/100 — better for Bahrain |
| Corruption perceptions | 50/100 | 35/100 | +16/100 — better for Bahrain |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 56.6 µg/m³ | 26.7 µg/m³ | +29.9 µg/m³ — better for Asia median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 1.8/10 | 3.7/10 | −1.9/10 — better for Bahrain |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 1 cities, safest first
- Manama98.7 · #3 worldwide