Bahrain

Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands in the Persian Gulf, and despite being the smallest Arab state, it has one of the longest histories of civilization in the region. This was ancient Dilmun, a legendary trading hub mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh, and for thousands of years it thrived on what the warm Gulf waters produced: pearls. Bahraini pearl divers built a culture and economy around those gems long before oil was discovered, and the pearl remains the national symbol.

Modern Bahrain punches way above its weight. It was the first Gulf state to discover oil (in 1932), the first to build a Formula 1 circuit in the Middle East, and has long been the most cosmopolitan and socially relaxed country in the region. Connected to Saudi Arabia by the 25-kilometer King Fahd Causeway, it serves as a weekend escape for Saudis and a financial hub for the Gulf. The capital Manama mixes old souqs selling spices and gold with a skyline of glass towers. At just 780 square kilometers, Bahrain is smaller than many cities, but its 5,000 years of continuous civilization give it a cultural depth that far outweighs its size.